Steam Boiler Filling

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Lister,
All this discussion on locomotive wheels, treads, slippage and track curvature some how got me to thinking about how a steam locomotive boiler was filled with water when the boiler was cold and empty such as having come out of heavy repairs or having been drained for some repair work.  (Please don't ask how I came up with the question from the previous discussions-who knows the workings of the mind?).  Obviously without water in the boiler steam could not be produced to drive the various appliances to put water into the boiler.  Was it just simply opening  fill plug(s) on the boiler and letting gravity do the work?  Or some other way?  The answer may be obvious but not having been around those magnificent steam locomotives in their hayday I'm at a distinct disadvantage.
Thanks in advance for any responses and tolerating my question.
Dave Moorehead
Milford, OH



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