I am trying to date a large two stage piston style Ingersoll Rand industrial air compressor, powered by a GE Synchonous 500 hp electric motor… 2300 volts, 3 phase…

The motor’s serial number is 6791965, built at the plant in Schenectady NY. The motor is one of those very thing, very tall things… on a 12” steel shaft.

The controller has a date of 1944. Local preservationist like to think its much earlier…

The entire machine is huge… We may need to move it for preservation… but no one (outside of the developer and the train group) seems to understand what is involved and or is questioning if it is worth it… “It’s old, it much be saved”

There is a possibility that it may be moved to the San Francisco Trains site ( http://www.sanfranciscotrains.org/news.html )at the former SP Bayshore Roundhouse. Currently the object is the center of a debate between the developer and local neighborhood preservationist...

Did you send flowers, new carbon brushes and some really nice french oil?

Ok, seems like we have three seperate elements here which may not all date from the same eras: the compressor, the motor and the controller.

You have a date on one part, a serial number on another, and no documentation on the remaining. Unless the motor is permanently sharing the same shaft with the compressor, of course, which makes them a single unit rather than components.

Hope somebody can track the serial number and provide another bit of information.

Apart from its just being available is there any practical or historic reason to pursue its preservation as an artifact? Has it market value as a huge bigass compressor (assuming good working order here)? Does anybody need an air compressor in the preservation community, able to take it, move it and put it to good use?

Moving it is easier of it is on a single frame - seperating the motor and compressor makes for smaller loads, but the tricky realignment of the shafts at the new location is a bit of a large job without a good millwright and the correct tools. Either case you need heavy lifiting at both ends, and a decent truck in between.

I've seen too many useful items like this go to scrap - good luck with this one.

dave

With the group’s understanding that as our moderator, it is in my interest to not discuss the role of municipal historic review committees but to look for information, and further discussion… I will try to answer Dave’s very good questions…

Q. Ok, seems like we have three separate elements here which may not all date from the same eras: the compressor, the motor and the controller. You have a date on one part, a serial number on another, and no documentation on the remaining. Unless the motor is permanently sharing the same shaft with the compressor, of course, which makes them a single unit rather than components.
A. It is likely two separate elements… the compressor and motor (sharing a shaft), and the controller, but curiously, the dated drawings for the controller do not include specifications for the motor…

Q. Hope somebody can track the serial number and provide another bit of information.
A. So do I, it will help…

Q. Apart from its just being available is there any practical or historic reason to pursue its preservation as an artifact? Has it market value as a huge bigass compressor (assuming good working order here)? Does anybody need an air compressor in the preservation community, able to take it, move it and put it to good use?
A. This is the $10,000 question. It has been identified by the local Histoic Review board as possibly historic, hence the current exercise… the developer needs to address the issues raised before a demolition permit can be issued. Possible local uses are as a public art project or as a static display as part of a nearby railroad/technology museum in a historic roundhouse. We previously saved several similar units from the same building for a mining museum… there seem to be no technology museums interested in this one.

Q. Moving it is easier of it is on a single frame - separating the motor and compressor makes for smaller loads, but the tricky realignment of the shafts at the new location is a bit of a large job without a good millwright and the correct tools. Either case you need heavy lifting at both ends, and a decent truck in between.
A. It does not have a single frame… it will need to be separated… the short term storage site is only 3,000 yards away, leading to consideration of just lifting, then palletizing, then moving via fork lift (big forklift, I am estimating the heaviest component at 12 tons…)

We are exploring keeping it in place, tearing the building down around it, and then building a display building over it… and making it a component of any development on site. This object no longer useful… it is impressive…

This discussion reminds me of some 1930s and 1940s diesel engines that are in the basements of large buildings, originally installed for backup power, and taken out of service decades ago when the parts supply dried up. The cost of removing them, even piece by piece, cannot be justified when it might require excavating access to the basements, and they wait silently for the day when the demolition experts arrive to knock down the building on top of them. I haven't heard of many of them where the local preservation community was involved or concerned, in most cases they don't know the engines are there.

PC

Has anyone tired to contact GE to determine the date, etc.?

Some pictures of all the pieces, especially of any nomenclature tags, would be very helpful. I have a pretty good sized collection of old GE catalogs and databooks, and am a bit of an old electrical equipment nut.

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Will

Yes, photos will be mucho helpful. We have an IR Imperial Type 10 steam driven compressor so I've been collecting some info. on IR units over the years. Is there not an IR serial number on one of the bedplates? If it was built in Painted Post, NY the number would start with a PP prefix. If your serial is close to mine then we can at least place it within a certain time frame.

I think the only way to contact GE is through an 800 number, but it would be worth jumping through a few hoops to see if they can still provide some info.

IR may also have records. It may be worth a call to them as well.

There is no IR data plate... only the GE motor plate posted earlier...

I am trying GE, but having trouble finding enough time for the phone call.

Honestly, I don't see a reasonable way to save it here... if anyone wants such a thing it would likely be available, possibly with support to remove and palletize it... probably not much more.

Can we get a photo of the GE motor (and controller?) data plate anyway? There may be clues on it that can date it.

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Will

There wouldn't be a data plate, just a number stamped into one of the bedplate castings.

Are there any photos of it available?

Photos are difficult right now, as is access...

I spoke to the group that moved the two smaller units to the Kennedy Mine museum site in Jackson California. He was told this one was built in 1946 as marked in the controller box. The two which were moved were roughly half the size of this monster.

Practically new - should have a lot of life left in it. Now, who needs a lot of compressed air?

dave