The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #95428 Message #2885310
Posted By: Lonesome EJ
12-Apr-10 - 11:45 PM
Thread Name: What is smokestack lightnin'?
Subject: RE: What is smokestack lightnin'?
A black coal-fired locomotive roaring down a grade with a chain of cars in tow would get back pressure to the firebox, and that pressure would burst out of the stack in a cloud of embers and smoke. At night, this belch of black cloud illuminated from inside by a burst of embers would have been an awesome sight, an embodiment of dark power.
That's smokestack lightning.