The quality of the steel in a boiler is no big deal. The proper steel is available to make any kind of boiler, that's not something that will ever go away. It's only a matter of paying for it. No one makes iron boilers at all unless they are cast iron and then they are limited to 15 psi for steam and usually 30 psi for hot water. Cast iron is a heating boiler and that's it. I've never heard of a high-pressure iron boiler unless maybe you go back to the 1820s.
Corrosion on the shell of the boiler can be rectified by doing a minimal wall thickness test and then welding up the pits should they require it. The tubes are considered a wear item anyway and no one I've ever heard of takes the tubes from one boiler and puts them in another. That's nuts! They make fine fence posts.
For getting young people involved, go to England and see some of the heritage railways and do whatever it is that they do. There's no shortage of young people eager to learn. I was on a steam powered train at the Severn Valley and the driver was a Chinese girl (!) no more than 25 years old. The firemen were about 18. In one of the British railway magazines there was an article about one of the new board members of the National Railway Museum in York. How old was he? Eight! Haven't you ever noticed about kids that age is that they generally know what they're doing?
54light15 For getting young people involved, go to England and see some of the heritage railways and do whatever it is that they do. There's no shortage of young people eager to learn. I was on a steam powered train at the Severn Valley and the driver was a Chinese girl (!) no more than 25 years old. The firemen were about 18. In one of the British railway magazines there was an article about one of the new board members of the National Railway Museum in York. How old was he? Eight! Haven't you ever noticed about kids that age is that they generally know what they're doing?
Ya, its a shame no one recognizes that. Some museums push young people away because of their age. Let me tell you, it happened to me a long time ago. A real big turn off for getting involved with them.
Firelock76 For these skills to survive two things have to happen... 1) Young people have got to get interested, or be gotten interested in it. 2) They have to be able to make a decent living at it. The first might be easy, the second, I'm not so sure.
For these skills to survive two things have to happen...
1) Young people have got to get interested, or be gotten interested in it.
2) They have to be able to make a decent living at it.
The first might be easy, the second, I'm not so sure.
I'm not saying it can't be done. What I AM saying is if the rail preservation movement is serious about this they better GET serious about it.
The kids are out there. You can find them in power mechanics classes, trade schools, anywhere you see young men and women that fidget themselves half to death in a classroom but LOVE getting their hands dirty making something out of what looks like nothing and making it sing. There's your future. Go find it.
54light15 The quality of the steel in a boiler is no big deal. The proper steel is available to make any kind of boiler, that's not something that will ever go away. It's only a matter of paying for it.
The quality of the steel in a boiler is no big deal. The proper steel is available to make any kind of boiler, that's not something that will ever go away. It's only a matter of paying for it.
The machines to roll the steel plates aren't widely available. That's why Tornado's boiler had to be made in the former East Germany at the Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works since it's the only facility in Europe, perhaps the entire World, that is capable of producing large locomotive boilers these days.
The ability to roll the steel for a boiler shell such as the Tornado might be limited in Europe. Here in Ontario, Canada there is Babcock and Wilcox in Cambridge, O'Connor Tanks in Toronto, Superior Boiler in Hamilton and Cleaver-Brooks in Stratford. All of these are capable of doing it, I've been in these plants, (I am a National Board certified boiler inspector) and all have the rolling equipment. O'Connor has World War Two vintage equipment, rebuilt many times. Then there's Ferro Metal who build large pressure vessels and there are several in Quebec. The Meiningen plant is a lot closer to Britain I will admit. I've been there too on their open days in September and it is one of the greatest things I've ever experienced! Every single thing to do with steam locomotives is done there, plus you can walk around the plant with a beer in your hand while say, a type 01 Pacific is cruising around in the yard. I've got to get back there!
By the way, the Babcock plant has a small side-rod diesel to move cars around in their yard.
I find it rather surprising that Ontario alone has all that but Europe only has 1 plant with that capability. Makes me wonder if they're as capable as you think if someone came calling for a boiler for a 4-8-4.
Were they even asked? I have no idea. But I do know that the Tornado's boiler had to be sent back as staybolts broke. A boiler built for an Australian locomotive had to go back also, from what I've heard. I just don't think that rolling equipment is all that rare either here in Canada, the U.S. or in Europe, it's a matter of who has the knowledge of a steam locomotive and in the case of the Canadian builders versus Meiningen, who has the most recent experience? But like I wrote earlier, the boiler shell of the UP locomotive may not need replacing at all.
Has there been any offical comment from UP does anyone know?
Matt
I don't think so, but of course it has been a while.
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