Is a Cab Forward a Steam Engine? If so, does it burn wood or coal?

Question

I was think about this, if the tender and the cab do not meet each other then how does the fuel reach the burner?

Answer 1

It actually burns phosphates

Answer 2

Agreed, the Cab Forwards were oil fired.  It was the only fuel that could be moved the entire length of the locomotive through a pipe.

Answer 3

It is indeed a steam engine, and (although I am not sure), they probably burned oil -- which is easier than coal or wood to move from the tender to the front of the locomotive.

Answer 4

The Cab forward was an articulated steam engine designed for tunnels.

If my memory serves me right it was oil fired.

Answer 5

Cab Forwards were unique to the Southern Pacific and the reason for their development (the SP owned many different wheel arrangements of the design) was for the safety of train crews and to protect against asphyxiation in the long tunnels and snowsheds of the SP's main line through the Sierras.  They were fueled using oil which was pumped from the tender to the firebox located, in this case, on the front of the locomotive near the cab.

Answer 6

Yep they were oil fired.My dad was a fireman on the cab forwards working the  Southern Pacific cal p route up to Roseville Calif.He said everyone hated them because they just didn't draft right and were very hard to keep the steam pressure where you wanted it.They were built to keep crews from choking to death from smoke going through the snow sheds running over Donner Summit .I'm glad i get to run the modern stuff!

Answer 7

They were oil burners, although there may have been some built in Europe that had a Fireman in the rear, shoveling coal.  Like this right here:

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LO...

And, in fact, in this one there was a front Fireman shoveling coal out of front bunkers!

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LO...

There is a fabulous we site about strange steam locomotives that covers the world's supply of Cab-forwards.  I've posted a link below.  The whole site is just great.

There were lots of them, not just one kind.  We the U.S. tend to ignore what goes on in the rest of the universe!