Steam & Excursion > Tacoma Staemer

Been awful quiet up north with the Reading 2100. Any news?

It was recently moved back to CEECo.. other than that.. Nothing but a tumbleweed across the tracks...

Brian

A couple of weeks ago Ross Rowland reported that 2100 was about to undergo a 1472 service day inspection.
I find that very interesting, as it had been reported only a few months ago on this board and RyPN and Chaski that the 2100 boiler was fully FRA certified, and in fact was "...the only one operating today without a waiver of some kind..."
Now, it's possible that time simply ran out. But if that's the case I find myself wondering why this work wasn't done when the engine was still in Canada where they had a decent place to work on it? They would have known that they'd be doing it outdoors with minimal equipment. Superheaters and big flues are heavy.
Anyone out there willing or able to share with us all why this sudden need for the inspection?
I find myself wondering whether all the paperwork was as completely in order as it first appeared.
If this were the case, that would be a very bad thing indeed.
Can someone tell me truthfully that this is not so?
Mark D.





Date: March 11, 2006 09:05
Re: 2102
Author: co614
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The 2100 and its coaches are now stored on a siding somewhere near the CEECO. facility. Someone from the Tacoma area will need to give you the exact location and the road directions to get there. The 2100 is supposed to soon begin its 1472 day FRA work-up and whether or not they're going to attempt this on that siding I don't know. That's a lot of work to do out in the open without a pit, crane and other amenities but guess it can be done if there's no other answer! Hopefully someone from Tacoma can give you better info??/


[ Quote This Message ]

Flue time expired as it does/will for every steam locomotive. They operated up to the (more or less) last minute. Everybody does. The work is being done by qualified people in a locomotive repair shop.

Some materials (like tubes and flues) have long lead times. Contracts have to be negotiated, and work scheduled. It takes time.

You can put your tin foil hats away, there isn't any conspiracy here.

Thanks Brian425.
Do you know when the last inspection on that engine was done?
Seems to me I heard it was done not that long ago, shortly before it left the US for Canada. Certainly not as far back as 1991?
I could have sworn it was done more recently than that? Or, does time fly that quickly?
The engine has seen almost no service days since 1991, and if what I've heard was correct it was done less than 15 years ago.
I'm sure it's being done by qualified personel, though.
By the way, what do you mean "foil hats?" I don't quite get that one.
Thanks
Mark D.

Update from the Man himself; Mike Pierce

Originally Posted by pactrail
2100 is getting her 5 year annual, new tubes, injector setup, feed water setup, and minor upgrades. 418 (F40PH) is getting a new HEP gen. set plus some minor upgrades. Should all be done by the first part of May.

Brian

Thanks Brian.
Interesting. Very interesting.
Mark D.

You should always wear an aluminum foil hat when setting at the computer. All monitors have a secret device installed by the Government that can control your mind.

The foil hat prevents this from happening.

If you see another person with his foil hat on, you know that you are seeing a normal railfan.

Hats on, everyone!

The key question is when did the loco last receive its overhaul that met the requirements of operating under the current 5 year rule? "Canadaian certified" might have meant Canada's acceptance of prior work done in US before it went north, but that would be long enough in the past that the current US rules wouldn't be met.

What US steam engines are operating under the "grandfathered" 5 year rule in that they receievd heavy repair/boiler work prior to the new rules taking effect???

What is the difference bewteen the current US & Candaian rules for steam locomotives? Are current certifications automaticly valid accross borders??
Perhaps someone with the CPR Hudson would know.

What are the rules in Mexico?? Do they wash boilers, check sheet thickness, set safety valves or use water glasses?

I now understand the foil hat thing. My mind is probably already mush because I've never done that foil hat thing.
Too late for me, I guess, so I'll just keep on without one.

I find the "5 year annual inspection" comment (quoted below) interesting because the 5th annual inspection only requires staybolt inspection. No mention of removing tubes. Either there's a problem with the tubes, which can happen, or they're beyond the 1472 service day requirement, which can happen after either 1472 service days, 15 years, or poor record keeping and filing.

I note it only calls for tubes to be removed. The big ones can be left in the engine if they are tested and found to be good, and if space allows for proper inspection of the boiler shell, but it usually does not. If they must be removed, it is possible to safe end them and reinstall, but most operators prefer to replace at that time.
In this case, if they find they have to replace the big ones after testing them, I hope they already have the new ones. It can take a while and lots of $$ to get them.
Good luck folks! I feel for ya! It's a heavy job.
Mark D.




Macster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Update from the Man himself; Mike Pierce
>
> Originally Posted by pactrail
> 2100 is getting her 5 year annual, new tubes,
> injector setup, feed water setup, and minor
> upgrades. 418 (F40PH) is getting a new HEP gen.
> set plus some minor upgrades. Should all be done
> by the first part of May.
>
> Brian

NRE973 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The key question is when did the loco last receive
> its overhaul that met the requirements of
> operating under the current 5 year rule?
> "Canadaian certified" might have meant Canada's
> acceptance of prior work done in US before it went
> north, but that would be long enough in the past
> that the current US rules wouldn't be met.
>
> What US steam engines are operating under the
> "grandfathered" 5 year rule in that they receievd
> heavy repair/boiler work prior to the new rules
> taking effect???

AFAIK, the 2100 is FRA certified. The 2100 website used to show, and maybe still does show, a letter stating such.
There are several locomotives operating in the US that are "grandfathered." But time is running out for them, too.
And that's what I was asking in my original post. I was only wondering if the 2100 had been running under that waiver, and has just run out of time.
It simply seemed strange they would choose to do that heavy work in the cold and rain rather than under a roof when so little operating time remained. If such was the case.
Anything's possible. I was just asking the questions because I'm curious, and because I can. I think it's interesting.
Mark D.
>
> What is the difference bewteen the current US &
> Candaian rules for steam locomotives? Are current
> certifications automaticly valid accross
> borders??
> Perhaps someone with the CPR Hudson would know.
>
> What are the rules in Mexico?? Do they wash
> boilers, check sheet thickness, set safety valves
> or use water glasses?

Regarding the above post: The Canadian steam situation is nowhere near as clear-cut as it is under the newer U.S. rules.

(By the way, what I state below is my interpretation only - ask 10 people a question about government policy and you may get 10 different answers - I would like to hear alternate interpretations as well.)

The Canadians allow provincial inspection of steam engines - thus, engines like CN 6060 operate under Alberta rules where it is located. In the U.S., state inspection of a steam loco, then operating on a RR that is part of the national system isn't really an option.

Also, technically, Canada does not have any national steam engine standards. So, a RR like CP technically could run the 2816 or across Canada with no government inspection whatsoever if it wanted to. (If someone knows otherwise please cite a specific law or regulation - I would like to see it.)

The various provincial steam engine standards do not necessarially line up with current U.S. standards - they may be more or less strict, depending on the province - so getting an inspection in Ontario is not necessarially a guarantee of being able to operate in the U.S.

Further confusing the issue is that the 2816 and 2100 were actually rebuilt in the U.S., and with the 2100 is is always very murky what was actually done to the engine and when. The original rebuild by Kughn/Rowland/Benson would have been completed and certified about 1991.

Chris J.

While it's true that 2816's boiler was rebuilt in the US, the bulk of the restoration work was done in Canada. - Jeff Terry