Yesterday, 2 June, I attended the regular twice-yearly meeting of the Israeli Acoustical Society. MY main goal was to hear a presentation by my old friend Mendel Kleiner from Sweden on flat panel bending wave loudspeakers. (Not really very good at present stage of development, but useful in some special applications.) But I was awed by the presentation of the CEO pf the company Acousticeye. They should be contracted as soon as possible by TRAINS magazine's advertizing department. They have a terrific product, which should (1) drasticaly reduce costs for inspecting flues and tubes, (2) possibly end up allowing much longer flue and tube life and thus making steam less costly to operate. It is used by oil companies for oil wells (not BP yet), by power plants, water treatment plants, and its technology is solid. Of course demonstrations for the Fed. regulators would be essential, but it is really worthwhile investigating.
The idea started with a graduate school PhD thesis on using sound reflection imaging to characterize quality of wind musical instruments, and the development to the present product was a long one.
Their website is www.acousticeye.com
Between Jerualem and Tel Aviv, taxi to Modi'in, train to Tel Aviv, return the same way. Fastest way between the two cities at the present time. Use the local bus in Tel Aviv. Train going was German double-deck equipment and returning was Alstom single-deck. Power on both trains, both push-pull with sloped-end cab cars, was Alstom double-cap diesels with EMD prime movers. Smooth, quiet, fast ride, no complaints. The station in Modi'in, which I recall in 1960 as a sleepy farm town, is now across the street from a huge shopping center that was inspired by Milan's Galleria, just with up-to-date slick concret and glass architecture.
For some reason that I cannot fathom, the website lacks the addresses of North American contacts. Here are the internet addresses:
www.customerservice@stroudsystems.com
www.sales@inspectiontechnologies.net
prkearney@intertest.com
I'm sure it's not cheap, but the website promises some terrific benefits...could be a tool owned by a consortia of preservation sites.
There is also a learning curve in getting to use it. I may be actively involved and will keep this Forum informed of progress. One problem for its widest applicaton in steam preservation will be convincing Federal Authorities to modify regulations to permit its replacement of far more expensive existing practice. Possibly CP and UP may want to be involved in a detailed and thorough testing program to prove the point.
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