Is pad welding still an accepted FRA repair?<p>We just made a preliminary exterior examination of a locomotive boiler that has pitting from 1/16" to 3/32" in two localized areas on the steam dome with a more extensive area about 2"-3" wide beneath the front wall of the cab and extending nearly 1/4 of the boiler circumfrence. <p>Another 3" diameter area is adjacent to it and is centered around a rivet head which has nearly eroded completely away. (The shell is 1/2" thick.)<p>Except for these areas the majority of the boiler shell is free of pits and defect though we have not taken a thickness tester to it though we plan to do so we feel these exterior shell defects can be rectified.<p>Is there an archive for H.K. Porter material? photos, build data etc.?<p><br>



TCHJJJJ@AOL.COM

As it now stands, pad welding is now accepted practice as long as the boiler contractor has a ASME "R" Stamp and NBIC repair standards are followed. The FRA regs are available on the TRAIN website (Tourist Railroad Association). Depending on how insular your opertion and whether or not your state or local governing bodies regulate, you might have to complete a new Form 4 for the FRA. It should also be available at the TRAIN website. <p>Porter records are at two places 1: the National Museum of Transportation in Ottawa, Ont. Canada and with a private individual in Fontana, CA. USA. What are you working on? I have some Army 0-6-0 prints and specs you could e-mail. Several other Porter 0-6-0t rebuilds that have other details more than likely are: Granite Rock #10 at Sacramento and Old Domin. Chapter NRHS at Richmond, VA. Dave Lathrop at the Savannah Roundhouse might also be of help.<p>Randy <br>



minterjr@mindspring.com

Pad welding is ok on an unstayed portion of the boiler. The code is as follows. If the carbon content of the shell is more than 0.25% the steam locomotive owner must file with the fra prior to any work. The work if approved may be done by the owner if the work is performed to accepted national standards for boiler repair. If the carbon content is less than 0.25% then the steam locomotive owner may perform the required work as long as it is performed to national standards for boiler repair. If the total wasted area exceeds 100sq inches or the smaller of 25% of minimum required wall thickness or 1/2 inch, then a written request for approval must be filed with FRA. If the wasted sheet is reduced to less than 60% of the minimum required thickness then pad welding may not be performed. Remember, you can perform your own work as long as it meets national standards and you can prove that it does.<br>