Cog railway steam boilers

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sun Jun 08, 2014 10:15 pm

Alan Walker wrote:

Somewhat OT-I suspect that that is an indicator of a coming long term trend. I converse regularly with my late second cousin's husband who has spent his entire career as a scientist working on coal-specifically developing new uses for coal and related byproducts as fuels and chemicals. The smart producers are concluding that in the long term-50 to 70 years, coal will become a niche fuel in the form that we know it as. Some producers are now carefully examining ways to break coal down into its basic elements so that it can be used for chemical production. The profitable energy companies will be those that break away from the single product model and expand their energy product offerings.

Even some of the most rabid right-wingers and Libertarians I know fully acknowledge that, and I quote two verbatim, "Coal and oil are far too valuable as petrochemical resources, in a global and universal sense, to be setting matches to, but until we're willing to either revert to a pre-industrial, agrarian lifestyle globally or adopt nuclear power widely, it's what we're stuck with for the time being."

I'm hopeful that we will always be willing to carve an occasional, rare exception/exemption for the use of "old" fuels for historic demonstration, just as we don't seem willing to give up mesquite/hickory smoking/grilling, and seem to let antique car owners add lead additive to their gasoline....

Nigel Anthony Hewer Day · **Posted:** Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:33 am

Frank J. DeStefano wrote:

Nigel Anthony Hewer Day wrote:

On the flats (leveller) places the top of the firebox would be exposed except for the fact that the top is slopped down from the tube plate to the back head. Here the gauge glass will show just an inch or two of water.

Other features like the tall dome do help and like when the Snowdon engines where built they had to replace the dome with a higher one.

That makes a lot of sense, thank you for the very comprehensive answer.

I know this is a bit of a stretch, but do any online scans exist of the blueprints to a cog steamer? I'd be very interested in seeing the design of the firebox and the placement of the flues.

I will look through what I have for you. Might be a day or two.

BILL · **Posted:** Mon Jun 09, 2014 1:28 pm

Nigel,

The structure on the left is the one I was referring to. Not sure what to think of the "scorched earth" policy there recently.

Nigel Anthony Hewer Day · **Posted:** Mon Jun 09, 2014 1:38 pm

Can't remember the name for that but it was used as an exchange station between the standard branch and the cog at one time. It was later used as a boarding house for the girls at one time. Later is was used as the delivery store for uniforms after cleaning.

The tanker was used for deliveries, store for the veggie oil to fire#9.

The blue object in the distance was the first rotary snow plough, later replaced by the snow blower which drinks kero.

Alan Walker · **Posted:** Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:37 pm

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

Alan Walker wrote:

Somewhat OT-I suspect that that is an indicator of a coming long term trend. I converse regularly with my late second cousin's husband who has spent his entire career as a scientist working on coal-specifically developing new uses for coal and related byproducts as fuels and chemicals. The smart producers are concluding that in the long term-50 to 70 years, coal will become a niche fuel in the form that we know it as. Some producers are now carefully examining ways to break coal down into its basic elements so that it can be used for chemical production. The profitable energy companies will be those that break away from the single product model and expand their energy product offerings.

Even some of the most rabid right-wingers and Libertarians I know fully acknowledge that, and I quote two verbatim, "Coal and oil are far too valuable as petrochemical resources, in a global and universal sense, to be setting matches to, but until we're willing to either revert to a pre-industrial, agrarian lifestyle globally or adopt nuclear power widely, it's what we're stuck with for the time being."

I'm hopeful that we will always be willing to carve an occasional, rare exception/exemption for the use of "old" fuels for historic demonstration, just as we don't seem willing to give up mesquite/hickory smoking/grilling, and seem to let antique car owners add lead additive to their gasoline....

I would hope that there will be exemptions for historic demonstration. However, ensuring that such exemptions are put in place means that we must engage the political and civic leaders to demonstrate why they should care about such exemptions and why we will not accept any legislation restricting burning of coal that we determine to be unreasonable.

Of course, even if there are exemptions that's not the end of our issues. Another consideration will be price to purchase suitable coal and disposal of the ash.

Dave · **Posted:** Mon Jun 09, 2014 8:32 pm

Torrefied wood is carbon neutral.

dave