Posted on 06/16/2018 10:54:25 AM PDT by Simon Green
Yep, I remember as a boy flushing the toilet to see the tracks flying by.
3D printed parts are not perfect copies of cast parts. Metal powders are often combined with binders that help the metal stay in the desired shape, but will be consumed in heat treatment of the metal part, leaving small gaps in the metal parts. Sometimes this isn't a bad thing, but back in the early days of steam locomotives, after heating and cooling repeatedly under use, they would develop small cracks that would finally lead to the boiler exploding. Maybe it is possible to make now, but to me the last thing I would want to make in a printer would be something that fails due to small cracks.
I grew up with the N&W 611, which as you know is a J Class, 4-8-4 engine. One of, if not the most distinctive train whistles I’ve ever heard. I greatly missed hearing the 611 and other steam engines when my family moved away from the coal town we lived in.
My dad and his Army buddies were on the train (Late 1940s)in the dining car ... the guys were not sure what the finger bowls were there for.
They drank the water.
Thank you! Obviously you’re very knowledgeable.
Been on a Challenger. Amazing machine.
“As an old Savin HILL1 boy “
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Many good memories of Savin Hill——I had a good friend who lived there her entire life,79 years-—she is now gone.
The trains I remember were in Brighton/Allston.
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The Big Boy operated at 250 PSI. The boiler had a decent safety margin. I spent a lot of time looking one of these over at the museum near Saint Louis. That is one very large machine! The pistons are 24” in diameter.
The Shay was an engine for a lot of traction in a smaller package. Those are odd little engines.
It’s still there. And you are right, they almost have to be seen to be believed.
I like old tech, and there’s an old inoperatble steam engine not too many miles from here, but they were as you say, dirty, loud, and wait a second... were we talking about 60s muscle cars?!?! ;^)
The problem with the steam locomotive is the need for soft brass parts, led to a huge labor cost for maintenance. When diesel and then disel-electric came online, employment by the railroads dropped a bunch. Indirectly, big-bore gasoline engines, the proliferation of paved roads (out where I’m from, that didn’t happen until the 20th century, and it isn’t quite done yet) led to freight coming off the rails and into panel trucks and trailers. Diesel trucks came on strong after WWII for freight, and buses (gasoline and diesel) for passengers.
bfl
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