Tag Archives: boiler

Mid-June 2019 Boiler Progress

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on by

Chicago & North Western #1385’s boiler continues to see steady progress. Since the last update, the boiler has been moved across the Continental Fabricators shop floor and is now on the positioner.  With the boiler now on the positioner, it can be rotated to allow workers to put it into the best position for welding and assembly in areas that would otherwise be difficult to access.

C&NW #1385’s boiler on the positioner at Continental Fabricators. The positioner allows the boiler to be rotated. June 11, 2019. Photo courtesy Continental Fabricators.

Installation of the crown stays is also in process. Crown stays are the staybolts that connect the wrapper sheets – which wrap around the firebox – to the crown sheet (i.e. the top of the firebox). The crown sheet is directly above the fire and is the hottest part of the firebox.

crown sheet diagram

The crown stays (shown in green) support the crown sheet at the top of the firebox, preventing it from bowing inward from the immense pressures.

 

Late-May 2019 Boiler Progress

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Work on Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s Chicago & North Western #1385 locomotive during the month of May has consisted of stay installation, stay installation, and more stay installation. With over 900 staybolts to be applied, this process represents one of the more time-intensive portions of the new boiler production. Each weld must be made with great care and precision to avoid leaks and ensure proper strength when the boiler is under operating pressure.

Continental Fabricator’s Tom G. peered into the belly of the beast on May 29th to take these photos of stay installation progress on the inside of 1385’s firebox.

Mid-May 2019 Boiler Progress

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Here are the latest photos of C&NW #1385’s new boiler, courtesy of Continental Fabricators in St. Louis. The photos were taken on May 20, 2019.

The backhead stays are all installed and they are currently completing welding on them.

backheadThe right and left side sheet stays are progressing as well.

The large horizontal braces that were previously attached to the outsides of the side sheets and backhead are now being removed as progress continues. The braces were installed temporarily to prevent warping from the heat generated during welding.

The throat sheet – the sheet that connects the firebox to the bottom of the boiler barrel – has all of its rigid stays installed and is in the process of welding.

 

Early-May 2019 Boiler Progress

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Since we have a new month and new Monday we also have a new update! Tom G. from Continental Fabricators writes:

Here is the latest update..
All but 22 backhead stays are installed, most of them have the root pass in and  working on completing the welding.

The side sheet stays are also moving along.
Throat sheet flexible stay installation to start this week…

Included with the update was two photos.

Late-April 2019 Boiler Progress

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Continental Fabricators’ Tom G. supplied Mid-Continent Railway Museum with another new photo and a brief progress update on April 29th. Continental Fabricators is the shop hired to construct a brand new welded boiler for Mid-Continent’s Chicago & North Western #1385 steam locomotive.

“Most of the backhead stays are fit as of this morning and they are beginning to weld. Stays in the sidesheets will be fit this week. The barrel is 60% welded.”

View of 1385 boiler backhead with most stays installed and ready for welding. The backhead is the portion of the boiler that extends into the locomotive cab. The large round hole in the center is where coal is shoveled into the firebox. Photo courtesy Continental Fabricators.