↓
 

Mid-Continent Railway Museum

North Freedom, Wis.

  • Home
    • Home Page
    • News
    • Join Our Email List
    • Media
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Buy Tickets
    • Train Ride/Museum Info
    • Special Events
      • Autumn Color™ Weekend
      • Pumpkin Special™
      • Santa Express™
      • Stars and Stripes Special
      • Vintage Rail Car Tours
    • Onboard Dining
      • BBQ Train
      • Pizza Train
    • Cancellation Policy
  • Gift Shop
  • Restorations
    • Steam Status
      • Overview
      • C&NW #1385 Status Updates
      • Western Coal & Coke #1 Status Updates
      • Dardanelle & Russellville #9 Status Updates
    • Car Shop
      • General Updates
      • DSS&A Sleeper DULUTH
      • EJ&S #2
      • Badger #2
      • Copper Range #25
      • MLS&W #63
      • Copper Range #60
  • Equipment Roster
    • Equipment Roster Home
    • Steam Locomotives
    • Diesel/Other Locomotives
    • Wooden Passenger Cars
    • Steel Passenger Cars
    • Wooden Freight Cars
    • Steel Freight Cars
    • Cabooses
    • Service Equipment
    • Former Collection Items
  • Resources
    • Online Archives Home
    • Wooden Car Builders
    • Gazette Archive
    • Audio Archive
    • Video Archive
    • Wallpaper
    • Kids Page
      • Kids Page
      • What Makes A Diesel Locomotive Work?
      • What Makes A Steam Locomotive Work?
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • About Mid-Continent
    • Become a Member
    • Employment
    • Tour of Grounds
    • Local History
    • Mid-Continent Timeline
    • Privacy Policy
  • Donate

Tag Archives: hydrostatic test

C&NW 1385 Boiler Passes Hydro Test

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on September 25, 2019 by Jeffrey LentzSeptember 25, 2019

This is our 100th C&NW #1385 steam status update posted to our website and it is a momentous one! The locomotive’s new boiler has passed its hydrostatic test (a.k.a. hydro test). This test affirms the new boiler remains sealed with no leaks while at pressures well in excess of its designed operating pressure.

Pressure gauge showing 300 PSI during 1385’s hydro test. Photo courtesy Continental Fabricators.

This test is conducted by filling the boiler to the point there is no (or practically no) air trapped in the boiler.  Additional water is then pumped in until it reaches the designated test pressure – this can require as little as a few cups of water.  Excluding the air allows the boiler and appurtenances to be safely tested for. If a leak appears the pressure quickly drops by relieving that cup or two of water.

To complete the test, the boiler is then left under pressure for a period of time. An inspector then checks to see if the pressure has dropped. If the pressure has gone down more than a few percentage points, it indicates a significant leak which must be tracked down and corrected. If the pressure does not see a drop by more than a few percentage points, it indicates there are no significant leaks and it passes the test.

The 300 PSI you see on the pressure gauge is 1 ½ times the designed maximum working pressure of the boiler. This is one standard benchmark percentage for testing and helps prove the boiler has a margin of safety when in use.  The 1385’s boiler has been designed for a maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of 200 PSI with a minimum safety factor of four.  This means the boiler is designed to withstand pressures of at least four times greater than the MAWP which you can see gives a sizable margin of safety when in use.  The 200-pound pressure also marks a return to the R-1 class locomotives’ design pressure, meaning the engine will be restored to its original capabilities.

C&NW 1385’s boiler being fed water as part of the boiler’s hydro test. Photo courtesy Continental Fabricators.
Closer view of the finished tube work. Photo courtesy Continental Fabricators.

 

Up next: Prepare and attach the smokebox and paint the boiler exterior.

Tagged boiler, hydrostatic test
QUICK LINKS
PLAN YOUR VISIT
BUY TICKETS
GIFT SHOP
DONATE
VIEW WEBCAMS
Live view of North Freedom depot

Contact Us

Mid-Continent Railway Museum
P.O. Box 358
E8948 Museum Road
North Freedom, WI 53951
Office phone: 608-522-4261
or 800-930-1385
E-mail: inquiries@midcontinent.org

Sign up for Our E-mail List

Recent News

  • Trainman Class Available
  • C&NW #1385: Tender Cistern Ports – Part 2
  • DULUTH Fundraising Status
  • 2023 Calendars
  • C&NW #1385: Tender Cistern Ports – Part 1
©2023 - Mid-Continent Railway Museum - Weaver Xtreme Theme Privacy Policy
↑