Strasburg went out to EBT to inspect No. 12 and found some broken staybolts, and paper-thin sheets in her boiler. She won't be running for the Fall Spectacular. With all the concern for safety nowadays why are the rest of these engines still allowed to run? I've heard many horror stories about these engines over the years. Fixnig them now and correctly is better than the potential liability associated with an accident.

> Strasburg went out to EBT to inspect No. 12
> and found some broken staybolts, and
> paper-thin sheets in her boiler. She won't
> be running for the Fall Spectacular. With
> all the concern for safety nowadays why are
> the rest of these engines still allowed to
> run? I've heard many horror stories about
> these engines over the years. Fixnig them
> now and correctly is better than the
> potential liability associated with an
> accident.
Mr. Weaver: You are 100% out of line and off base with your information. You strike me as a very miss-informed foamer who likes to create trouble. I have been associated for many years with the EBT and am also an employee of the same. I can assure you that safety is the main concern of the EBT and the Kovalchick family. It is true that Strasburg was invited to come and test the engine, and in their report there are several areas that need to be repaired. However, nothing is paper thin or even close to that. Whoever told you that is a liar. The employees of the East Broad Top take very good care of what is there and using the finances available keep it running. Further, we all appreciate what steam can do and treat it with respect. How dumb are you to think that we would operate an engine that is not up to par? I think you need to return from the hole you crawled out of and find someone else to make trouble with.

dbrightbill@penn.com

David:

Could you please clear the air by telling us just what has to be done to #12?

Thanx

Tom Henry

windy@csolve.net

> David:

> Could you please clear the air by telling us
> just what has to be done to #12?

> Thanx

> Tom Henry

Tom: To my knowledge, flues & staybolts and some fire box repair.

dbrightbill@penn.com

Mis-information, dis-information and panicky statements will do far more harm to the hobby than one engine layed up for repairs.
"Why are the rest of the engines allowed to run?" Because they have been inspected and are in acceptable condition.

Why have you heard "horror stories"? Because the EBT is not currently under the FRA, and some people seem to think the federal government (the same government which thinks it costs $300 for a clawhammer) holds all the magic answers regarding boiler safety. (Sorry guys, yes, it is "the law". But the Canucks, the Brits, the Krauts and dozens of other contries do it just as well, or better. and a commonwealth inspection doesn't necessarily equate into a rubber stamp)

steamnut@ptd.net

Gee Stanley, you seem to have struck a nerve. I can confirm some of what you reported. My source was an EBT employee, though apparently not Mr. Brightbill. He said that with all of the #12Â’s tubes removed (I believe for the first time since pre 1956), that experts from Strasburg were invited to inspect the inside of the boiler. IÂ’d say that was a positive step for the EBT to have an expert retained.

What I heard (second hand) that they found was as follows: Some, if not all of the crown sheet is too thin and/or corroded and needs to be replaced (not paper thin, but too thin). Ditto for the rear tube sheet, and some of the front tube sheet. Also, that they found over 20 broken staybolts. I am not an expert on steam boilers, but I think the legal limit is a lot lower than that.

My question is: Where has the PA boiler inspector been?

I hope the moderator would look twice at anyone reporting the so-called condition of an operating locomotive. Other than people who are involved with these great old machines the story gets twisted along the way.

I remember one time I was at Steamtown and overheard someone telling another person about the condition of a locomotive that I had just helped do UT on about 2 weeks earlier. Well the results this other person was spreading was not what I had read on the meter while I was in the boiler.



Steam Railroading Message Board

> I hope the moderator would look twice at
> anyone reporting the so-called condition of
> an operating locomotive.

I have looked at this post very hard Tom. First off, Stanley Weaver has never posted on this board before and didn't leave an e-mail address. Whether deserved or not that makes me very suspicious of his fidelity and motivations.

Then, David Brighthill makes what I considered to be a harsh, but reasonable response to what appears to be a rearrangement of the facts, up until the point where he says go crawl back into your hole. (Could have done without the foamer part too.)

I don't know what to do with this. Tempted to pull the whole thread, but think people who bother to read the whole thing may get some useful information from it.

Actually, since Erik is a lot closer to that situation than myself maybe he can make a ruling (hint hint).

I could be working on a brief right now.

Railway Preservation News
hkading@rypn.org

EBT shows a commitment to safety by having a good professional examination done to 12. The Strasburg guys are pros and are not inexpensive. It sounds as if EBT has a plan in the works to remedy the deficiencies found by the inspection to return 12 to safe operating condition. It would be difficult to imagine a better example of a responsible philosophy by a non regulated operator. I am thankful for their commitment.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> Actually, since Erik is a lot closer to that
> situation than myself maybe he can make a
> ruling (hint hint).

> I could be working on a brief right now.

Well, since David is a friend of mine maybe I should recuse myself.

I think Hume sums it up--we will let this thread stand, mostly in the hopes that we learn something from it. I agree with the criticisms levelled at the initiator of the thread. It was a mean-spirited and unhelpful post.

I also (reluctantly) agree that David made the situation better by supplying facts that he is uniquely qualified to attest to, but perhaps not so much better by responding to the level of rhetoric as well as the facts.

All in all this kind of donnybrook reflects little credit on any of us. It goes to show that we have a ways to travel in professionalizing communication within our community. The sad thing is that a simple application of the golden rule (the "Do onto others as you would have them do onto you" one, not the "He who has the gold makes the rules" one, though in Hume's case that too applies to since he funds this enterprise)would avert so much of this kind of unpleasantness.

eledbetter@rypn.org

I'm curious if EBT can find the funds to bring #12
up to par? They have 3 steamers that are availble. It would seem to make better of use of limited funds keeping those 3 locos running.

If the line wasn't privatly held they could probably get some corporate $$ to use.

However with the line still owned privately they need do to it on their own. Actually looking back at what's been done with what ridership revenue they've seen....I say they've done ok. NOTHING that invovles repair or maintenance on a rail line is cheap.

We've chosen a tough and expensive hobby!

Alan

PS I would love to be able to ride from Mt Union to Robertsdale with my family someday. What are my chances?

alanl759@aol.com

> EBT shows a commitment to safety by having a
> good professional examination done to 12.
> The Strasburg guys are pros and are not
> inexpensive. It sounds as if EBT has a plan
> in the works to remedy the deficiencies
> found by the inspection to return 12 to safe
> operating condition. It would be difficult
> to imagine a better example of a responsible
> philosophy by a non regulated operator. I am
> thankful for their commitment.

I second the huzzahs. I have managed to hear horror stories over the years (which I will NOT repeat here) about EBT's operations, some of which would make the allegations above pale by comparison. What I CAN report is, is that by all appearances the only reason that the EBT has not exploded, derailed, fallen completely to pieces, etc. is that Linn Moedinger and his semi-anonymous cohorts personally come out to Orbisonia on their days off from professional railroading or steam operating and do the necessary maintenance to keep the railroad in one piece, out of love more than any pay or glory.

If the information I have is correct, someday the names of Moedinger and others will be right up there with Nick Kovalchik and family as the "angels" that saved the EBT.

Thanks, Linn, Larry, etc.--see you Saturday.......

lner4472@bcpl.net

What I CAN report
> is, is that by all appearances the only
> reason that the EBT has not exploded,
> derailed, fallen completely to pieces, etc.
> is that Linn Moedinger and his
> semi-anonymous cohorts personally come out
> to Orbisonia on their days off from
> professional railroading or steam operating
> and do the necessary maintenance to keep the
> railroad in one piece, out of love more than
> any pay or glory.

Yea, right. I hear that Elvis works up there a lot, too.