New Hope Valley Railway

[Steve DeGaetano]

do you know the progress of #17's 5 year boiler inspection as required by the FRA?

We're still disassembling. When I was there last month, the steam pipes from the dry pipe to the steam chests were removed; we started removing the lagging and jacketing on the backhead; the injectors were removed; air tanks and cooling coils removed. Generator and bell taken off as well.

The steam pipes, made of cast iron, had some broken flanges. These parts had been broken before in places, and showed signs of welding. They may need to be replaced with fabricated pieces.

I wasn't there yesterday, but the plan was to remove the smokebox door and the smokebox front. The plan is to get ready to lift the saddle tank off the boiler.

[tweetsie190]

Progress is slooooowwwww. We stripped the backhead appliances and have pulled the front end guts out (Steam pipes, petticoat and blast nozzle). With all-volunteer labor, it may take a while to complete the 1472. If we get any additional funding, this may get done a little faster. We'll see.

k. well, keep us posted! I'm excited to hear the progress. isn't this required every 15 years? or is it just a one time deal?

[Steve DeGaetano]

Progress is slooooowwwww. We stripped the backhead appliances and have pulled the front end guts out (Steam pipes, petticoat and blast nozzle). With all-volunteer labor, it may take a while to complete the 1472. If we get any additional funding, this may get done a little faster. We'll see.

k. well, keep us posted! I'm excited to hear the progress. isn't this required every 15 years? or is it just a one time deal?

49 CFR 230.17 specifies that the inspection occur every 15 years or 1,472 days, so after we complete this one, we'll be good for another 15 years.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/230.17

The tubes have been pulled, and preliminary measurements of the tube sheets indicates we're in pretty good shape. Measurements of the dry pipe come next. If that pipe is good, we'll be well along in the process (it would be a big headache and expense to remove and replace the dry pipe).

[tweetsie190]

Any Updates on #17?

[Steve DeGaetano]

This weekend we'll be removing the steam dome, throttle and stand pipe, and getting ready to lift off the saddle tank. After that, we'll remove the jacket and lagging, and get ready to do the boiler UT.

[tweetsie190]

This weekend we'll be removing the steam dome, throttle and stand pipe, and getting ready to lift off the saddle tank. After that, we'll remove the jacket and lagging, and get ready to do the boiler UT.

cool.

[Steve DeGaetano]

So we spent the better part of a weekend lifting the engine a bit at a time with pneumatic jacks, and cribbing with ties and other timber. Got the engine up far enough for the axle boxes to drop out. Once these were removed, we could see the wear on the journal (the part of the axle that the bearing in the driving box rides on). Three journals looked OK, but one had a fairly deep score all the way around--maybe half a millimeter deep. This bearing always ran a little hotter than the others, and now we know why. We are evaluating the next steps.

[tweetsie190]

What's the current status on #17's FRA inspection?

[Steve DeGaetano]

We have a very accurate caliper and will be measuring the axle diameter at the score/groove. If it's greater than 6.75 inches in diameter, we'll polish everything up and lower the engine back onto her axle boxes. Then we'll prepare the boiler for sand blasting and inspection.

[Steve DeGaetano]

And the results are in...