One thing I've always wondered about the steam community in the U.S.--when Americans restore steam locos and go searching for parts, do the top mechanics keep a mental inventory and familiarize themselves with what operation has this part or that part? Or is it a matter of calling a community of mechanics to check their toolcribs and make offers on buying or swapping specific parts? Who stockpiles steam loco parts nowadays, especially since one can no longer visit their local hardware store and buy replacements?

I guess what I'm asking is this: how do steam mechanics know what parts exist where? And, for an engine shorn of parts, how do they know what the engine needs? Maybe it's a problem that's not as difficult as it sounds. Your thoughts are welcome. Thanks.

Parts are not as hard to come by as you would think. Pipe, valves, fittings, electrical gear, wiring, air brake parts, insulation, sheet metal, boiler tubes, are pretty much available.

Some of the older air brake stuff might be harder to find but the air brakes can be updated. Switches and electrical gear for the headlights and so forth are not too much different and if you don't mind newer looking stuff is not a problem.

You can have everything from springs to a new boiler made but the cost is a factor. In simple terms if you can cut, weld, bend, and machine steel you can make most anything you need.

Things like a water glass or safety valve are specific to locomotives. They are available for stationary boilers but they do not look the part on a locomotive but will function just fine.

I think the common denominator is every museum and restoration group is trying to find funding.

Tom Gears

> One thing I've always wondered about the
> steam community in the U.S.--when Americans
> restore steam locos and go searching for
> parts, do the top mechanics keep a mental
> inventory and familiarize themselves with
> what operation has this part or that part?
> Or is it a matter of calling a community of
> mechanics to check their toolcribs and make
> offers on buying or swapping specific parts?
> Who stockpiles steam loco parts nowadays,
> especially since one can no longer visit
> their local hardware store and buy
> replacements?

> I guess what I'm asking is this: how do
> steam mechanics know what parts exist where?
> And, for an engine shorn of parts, how do
> they know what the engine needs? Maybe it's
> a problem that's not as difficult as it
> sounds. Your thoughts are welcome. Thanks.

I think most operators do network with each other as to who has what. One thing about the U.S. is the capitalist system. There are a fair number of small manufactuers. From Backshop Services, Strasburg, Grand Canyon, Northwest Staybolt, Diversified Rail, and many others. Steam Locomotives were essentially built in large machine shops. If you need a part, you can have it made, or make it yourself.


nwstaybolt@reachone.com

Scott:

I started a list of steam suppliers on my site some time ago and I've added to it as I've gotten new info. See the list at the link below.

As always, if any of you know of any repair or parts resources that aren't already listed, please let me know.

Regards,
Hugh Odom

> One thing I've always wondered about the
> steam community in the U.S.--when Americans
> restore steam locos and go searching for
> parts, do the top mechanics keep a mental
> inventory and familiarize themselves with
> what operation has this part or that part?
> Or is it a matter of calling a community of
> mechanics to check their toolcribs and make
> offers on buying or swapping specific parts?
> Who stockpiles steam loco parts nowadays,
> especially since one can no longer visit
> their local hardware store and buy
> replacements?

> I guess what I'm asking is this: how do
> steam mechanics know what parts exist where?
> And, for an engine shorn of parts, how do
> they know what the engine needs? Maybe it's
> a problem that's not as difficult as it
> sounds. Your thoughts are welcome. Thanks.


The Ultimate Steam Page Steam Repair Links
whodom2001@yahoo.com

> Things like a water glass or safety valve
> are specific to locomotives. They are
> available for stationary boilers but they do
> not look the part on a locomotive but will
> function just fine.

> Tom Gears

Water glasses and safety valves are available and, for the most part the water glasses are quite suitable for steam locomotive service. Despite being required for locomotives under jurisdictions other than FRA, modern safety valves are not suitable for steam locomotive service.

While they do work within their design parameters for awhile, they will malfunction sooner rather than later in most cases. In my experience the malfunction is usually one that vents too much steam too early, however on occasion I have seen them fail to open. Locomotive style valves, while not infallible, are far more reliable and should be used whenever possible.

This is not a condemnation of modern safety valves, as they usually work fine in the service for which they are intended. Typically, modern boilers do not work to their maximum allowable working pressure, but are set up to operate at a pressure far enough below MAWP so that the safety valve, which is set at MAWP does not open under normal service conditions. In many installations, when a safety valve goes off it means something is quite amiss and the boiler will be shut down, the valve replaced with a new one and the problem fixed.

The primary difference between locomotive pop valves and modern safety relief valves is duty cycle. Locomotive valves are heavily constructed for repeated operation within reasonable tolerances. New valves must absolutely operate once within reasonable tolerances but their lighter construction makes them vulnerable with repeated service.

Out of necessity we, here at Strasburg, manufacture Consolidated style safety valves. It is not a profitable venture, but with no vendors willing to make locomotive valves it was our only choice. The valves are made under a QC program identical to that used to build power boilers. It is not economically feasible to certify these valves under ASME as that process assumes the manufacture of thousands of valves of any given type.

It has been my observation that, with new valves, the smaller they are the better they will operate in locomotive service. Dave Conrad has done quite a bit of research in this area and is more knowledgable than I on the ins and outs of new valves.

In my opinion, if your jurisdiction allows it, use a properly maintained locomotive style safety relief valve whenever possible.

Strasburg Rail Road
linnwm@supernet.com

Linn,

While I have seen modern safety valves on locomotives I did not think about the duty cycle. It is very true that in a power plant a safety valve might not pop once per year while one on a locomotive might pop many times in one day. I can see where a modern power plant safety valve might not last to long on a locomotive. Thanks for the insight.

Thanks

Tom

> Scott:

> I started a list of steam suppliers on my
> site some time ago and I've added to it as
> I've gotten new info. See the list at the
> link below.

> As always, if any of you know of any repair
> or parts resources that aren't already
> listed, please let me know.

> Regards,
> Hugh Odom I must agree with lynn the old loco non type valves were made to pop all day long. The new code ones are made as cheap as they can be made. Newer is not always better. regards bb


staybolt2@netscape.net

> Water glasses and safety valves are
> available and, for the most part the water
> glasses are quite suitable for steam
> locomotive service. Despite being required
> for locomotives under jurisdictions other
> than FRA, modern safety valves are not
> suitable for steam locomotive service.

> While they do work within their design
> parameters for awhile, they will malfunction
> sooner rather than later in most cases. In
> my experience the malfunction is usually one
> that vents too much steam too early, however
> on occasion I have seen them fail to open.
> Locomotive style valves, while not
> infallible, are far more reliable and should
> be used whenever possible.

> This is not a condemnation of modern safety
> valves, as they usually work fine in the
> service for which they are intended.
> Typically, modern boilers do not work to
> their maximum allowable working pressure,
> but are set up to operate at a pressure far
> enough below MAWP so that the safety valve,
> which is set at MAWP does not open under
> normal service conditions. In many
> installations, when a safety valve goes off
> it means something is quite amiss and the
> boiler will be shut down, the valve replaced
> with a new one and the problem fixed.

> The primary difference between locomotive
> pop valves and modern safety relief valves
> is duty cycle. Locomotive valves are heavily
> constructed for repeated operation within
> reasonable tolerances. New valves must
> absolutely operate once within reasonable
> tolerances but their lighter construction
> makes them vulnerable with repeated service.

> Out of necessity we, here at Strasburg,
> manufacture Consolidated style safety
> valves. It is not a profitable venture, but
> with no vendors willing to make locomotive
> valves it was our only choice. The valves
> are made under a QC program identical to
> that used to build power boilers. It is not
> economically feasible to certify these
> valves under ASME as that process assumes
> the manufacture of thousands of valves of
> any given type.

> It has been my observation that, with new
> valves, the smaller they are the better they
> will operate in locomotive service. Dave
> Conrad has done quite a bit of research in
> this area and is more knowledgable than I on
> the ins and outs of new valves.

> In my opinion, if your jurisdiction allows
> it, use a properly maintained locomotive
> style safety relief valve whenever possible.

I don't mind making a plug for the saftey valves Strassburg makes. We have one on each of our operating locomotives. One has not been put into service yet, but hopefully soon will be on our #19. The smaller one which is a 1 1/2" is on our #3 Heisler. It has worked very well. Prior to installing it along with an a locomotive type Lunkenheimer saftey as the high saftey, we used modern ASME units. The failure rate was pathetic. One that had just been "rebuilt" and set by a factory authorized service shop failed to lift in the presence of the FRA inspector. It is unlikely that we would ever consider using anything but a locomotive type saftey on any of our engines in the future.

http://www.svry.com
jamesbane@hotmail.com

> I don't mind making a plug for the saftey
> valves Strassburg makes. We have one on each
> of our operating locomotives. One has not
> been put into service yet, but hopefully
> soon will be on our #19. The smaller one
> which is a 1 1/2" is on our #3 Heisler.
> It has worked very well. Prior to installing
> it along with an a locomotive type
> Lunkenheimer saftey as the high saftey, we
> used modern ASME units. The failure rate was
> pathetic. One that had just been
> "rebuilt" and set by a factory
> authorized service shop failed to lift in
> the presence of the FRA inspector. It is
> unlikely that we would ever consider using
> anything but a locomotive type saftey on any
> of our engines in the future.

Bret,

The safety on # 19 was set and went into service today. I'm happy to report that both safeties performed quite well.......Jerry

Sumpter Valley Ry
lmcx@eoni.com