Found this while doing mindless internet searching, never heard of them. They were offering full size 150 HP case steam traction engines (the largest ever built) repros, if you were willing to put down a $50,000 deposit, they said they needed 5 to make a go of the project..however it was their claim of being locomotive boiler specialists that caught my attention. Strangely their website was down. Here is what they said about their company
"THE BENSON MOUNTAIN COMPANY - We are the only replacement boiler manufacturer in North America (and perhaps beyond) whose sole goal is to provide replacement (steel only) boilers for anytype of antique that requires a good firetube boiler. We offer a 10 year warrantee on workmanship, which no other manufacturer has, as we feel that our boilers will easily last over 75 years and still be safe, provided that they are taken care of. We also will build new replacement boilers for locomotives from amusement size up to full size. We will work anywhere in the world to repair a locomotive or traction engine boiler. We conduct 'use-for-life' studies and appraisal services. We will undertake complete locomotive restorations and we will allow our customers employees and/or volunteers to work along side us to do two things: 1. cut down on the cost of the overall project, and 2. provide the required teaching/training of clients personnel to better understand the problems that may occur and how to either prevent them or slow them down and in some cases, how to repair them.
We are dead serious about helping the hobbyist as well as the professional to deal with their quest of the saving and operating steam equipment."



b.hume@rogers.com

The short of it is, they are not. They made some very bad mistakes. You might check the archive, I think it was hashed over more than once.

But I'd LOVE to see another company pick up the 150 Case project

> The short of it is, they are not. They made
> some very bad mistakes. You might check the
> archive, I think it was hashed over more
> than once.

> But I'd LOVE to see another company pick up
> the 150 Case project

I am not familiar with anyone who is happy nor satisfied with work performed by Benson Mountain company.

the work of thiers that I have seen has been in my opinion, of questionable quality and, shall we say, very unconventional technique. I know of several complete, brand new boilers that have been condemned. I have heard also of traction engine boilers that were in need of relatively minor repair that BMC examined and condemned (they represent themselves to be ASME inspectors)only to get the owner to have a new boiler built.

I enrolled in their boiler operators training course and am not impressed at all. There is a time limit to finish it and it is just about up. I sent the tests in several months ago and they still aren't corrected. He has said several times that it will be done within the next couple of days, but nothing happens. I'd like to tell you they are good but unfortunatly they aren't very professional. They have good information but let the buyer beware. Hope this helps.

kendepot@att.net