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String Lining

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Posted by Euclid on Saturday, November 19, 2016 2:36 PM

RME,

I once made a painting that included M&StL #416, using photos as a reference.  The engine had that same type of steam delivery pipe emerging vertically from the top of a rectangular valve chest.  I recall learning about the reason for that unusual steam delivery pipe, but I would have to dig into my archives to refresh my memory.  I think it was a matter of converting from slide valves to piston valves in order to accommodate a change from saturated to superheated. 

Here is a photo of #416 in the dead line ready for scrapping.  I believe there are other photos of it in the same deadline, but with a rectangular valve casing still intact.  I must have had a photo showing it that way because that is how I depicted in in the painting.  I have to find my R&LHS Bulletin with the M&StL roster because that shows the engine as built, but without that steam delivery pipe.

Here is the photo: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=333070

 

RME
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Posted by RME on Saturday, November 19, 2016 12:42 PM

Euclid
I have seen photos of engines with slide valve chests and the steam pipe entering to top center of the valve chest vertically. My understanding that this is the result of a conversion to being a superheated locomotive. As I recall, it is part of a manufactured superheat conversion kit referred to by the manufacturer's name.

Conversion with Universal (it's a tradename but I won't remember whose without consulting White and/or some contemporary Cycs) considerably predates widespread adoption of superheating.  It represents much more an approach to the wear, adjustment, and lubrication issues inherent in slide valves on locomotives of increasing size.  If you read the issues of Angus Sinclair's publications in this time period (1890s-first decade 1900s) you will see many discussions on this, and on the advantages of piston valves over slide valves.

The "universal" name referred to the fact that it allowed any slide or cylinder configuration (including perhaps Alfree-Hubbell) to be converted to use a common piston valve.  Presumably when the chests were ordered there was some option for how the admission steam was ported, but to me it would make great and almost immediate sense to replace any contorted little cast admission passages in the cylinder-saddle area with direct pipes through the smokebox volume...

I wouldn't be surprised to find 'package kits' for superheat conversion on the market, but there was much more actually involved with installing superheat on locomotives 'not designed for it' including a large amount of retubing with flues, redrafting, damper provision, etc., and I would tend to discount any idea that a common header-and-tube arrangement would be marketed as a commodity (rather than carefully calculated and made to spec by the Superheater Company) unless there are records showing successful use of kits 'in the long run'.  By no means am I saying there aren't any, but remember that the whole Universal chest thing was a cheap expedient in the first place (look at the number of whole new piston-valve cylinder assemblies that were made for and fitted to locomotives with inside Stephenson gear when economics warranted).

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Posted by Euclid on Saturday, November 19, 2016 12:23 PM

RME
That is a different kind of universal valve chest than I've seen Stateside.  Ours were curved on top to follow the valve contour more closely, probably to reduce material cost, and I believe the outside steam pipe didn't come straight down on them (as on 1017) but entered at a more typical angle as seen on power built with piston valves.  The conversion appears to have preserved the very small valve rod and joint that would have gone with (self-supporting) slide valve construction.

I have seen photos of engines with slide valve chests and the steam pipe entering to top center of the valve chest vertically.  My understanding that this is the result of a coversion to being a superheated locomotive.  As I recall, it is part of a manufactured superheat conversion kit referred to by the manufacturer's name. 

RME
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Posted by RME on Saturday, November 19, 2016 12:09 PM

More of the same please, sir.

That is a different kind of universal valve chest than I've seen Stateside.  Ours were curved on top to follow the valve contour more closely, probably to reduce material cost, and I believe the outside steam pipe didn't come straight down on them (as on 1017) but entered at a more typical angle as seen on power built with piston valves.  The conversion appears to have preserved the very small valve rod and joint that would have gone with (self-supporting) slide valve construction.

She made it all the way to 1957 - nearly her 50th birthday!

Interesting spark arrestor on 1009; I thought at first the screen had slipped down on her stack, but it appears there is a sizable cast 'bottom' there, and either the elegant stack has been truncated or the exhaust is being directed downward and outward through the mesh external to the stack.  This deserves more attention.

Someone look at 2584 in Havre (or an appropriate picture of her) and see if she has the dreaded low-water alarm in the same place...

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Friday, November 18, 2016 11:12 PM



Thank You.

 

 

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Friday, November 18, 2016 4:21 PM

 

Thank You.

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Posted by Euclid on Friday, November 18, 2016 9:17 AM

NDG

Anyway, just found this photo to add to the Going for Scrap file.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeff_lemke/16218107100 

 
Very interesting to see that train of GN steamers going to scrap.  I took a GN passenger train to Superior in Feb. 1962 to walk around in Allouez Yard where they had 31 of those engines stored dead waiting to be scrapped.  There were lots of 2-8-2s, 0-8-0s, some 4-8-4s, and other types.  I made an inventory list and still have it here somewhere in my archives.  
 
GN told me that they were all for sale at 1.5 cents per pound, and they would deliver them for free to any place on their system.   
RME
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Posted by RME on Friday, November 18, 2016 8:53 AM

NDG
Reading a book regarding Soviet Sub. K-129, USS Scorpion, the USS Pueblo Affair and so on which also mentions Watergate, Johnny Walker Red, R. Nixon and all that palaver.

When you get done with it, go see what Charlie Stross did with the material in "The Jennifer Morgue"...

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Friday, November 18, 2016 8:42 AM

 

Thank You.


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Posted by Miningman on Friday, November 18, 2016 7:48 AM

NDG- Throughly enjoy your posts. Great pictures as well. 

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Thursday, November 17, 2016 1:31 PM


Thank You.

RME
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Posted by RME on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 8:36 PM

NDG
Calvin Ball Rules Apply beyond this point.

Just to be sure you knew that we knew what you meant...

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 5:27 PM


Thank You.

   
 

   

 

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 4:18 PM

Norm48327

Now; tell us the moral of the story. Big Smile

That was then (when railroads ran on nicotine, caffeine and alcohol) and management placed some value on their employees and this is NOW where management looks for every and any opportunity to fire the employees they don't have enough of to keep operations fluid.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Norm48327 on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 3:20 PM

Now; tell us the moral of the story. Big Smile

Norm


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Posted by Paul of Covington on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 2:17 PM

NDG
Thank You.

    Thank you, NDG.   I enjoy your stories even if I don't always understand all of the lingo.

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 2:32 AM

 

Thank You.

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Friday, November 11, 2016 9:14 PM

 

 

Thank You.

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Posted by AgentKid on Friday, November 11, 2016 5:29 PM

NDG
Probably has Garbage Can Headlight.

You can see the headlight through the open front door on the 7067. They were Pyle brand headlights, right?

NDG
Extra gangway and hand rails centre front to expedite crossing btwn units on the move with different running board heights.

Thank you, I've always wondered what they were doing there.

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere"  CP Rail Public Timetable

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Friday, November 11, 2016 5:07 PM

 

 

Thank You.

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 4:49 AM

Regardess of roadbed condition, unless entirely impractical, always walk alongside a track, never on the track!

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Monday, November 7, 2016 9:26 PM

 

More re Switching Incident, just to show how things can go wrong, stupidly.

Years ago a Safety Bulletin came down from On High.

A Switchman had been killed in the Yard at another Terminal.

They were switching at night and the switch list said to put this Cut into Track Five, all under control, flat switching and a kick.

The Foreman was walking down Track Four adjacent in the direction of movement to pull the pin in another track for a move or two later.

The Helper lined the Cut for Four, by mistake, and it overtook him, he possibly hearing them approach and he thought they were in Five next over.

They Don't know.

 

Thank You.

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Monday, November 7, 2016 4:37 PM


Great times, back in the day.

Thank You.

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Posted by Boyd on Monday, November 7, 2016 3:58 PM

I got it between 1982 and 1988. Diagnosed June of 2013. Doctors would just scratch their heads and say I don't know while family told me to stop being lazy and faking it. I've seen enough of railroading to know it's a tough job. 

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Monday, November 7, 2016 3:12 PM

[quote user="Boyd"]

I'd rather watch trains than work on one. Walking on ballast or loose snow long distances doesn't sound fun to me. Well I'm almost 50 anyways dealing Lymes disease. I'll stick to the job I have now. 

 I will agree with you on that, If I knew then what I know now, I'd have done it a different way. Interesting experiences for the Forums, tho'

In the spring, riding my 4-8-2 bike in the bush, I come home with ticks.

A fellow I know has Lymes Disease, and it has kicked the Hell out of him.

 

Good Luck.

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Posted by AgentKid on Monday, November 7, 2016 10:21 AM

And a Happy Craigellachie Day to you too, Sir.

Nephew of TMM and son of KWM, Alberta Division, Canadian Pacific Railway.

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere"  CP Rail Public Timetable

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

NDG
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    December 2013
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Posted by NDG on Monday, November 7, 2016 4:14 AM

To those still with us, and to those Absent Friends that are not.

Happy Craigellachie Day.

Thank You.

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Posted by Boyd on Monday, November 7, 2016 1:31 AM

I'd rather watch trains than work on one. Walking on ballast or loose snow long distances doesn't sound fun to me. Well I'm almost 50 anyways dealing Lymes disease. I'll stick to the job I have now. 

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Sunday, November 6, 2016 11:27 PM


A Half Century ago.

Blah, Blah, Blah.

Thank You.

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Friday, November 4, 2016 5:22 PM

String Lining could also mean 'Stringing a Line' as in distorting reality to fit the needs of the problem at hand, from Pure Laine to Pure Bull, and so on?

This could be a Laine Impure thread as it as already been corrupted according to onboard experts??

My!  THOSE  Meds are wonderful!!!

Thank You.

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