Sand dome
The sand dome is part of the equipment of a steam locomotive ; it is located on the top of the long basin and contains the sandpit .
The term sandpit is occasionally used as a synonym for the sand dome , as on some locomotives it has a box shape instead of the mostly round or oval basic shape of the steam or regulator dome.
Steam locomotives with five or more coupled axles also had two or more sand domes.
The brake sand to be spread over the sand spreader of the steam locomotive is stored in the sandpit . The sand is poured into the sand dome via lockable hatch covers. For this purpose, sand filling devices similar to the water crane were used in larger railway depots . Where these were not available, the sand was transferred manually by the locomotive crew using buckets or directly from bags.
The sand downpipes are attached to the sand dome, each leading at least in front of the first and the last coupled axle. Depending on the direction of travel, the front sand trap was then used.
Some steam locomotives, for example the DB class 23 and other steam locomotives whose boilers were renewed on the Bundesbahn, did not have a sand dome. Instead, several sandboxes were installed between the circulation and the long boiler.
