German Locomotive Boiler Repair Standards

M Austin · **Joined:** Sat Feb 05, 2005 1:05 am **Posts:** 488

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->READ FROM GERMAN WIKIPEDIA<-

M Austin · **Joined:** Sat Feb 05, 2005 1:05 am **Posts:** 488

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Dave · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:19 am

Without narration I'm reading a lot into these images, but it seems the strategic leaving of the bottom knuckle of the RTS to support the combustion chamber while the throat sheet is being replaced is brilliant in its simplicity. Something holds the datum instead of having to find it again somewhere out in the air......

I take it we are looking at the same boiler at various times in its overhaul?

dave

jim templin · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 3:34 pm

On first glance there seem to be an awful lot of square corners on the patches, and there seem to be a lot of the patches themselves. I also think I am seeing some older welded repairs that seem not to have had full penetration. They don't seem to have the same respect for stress risers that the NBIC/ASME codes have.

CCDW · **Joined:** Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:30 pm **Posts:** 211

Where did the piece in the last image come from?

M Austin · **Joined:** Sat Feb 05, 2005 1:05 am **Posts:** 488

It seems the EU style is to use a mud trough instead of a mud ring (more properly a Foundation Ring) for the bottom attachment of the firebox sheets.

Gary P Bensman · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 11:45 pm

Right Matt, the mud trough appears to be a pressed steel (maybe 3/4" thick) Tross foundation ring. I have also seen this produced from square steel stock with the trough milled out. This superior design removes the corner joint between the mud ring and wrapper/side sheets where much grooving corrosion is seen to concentrate. The mud gathers in the bottom of the trough and the butt-weld joint to the wrapper and side sheets is much above the bottom of the trough. You can also see where they have removed the sleeve for the corner washout plug. This location for the front corner washouts provides for complete draining of the boiler - every drop !

jim templin · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:52 am

Was this boiler one with the fillet welded stays? the stay holes left seem awfully clean....

Gary P Bensman · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:44 pm

Sure does appear to be all fillet welded stays - rigids and flexibles. Also note that they put on a new smokebox and a new bottom to all 3 boiler courses.

Michael Allen · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 12:50 am **Posts:** 43

I think Jim's comment about numerous square corner patches is a mis-reading of the photos. Those look like burn lines. They appear to be taking the throat sheet out in small pieces. Any ideas why?

Michael Allen

jim templin · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:54 pm

Good Lord, man, I know the difference between burn lines and weld lines....if you will notice the barrell patches all have square corners.

Dave · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2010 11:46 pm

Are we talking about the edges of the butt seam?

I can't see if square or beveled on my monitor.

dave

Mike Tillger · **Posted:** Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:05 pm

Dave,
I believe Jim means the corners of the individual flush patches, not the seams.
Mike Tillger

M Austin · **Joined:** Sat Feb 05, 2005 1:05 am **Posts:** 488

jim templin wrote:

if you will notice the barrell patches all have square corners.

6" offset on long seams is American practice also. Functions as crack arrester.

jim templin wrote:

They don't seem to have the same respect for stress risers that the NBIC/ASME codes have.

Amen.

Dave wrote:

Something holds the datum instead of having to find it again somewhere out in the air......

With so much of the boiler gone, and chains holding it to the floor, is the "vaulting" Tross speaks of, actually the boiler trying to do somersaults on the shop floor chasing the elusive datum?

M Austin · **Joined:** Sat Feb 05, 2005 1:05 am **Posts:** 488

What I do see:
IN GB04: Stitch welds already in the seams
One long seam 18" above new repair seam

IN GB05:
New first course with front tube sheet
Tacked in long seams with very poor fit-up
One and a half rows of lateral stays
Throat sheet is gone, combustion chamber throat is gone, side sheets gone, door sheet and lower backhead gone and crown sheet.

What I don't see:
No evidence of staying area above tubes in front tube sheet
No evidence of staying area above backhead staybolts
Inadequate staying of wrapper sheet (if the washout holes are fillet welded in, they provide no reinforcement for the area of the wrapper sheet removed

What I would like to know:
How cheap is labor that they can replace about 2/3 of the boiler steel that it is an economical repair?
What caused so much damage that most of the bottom half of the boiler has to be replaced?