dhic001 wrote:Unfortunately it seems that you are confusing the situation by bringing the Medina accident into this...
Daniel
The word original use of the word "riveted" in the media was probably to suggest "old", "worn", unsafe", etc. - a good buzz word. Unfortunately in the USA, state and federal government agencies as well as media grab onto these simple words and use them as a general descriptive. By saying "no riveted boilers" the folks at the Meet have stated - in a way that media and government folks will understand - the steam equipment will be safe.
My inclusion of the owner's act of driving the Case to the fairground (a few blocks) over an asphault road on a hot, late July day (yes, he left cleat tracks down the road - which was why the police followed the unit to the fairground) was to indicate that the man obviously had no common sense and should not have been allowed to operate such a dangerous piece of equipment.
Ron,
I have read and re-read that report many times since it first came out. To the most casual observer it was obvious that the operator was ignorant and arrogant. He was warned. He committed suicide. Unfortunately he took four members of his family with him and injured many more.
The technical lessons to be learned from this are zero. There is nothing new about crown sheet failures. They have been the major cause of locomotive type boiler failures from the beginning. That crownsheet would have collapsed in a heartbeat if it had been hydro tested. If it had passed hydro, the next stage would have been a safety valve test. It would have failed that test.
One peek in the firebox would have revealed the sagging between the stay bolts. Five minutes with an ultrasound tester would have shown the thin spots. .085" steel in a boiler is a joke. Such testers are dirt cheap. Mine cost me $125. It is available for anyone in our club.
What I hope was learned is that short of draconian licensing of boilers and operators, the real solution is peer pressure. Most people want to operate their equipment in conjunction with other steamers.
In the Northwestern U.S. you don't get to operate your boiler at any of our events without an annual inspection. Since we instituted this rule we have only had one person refuse to have his boiler inspected. He was sent away. I hope he either got out of the hobby or re-thought his position.
I believe his assertion was that hydro testing to 1.5 times the safety valve setting was going to 'stress' his boiler. Any boiler that is strained in any way by such a mild test should be cut up with a torch forthwith!
I'm wandering around a bit with this but I want to simply assert that the failure of that boiler was the direct result of bull headedness and a lack of any organization of enthusiasts to prevent such stupidity. I have searched the internet in vain for any indication that the traction engine people have set up any sort of inspection regime. If they don't do so, then they should be shut down.
Grump!
If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.
Dalai Lama
With you all the way Mike. And it was really impressive how the NWSS Members "climbed on board" with the concept - and how they've cooperated since. In most states the traction engine people are responsible to the state boiler inspectors. But... since the inspections are to protect the "general public", the farming states "tweeked" the inspections and farm equipment was waived as the it was operated on a farm and the general public was not exposed. Some of those have been changed since. Here in Oregon, when Antique Powerland has their "Great Oregon Steamup" in late July early August, the State Boiler Inspector is there to inspect any steam boilers that are to be operated before they are operated. That also gives them an opportunity to "talk to the operator" verify that he's ok to operate the equipment.
