I was wondering if anyone had or knew of some pictures of the 1218 when it was used as a stationary boiler. I believe it was for a power plant. It seems to be about the only part of the 1218's life that doesn't have at least one or two pictures floating around the internet. While we are on the subject. What is the reason that the 1218 was used for a stationary boiler?
Thanks,
Greg U.

gregudolph@yahoo.com

Greg,

I believe it was actually used in stationary service at the Union Carbide chemical plant in Charleston, West Virginia. IIRC, "Trains" had at least one photo of it and two sister 1200's while they were at the plant. Nelson Blount purchased the engine and sent someone there who gathered parts off the other two engines to make a complete locomotive out of 1218 before it left the property.

Regards,
Hugh Odom

> I was wondering if anyone had or knew of
> some pictures of the 1218 when it was used
> as a stationary boiler. I believe it was for
> a power plant. It seems to be about the only
> part of the 1218's life that doesn't have at
> least one or two pictures floating around
> the internet. While we are on the subject.
> What is the reason that the 1218 was used
> for a stationary boiler?
> Thanks,
> Greg U.


The Ultimate Steam Page
whodom2001@yahoo.com

Hugh,
You don't happen to know of any pictures of it at the plant and/or just after its move to Steamtown USA?
Greg

gregudolph@yahoo.com

> Hugh,
> You don't happen to know of any pictures of
> it at the plant and/or just after its move
> to Steamtown USA?
> Greg

Greg U,

Please stop asking questions about the stationary boilers at the Union Carbide plant. This was secret government installation used for secret government programs. No pictures were permitted on this installation. There were rumors that a few photographers who attempted to photograph these locomotives were never seen or heard from again. These were not rumors.

If you do not cease with these questions, we will will be forced to send agents to OU and have you removed from class and forced to listen to Barry Manilow until agree to stop this insane inquiry.

Don't make me stop this car!

Agent Z

patriot1732@yahoo.com

Please keep this kind of personal joshing back-channel. It just clutters the board for other readers.

eledbetter@rypn.org

> Hugh,
> You don't happen to know of any pictures of
> it at the plant and/or just after its move
> to Steamtown USA?
> Greg

In Eugene L. Huddleston's book, "World's Greatest Steam Locomotives," he has a picture taken in 1964 of 1218's sisters at Union Carbide, 1202 and 1230 on a siding at South Charlestion, WV, on the very last page of the book. The picture was taken just before the torches got going. They appear to have been stripped of all appliances but the jackets are still in place. The photo credit is to himself so I would guess he might have a photo of 1218.

Ed

ff1044@aol.com

Greg,

The article in Trains definitely had at least one photo showing the 1218 at the Union Carbide plant. IIRC, it was the issue that came out featuring the 1218's rebuild; I guess this would have been in the mid-1980's. You can probably find it with a little investigation, and I'll bet more photos exist.

Regards,
Hugh

> Hugh,
> You don't happen to know of any pictures of
> it at the plant and/or just after its move
> to Steamtown USA?
> Greg


whodom2001@yahoo.com

> What is the reason that the 1218 was used
> for a stationary boiler?

Ummm . . . to make steam? ;)

1218 was one of three N&W As sold to Union Carbide in 1959. They were backup boilers for a plant on Blaine Island in the Kanawha River in Charleston. By 1964 they were declared surplus. UC employee Phil Titus worked to get one saved, and parts from the others (1202 and 1230) were swapped to make as "complete" a loco as possible.

1218's front engine (cylinders, frame and wheels) is from 1212 (I think I remember that number right), and there were a couple of other parts donors I don't remember by number.

The biggest items missing when 1218 was "preserved" were the grates (not needed at UC) and the steam pipes to the front cylinders. These were cast when 1218 was returned to service 1985-1987.

There are pictures of the As on Blaine Island, and of 1218 traveling to and from Vermont. Best source is probably going to be a book on 1218, or contemporary railfan publications (1964 and 1967 TRAINS magazines, for example, or Railfan & Railroad in the 1980s).

I haven't looked for any on the web.

JAC

I have this nagging feeling I may have seen a picture of the 1218 in stationary service in one of Ron Ziel's books, "Twilight of Steam" or "Steam in the Sixties," but I"m not 100% sure. They're my Dad's books, so I don't have them handy. I'm sure many of those who frequent this board have a copy nearby. Anyone up for some page flipping tonight?

mckay1995@comcast.net

John,

I remember when 1218 was still in the the Va. Museum of Transport in the old location in Roanoke, the front steam pipes were in place but they had obviously been "whacked" just downstream of the 90 degree flexible joints where they exited the boiler. The pipes had been welded back together and there were four pieces of steel plate welded as gussets around each weld repair. The pipes were unlagged. I figured that UC had cut the pipes at this point as the pipes could be rotated outwards at ~90 degrees which made a convenient connection to get steam out of the boiler which allowed the throttle to be used. I guess someone welded them back for cosmetic reasons when the engine came back to Roanoke but the repair wasn't trusted for actual service so the whacked original pipes were replaced with newly cast ones when the engine was restored.

Anyone else remember this?

Regards,
Hugh Odom

> The biggest items missing when 1218 was
> "preserved" were the grates (not
> needed at UC) and the steam pipes to the
> front cylinders. These were cast when 1218
> was returned to service 1985-1987.

> JAC


The Ultimate Steam Page
whodom2001@yahoo.com

> I have this nagging feeling I may have seen
> a picture of the 1218 in stationary service
> in one of Ron Ziel's books, "Twilight
> of Steam" or "Steam in the
> Sixties," but I"m not 100% sure.

The next-to-last page of "Steam in the Sixties" has a photo of Y6b 2189 in a Roanoke scrapyard, but not the Charleston trio.

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

made a convenient connection
> to get steam out of the boiler which allowed
> the throttle to be used.

I don't know the insides of an A very well but would this provide super heated steam as opposed to a steam dome connection which wouldn't?? Also the throttle would make a convient valve to the header....

btrue@vt.edu

Mike Eagleson took the picture of a Y6b just before the torch hit her. I believe the 1218 was already at Steamtown by then. I believe Nelson Blount had also made a stab at saving the Y6, but was unable to grab her.


glueck@maine.edu

RDG 2108, 2109 and 2102 were all used in stationary boiler service after the last steam freight operation. All 3 engines had manifolds mounted in front of the air pumps to attach to the plant. I'm not sure of the internal steam arrangements.

2108 + 2109 to Portland PA electric plant in 1958; 2102 to Carpenter Steel in Reading in 1960. All 3 engines returned to Reading Shops under their own power.

Electric City Trolley Museum Association