There is an interesting summary article on the Gettysburg 1278 boiler accident of 1995, in the current issue of National Board Bulletin, Winter 2007. The cover picture is about hospital boilers. The article is on pages 37-40.

You can get an issue from the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, nationalboard.org, (614) 888 8320.

I don't know what the charge would be.

The entire NTSB report can be found here:
http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/1996/SIR9605.pdf

What is the current disposition of the locomotive that was involved. Where is it and has it been repaired or destroyed?

Good Evening,

I have just finished reading "cover to cover" the report on the Gettysburg crown sheet failure and had a couple of questions.

First, I was wondering if anyone can comment on how many (if any) of the ten recommendations made by the report have been adopted?

Secondly, I found that I was very surprised by some of the findings in the report. It was disappointing to read about the poor maintenance schedule; however it was very troubling to read about the very limited knowledge base of the crews and chief engineer. I find it somewhat surprising that a crew with that kind of knowledge base was legally in charge of that size of boiler. As an active member of the steam community, I have observed arguments on both sides of training, certification etc. I can appreciate how a traction engine operator does not want to acquire a power engineering certificate for just a couple of days of running per year. Yet some of these locomotive boilers are HUGE. The complexity and range of power stored, is on a completely different level. In the report it states that knowledge and training had been passed down from the original operator\owner (father of accident engineer) however it appears as though there was a huge loss of information in that transference.

What has really jumped out at me is that within the past 12 months we have seen another close call with a large steam locomotive. This, almost twelve years after the Gettysburg incident. I understand that an official report has not been issued regarding the LASTA 745 accident, and yet initial reports seem to point to similar problems - training, certification, knowledge that allows someone to safely take charge of a boiler. I sit here without any answers, and yet I have a fear that as a community, we may only be given so many "strikes" against us. Why, in the 11 years since Gettysburg, was a relatively untrained, inexperienced crew allowed to take control of a large boiler, and run her low on water? Up here in Canada, we received a cease and desist order on all cast iron boilers after the Medina incident, effectively stopping the usage of these boilers for several days. I fear that a large locomotive failure would all but seal the fate of our beloved machines. Although I am only in the "early years" of my career in this industry, I can imagine that it must infuriate the experts and professionals within our community. They strive to gain as much knowledge as possible, and transfer that knowledge to their work - operating this equipment in an absolutely safe and responsible manner. Infuriating, in that, a small select group of irresponsible operators are threatening to have our life’s work - taken away. Hopefully, LASTA 745 is only a "second strike", and with the proper discussion and action, we can prevent that third strike from occurring.

As a community, should we ourselves fight for more training and certification for operators of large boilers? My gut tells me that even though it could lead to some headaches, we should.

All in all, I appreciate a forum like this that can discuss these issues, and help span the great distances between us.

All the best,

Kris

The 1278 is still around, it was bought by the Ohio Central in the late 90's but so far (to my knowledge) the locomotive has not been worked on by the OC.

http://www.ocsteam.com/1278/index.html

You can also read it online as a .pdf document at:

http://www.nationalboard.org/NationalBo ... f/WI07.pdf

Is anyone here on the Interchange attending the NBIB General Meeting this May at the Gaylord Texan in Arlington, Texas? I will be giving a talk on the Surviving World Steam Project at 4:15 Monday afternoon; the agenda is also in the above issue on page 31. If so, please swing by and say hi; it is always nice to place a face with a name.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project