Ode to steam training

The Rillé railway is renkoms for its steam locomotive driving training sessions. Here is the testimony of what a trainee experienced over 3 days.

A satiated trainee's log

Saturday 9am, I am in view of the roundhouse, visible from the road. Tension rises a bit, the training is said to be physical and due to my size, it is not the domain where I am the best but it is a childhood dream to be able to ride a steam locomotive and when I heard it was possible with the AECFM, nothing in the world could stop me.
Friendly welcome with a good coffee, introduction, visit of the site and without delay we get to the heart of the subject. As we are only two trainees, the roles distribution is quickly done, for this first day, Jean-Marc will be driver and I will be fireman, each one of us being chaperoned by a skilled instructor.
Bernard tells me the role of the fireman and the first tasks to accomplish. Armed with buckets, a brush and a trowel, I undertake the cleanining of the fireplace and the somkebox. For this time, I am exempt from sweeping the boiler tubes.

No dead time, once everything is dust free, the fire must be lit and regularly fed with wood at first. After two or three smoking out on opening the firebox door, I end up  understanding the draught operation. No question of wandering because in parallel, we have to proceed to fillling the tender with coal. While stuffing logs I frequently have a glimpse on the pressure gauge and I am a little disappointed not to see the needle to take off. Bernard explains that heating up 1000 liters of water takes time before event rising pressure. A slight hissing sound begins to be heard, the boiler sings. During a pause I closely look at the cabin, it is way more complex than I imagined. I take the opportunity to immerse myself in this atmosphere, I want to sstore a maximum of memories of this unique experience, as the noises and the smells, those of the wood and coal, of the overheated metal, of oil and grease, of the steam...
All around, the association members are at work too: upkeep, repair, but alos a ballet of engines on the turntable to form the train we will tow this afternoon. For this first day, it will be a merchandise train.
11am, it is the moment for the lecture by Fred while our instructors take over to continue the heating. After a presentation on the history of railway, a detailed introduction to differents types of track, the saga of the association and the complete biography of the locomotive, we review its operation, simple in its principle, ingenious and complicated in its design (I will take some time to assimilate the steam reversing within the drawers). Lunch is the occasion to get to know each other better and as soon we drank our coffee, we resume the preparation of the machine. Marc and Bernard explain us our respective role and the different controls we will have to handle. For the fireman, it will be the locomotive brake, bleeders management, supply in water and coal while en route. I think I will cope and the afternoon will be easy.
Big mistake !
2 pm, this is the moment, we are just about to drive a steam locomotive ! Marc carries out the manoeuvres to hook-up the wagons, this step requires skills only years of practice allow to get. After a passage over the ashtray to get rid of the ashes, he gives us the controls ! First surprise : there is no dead time. The circuit is technical with a succession of cilmbs, descents, curves, level crossings, without counting the manoeuvres.  The driver's orders are flowing: "brake released", "bleeders closed". For these two tasks, I am dealing well, on the other hand, feeding the water is an other story. I well understood the injector principle, but when going practical, impossible to find the balance point of the valve. Without Bernard I would have drained the whole reserve over the track, he did success in two or three tries to fill the boiler, it is an art ! The afternoon goes on, chaining the circuits and repeating the gestures that gradually become more automatic and fluid.

 5:30pm, Back at the depot where the firebox must me emptied over the ashtray before Marc will do the manoeuvres to release the wagons and park the loco. First impressions:  intense, physial and taking, all I expected, all came to get at Rillé ! Debrief around a beer or a soda, time passes by, we do not want to leave...

Sunday 9:30am : Inversion of the roles, today I am driver and we will tow a passenger train! First step of the preparation: degreasing the linkage with a brush soaked with gas-oil. somewhat clumsy, I spill as much on my suit than on the parts to be cleaned. Once the whole is clean, greasing must be done with 3 different lubricants: high density oil, classic oil and grease. Fortunately, Marc is there to prevent me from mixing everything, he does not only indicate me what product to use, he also tell me why one is prefered to an other. This operation allows me to discover the linkage in detail and the astute devices doing the lubrication, as the greasers, hollow cylinders we tighten slightly during stops to compress the grease and send it to the axles. After the lecture, the lunch and the coffee, we are ready to go again. Split sentiment between excitement to take controls and anxiety to the idea to carry passengers. Marc explains the differences with the train of the day before. Firstly the weight: we go from 22 to 33 tons ! The carriages brake then, it works "reversed", read that they are tighten when there is no pressure, a system designed for more safety. This control we did not have on saturday adds up to the regulator and the drive lever I will have to handle, not to mention an additional pressure gauge to watch.
2 pm We must go, le regulator lever is hard to move and I have trouble dosing the pressure, the first start is quite abrupt but then it is better. It is impressive how we feel the reactions of the machine. We arrive in view of the station pushing the carriages, peoples are waiting on the platform, some little stress. Prior to departure, we perform a turnaround of the loco on the triangle as well as a general bleeding in a noise from hell. Marc does the connection and places himself behind. Here we go !

Photos: Jean-Luc Fievet

As the day before not a moment of rest, orders fuse: "regulator at zero", "countersteam", "convoy brake at 3 bars", "pressure at 4", "march ahead", "whistle", "brakes off", "get more traction". I don't really have time to worry for the passengers, turns succed one another. Some places are more delicate as when we have to get water at the depot. We stop in a climb ant the restart requires a particular attention, it is necessary to rise the pressure and release the brakes then dose for not to slip nor lose power. Gradually I get confidence, kinda player, Marc sets me challenges like "you stop at the sign and maintain the loco motionless, beware we are in a climb !"  What I like is that the instructions are always assorted by detailed explanations, we do not just execute orders, we learn too why we do this or that action. It allows to anticipate and forsee what command to execute even if we are very far from autonomy. 5:30pm already, back to the depot, tired but satiated. As the day before, not in a hurry to leave the site, force is to say that the ambiance is friendly.
  Monday, 9:30 am : For this last day, it will be a repetition of the previous ones where we will alternatively man the two stations. No lassitude to accomplish the same tasks again, on the contrary we activate knowing the dream is about to end but it is real and we must enjoy it.  But I well understood that it was a game for me. While doing all the tasks we measure the hardness for the teams that worked so every day, by any weather, all their life.

The days after the training,: beware to secondary effects, mostly during car driving. Frequently observed are glimpses on the tachometer in despair not to reach 3 bars of pressure, the orders barked to the spouse: "brakes on, bleeders open".  On the contrary, a maximum vigilance is required to avoid counter-steam, the clutch gear doesn't like it at all...  Thanks to the whole members of the AECFM for their patience, their forgiveness and their professionalism, we are not ready to forget those times we spent in their company. The training met my expectations, organized with seriousness and rigor while allowing us to be truly actors and taking real pleasure from it.

Jean-Luc, trainee 2019


Such a testimony is a nice award for all those who prepare and handle these training sessions, thanks !

You too can live this experience. The Aecfm society offers different formulas of 1, 3 or 5 days duration. All the infos 'in french) on : https://aecfm.fr/stageVapeur.html

27/04/2019 - April 27th 2019

Le nouvel injecteur côté chauffeur de la 020 O&K "La Touraine" est enfin opérationnel.
   The new fireman' side injector of the O&K 040 "La Touraine" is finally operational.


La mise en service aura été aussi délicate que le fonctionnement de ces appareils et aura nécessité la reprise intégrale de l'installation. A commencer par le clapet anti-retour dont il fallait s'assurer du bon fonctionnement.
   It's commissioning has been as delicate as the operation of these apparatus and required a total refit of the installation. To begin with the check valve which we had to be sure it worked fine.

L'appareil ayant des dimensions différentes de son prédécesseur, son raccordement a requis des modifications de la tuyauterie.
   The device dimensions being different from its predecessor, its connection reequired alterations of piping.

Les performances ont alors conduit à modifier encore le raccordement pour former une ligne droite au lieu d'une boucle courte, afin d'améliorer l'écoulement de la vapeur entrante. L'injecteur est par conséquent repoussé à ras de la cloison avant.
   The performances then led to alter again the tubing to form a straight line instead of a short loop, in order to improve the flow of the inbound steam. The injector is subsequently pushed forward against the wall.

Photos: Peter Williams

Au prix de devoir tendre la bras un peu plus, les chauffeurs de cette loco auront désormais à leur disposition un injecteur plus efficace. C'est un confort appréciable pour eux, mais également pour les mécaniciens qui sont dès lors déchargés de la manœuvre de l'injecteur de secours de leur côté.
   At the cost of having to reach it out farther, firemen of this loco will now have a more efficient injector at their disposition. It is an appreciable comfort for them, but also for the drivers who are discharged from operating the contingency device on their side.

16/04/2019 - April 16th 2019

Si une grande partie des actions menées restent dans l'ombre, certaines sont particulièrement visibles. Une nouvelle signalétique plutôt réussie !
   If a great part of the action remains in the shadow, some are particularly visible. The new signs are really nice !


A la gare, le panneau d'information des visiteurs, précédemment réparé, a été considérablement amélioré par des visuels imprimés de toute beauté.
   At the station, the visitors information panel, previously repaired, has been considerably improved by beautiful printed visuals.

Les trous derrière recevront bientôt un banc
The holes in background will soon receive a bench

On dit souvent que la première impression compte, là ça devrait être plutôt convaincant.
   It is often said that the first impression counts, here it should be convincing.

 Au dépôt, un panneau associe clairement le bâtiment à l'association, avec cette précision importante qu'il s'agit d'une activité de bénévoles. Tout ce qui est à voir sur le site est le fruit du travail d'hommes et de femmes passionnés.
   At the depot, a panel clearly associates the building to the society, with this important precision that it is the activity of volunteers. Everything to be seen on the site is the fruit of the work of hearty men and women.

Le réfectoire a été baptisé au nom de notre regretté ami Michel Demeulenaere, en souvenir des meilleures crises de rires que nous y avons vécues.
   The refectory has been chistened after the name of our regretted friend Michel Demeulenaere, in memory of the best laugh crisis we experienced there.

Toute autre chose, le DBf38 a retrouvé ses bogies reconditionnés, prêt pour le service. A noter que lui aussi porte une belle signalétique.
   Something totally different, the DBf38 carriage is now ready for operation with its reconditioned bogies. To be noted it has a nice sign too.

Photos: Patrick Deslandes

13/04/2019 - April 13th 2019

Toutes sortes d'activités de côtoient à Rillé, en voici quelques exemples:
   All kinds of activities take place at Rillé, here are some examples:


Le réaménagement de la voiture PLM se poursuit. La partie droite a été vidée de son contenu et la pose d'un nouveau plancher est en cours.
   The reorganization of the PLM coach continues. The right section has been emptied of its content and a new floor is being laid down.

La peinture des bogies du wagon DBf38 a été terminée, ils vont pouvoir être remis en place.
   Painting of the DBf38 wagon bogies is completed, they would be back in place soon.

Un nouveau tuyau d'injection d'eau a été confectionné pour la 040 Polska. L'ajustement et l'installation ont immédiatement suivi.
   A new water injection tube has been made for the 080 Polska. Adjustment and installation followed immediately.

Infos & photos: Benoît David

Des reprises de peintures ont été faites sur cette loco, tandis que la 020 "La Touraine" recevait son nouvel injecteur côté chauffeur.
A l'atelier, une nouvelle tronçonneuse à ferraille a été mise en service pour faciliter les nombreuses découpes nécessaires.
   Some paint job has been made on this loco, while the 040 "La Touraine" received its new injector on the fireman's side.
In the workshop, a steel saw has been installed to facilitate the numerous cuts needed.

Chantier de St Patrick - St Patrick works

C'est un pur hasard du calendrier et l'affaire n'est pas une célébration quelconque mais plutôt une opération de récupération de rails et l'occasion pour les membres de se retrouver.
   It is a pure calendar fortuity and the affair is not some sort of celebration but a rail recovery operation and the occasion for the members to meet again.

Le but est de déposer les rails de l'ancien dépôt de l'association à Marcilly. Ce premier site, utilisé dès le début des années 70, a vu le début de l'aventure de l'Aecfm et comportait tous les éléments nécessaires à une exploitation de train touristique.

Lorsque le transfert vers le site actuel de Rillé a été effectif, le site de Marcilly est tout simplement resté en l'état. Pourtant, il ne pourra le rester indéfiniment et il est donc temps de commencer à se préparer à libérer le terrain.
D'ailleurs, le matériel qui s'y trouve aura toute sa place à Rillé où il y a encore un fort potentiel de développement. Et du matériel, il en reste, mais ce n'est pas le matériel roulant qui est concerné ici. En effet, chaque chose en son temps, et c'est donc la voie qui est récupérée en premier.
   The goal is to remove the rails of the former society depot at Marcilly. This first site, used since the early 70', saw the beginning of the Aecfm adventure and featured all the neccessary elements for a touristic train operation.
When the transfer to the current Rillé site was effective, the Marcilly site simply remained as is. However, it would not remain so indefinitely and it is now time to start to prepare to vacate the land.
For instance, the equipment stored there will have its place at Rillé where there is still a strong potential for development. And there is equipment there, but it is not the rolling stock it is all about here. Indeed, everything in its time and the track is reclaimed first.

Photo: Patrick Deslandes

Le dépôt de Marcilly avait plusieurs voies couvertes, reliées par aiguilles, croisement et pont tournant à la ligne principale (déposée depuis longtemps). Ces éléments seront certainement bien employés à Rillé. Il se dit même déjà que la St Patrick 2020 pourrait être l'occasion de reposer ces éléments de voie...
   The Marcilly depot had several covered tracks, linked by switches, crossing and turntable to the long gone main line. These elements will certainly be put to good use at Rillé. Some say that St Patrick 2020 could be the occasion to lay down this track...

Photo: Thomas Moreau

L'opération du jour consiste donc à repérer toutes les jonctions de rails et à dégager les éclisses. Les boulons sont alors coupés pour rendre la séparation effective.
   The action that day then consists to spot all the rails junctions and clear the fishplates. Bolts are then cut off for an effective separation.
 

Photo: Patrick Deslandes

La mini-pelle retire la terre et l'herbe qui recouvre le tout afin de permettre l'extraction.
   The mini excavator withdraws the dirt and grass covering the track to allow extraction.

Photo: Patrick Deslandes

Peu à peu, le tracé des voies se révèle, c'était une belle installation.
   Gradually, the track pattern is revealed, it was a nice installation.

Photo: Patrick Deslandes

Photo: Thomas Moreau

Les coupons de rails sont ensuite sortis du sol, d'abord avec des crics, puis avec le relevage d'un tracteur avant d'être empilés sur une remorque agricole pour leur transport.
   The rails elements are then extracted form the ground, first with jacks and then with the forklift arm of a farming tractor prior to be piled up on a trailer for transportation.

Photos: Patrick Deslandes

Un repas tiré des sacs est pris sur place par les 16 participants qui ont encore du travail à faire. Ce chantier aura été l'occasion pour plusieurs membres de découvrir ce site dont l'exploitation a été arrêtée au début des années 90. Sur place, ils ont pu assister au démarrage du locotracteur "Percheron" du constructeur Comessa. Une cigarette et 4 tours de manivelle ont suffi pour le lancer du premier coup. La cigarette sert de point chaud pour l'allumage qui s'entretient tout seul ensuite. En l'absence de liquide de refroidissement, l'essai a été très court mais un mouvement a été possible, montrant la bonne conservation de l'engin.
   A meal of their own is taken on the spot by the attendees which have still plenty to do. This works was the opportunity for several members to discover this site whose operation ceased in the early 90'. There, they could assist to the start of the Comessa engine "Percheron". A cigarette and 4 crankshaft turns for a first try start. The cigarette serves as a hot spot for ignition which is self sustained while running. In the absence of coolant, the run was kept short but a movement was performed, showing the good condition of the engine.

Photo: Thomas Moreau

La journée s'est terminée à Rillé où les participants ont pris un repas très apprécié et convivial comme d'habitude.
   The day ended at Rillé where the attendees had a very appreciated and friendly dinner, as usual.

9 mars 2019 - March 9th 2019

Une nouvelle journée de travail très productive.
An other very productive work day.

Le travail ne s’interrompt pas pendant l'hiver
Bernard B et Jean C poursuivent la restauration de la voiture PLM tandis que Marc R et Alex s'occupaient des bogies Péchot du wagon DBf 38.
Alex a ensuite rejoint Eric pour réparer le gros nettoyeur haute pression qui pose toujours des problèmes.
   Work doesn't stop during winter.
Bernard B and Jean C go on with the PLM carriage restoration while Marc R and Alex look after the Pechot boggies of the DBf38 wagon.
Alex then joined Eric to repair the big high pressure cleaner that is always troublesome.

Au dépôt, Bruno poursuit ses travaux sur l'installation électrique. André a procédé à des remontages sur la 040 "Polska" après nettoyage et inspection pendant que Peter s'occupait de l'injecteur de cette loco. Peter a aussi aidé Jean D à l'installation du nouvel injecteur italien sur la 020 "La Touraine".
   At the depot, Bruno continues his work on the electrical equipments. André proceeded to reassemblies on the 080 "Polska" after cleaning and inspection while Peter checked this machine's injector. Peter also helped Jean D to install the new italian injector on the 040 "La Touraine".

Infos et photos Jean David

Les petites équipes ont une action non négligeable !
Small teams have a non negligible action !

Modification bourreuse - Tamping machine alteration

Les chantiers d'entretien de la voie ferrée peuvent prendre différentes formes, la plus fréquente est celle qui consiste à remplacer des traverses en bois. Pour cela, il faut retirer puis remettre le ballast en place, ce qui nécessite un bourrage mécanique. La machine utilisée à cet effet vient de subir une modification pour en améliorer les performances.
   Railway track maintenance works can take various forms, the most frequent one being to replace the wooden ties. It implies to remove the ballast and then set it again with the tamping machine. This machine has been altered to improve its performances.

En fait, il s'agit de réhausser une nouvelle fois le châssis de la machine. La première fois, c'était parce que son transit était difficile et interférait avec l'environnement de la voie. Des roues plus grosses ont réglé le problème et les déplacements ne présentent plus de difficulté. Par contre, il en subsistait à l'usage avec l'impossibilité de rouler sur les portions de voie déjà prête au bourrage à cause de la présence des crics de levage. L'objectif était donc de relever l'ensemble par allongement des supports d'axe des roues.
   In fact, the goal is to get the frame higher again. The first time, it was because its transit was difficult because of track environnement interferences. Larger wheels solved the problem and displacement is no more problematic. But it remained some trouble upon use with the impoosibility to roll over the track sections lifted by jacks before tamping, due to the presence of these jacks. The solution is then to raise the frame with longer wheel shaft holders.

Les deux groupes de bourrage motorisés ont d'abord été retirés du châssis, lequel a alors pu être redressé pour faciliter le travail.
   The two motorized tamping units were set aside the frame, which could then be erected for easier work.

Des fers plats ont été façonnés pour reproduire le logement des axes de roues et soudés dans leur prolongement.
   Flat iron bars were machined to reproduce the wheel shaft fitting and then welded along.

Le gain en hauteur permet donc de passer la machine par dessus les crics de levage, et donc de procéder au bourrage du ballast pendant que les crics toujours en place maintiennent le voie là où elle a été réglée. Avant cette modification, il fallait retirer les crics juste avant le bourrage et la voie pouvait redescendre avant d'être calée. Le but est d'obtenir un positionnement fiable du premier coup, sans avoir de défauts à corriger ensuite.
   The gain in height allows the machine to roll above the lifting jacks and to proceed to tamping while the jacks, still in place, maintain the track where it has been set. Prior to this alteration, it was required to remove the jacks just before the tamping and the track could fall before it was set. The aim is to get a reliable positionning at first try, without defects to correct afterwards.

Photos: Bruno Godier

Plus que la peinture, la remise en place des groupes de bourrage, et le prochain chantier sera l'épreuve de vérité !
   Now, it just remains some paint job to do, remount the tamping units, and the next track works will be the moment of truth !