David Johnston posted:On another front, but related, I think the T-1 Trust folks busted the myth there is no one in the US who can make large castings, as they apparently found more than one company would could cast the T1 frame, which is larger than the GG-1 paired frames. While the US doesn't have a large scale old-fashion mills, there are number of mills that specialize in low-production, complex castings that, using new technology, are quite doable.Bob
The T-1 Trust castings were not myth busting. The one casting they made was fairly small. The former LFM foundry (by what ever name they use now) in Atchinson, KS is a foundry that casts large castings today. When I was in there regularly the largest thing they cast was a valve body for the oil and gas industry. It weighted about 120,000 pounds. They had to run both their furnaces and pour from both at the same time. Other large castings they made were axle and differential housings for Cats large mining machinery and six wheel truck frames for both EMD and GE locomotives. In most cases large castings are no longer necessary because welding technology has advanced to the point where fabrications are as good and cheeper than most large castings.
To be clear, I didn't say the one casting they made, but that the T-1 trust had found foundries who could cast the T-1 FRAME if they got to that point. Also agree in many cases, large castings might not be needed anymore.
Interesting side story to this, is even in the steam days, the technologies were somewhat interchangeable. In the Pennsy Power III book, there is a photo showing the bar stock needed to weld up a new steam chest for the M-1 4-8-2, with the comment there apparently wasn't a reason to replace the cast steam chests with welded, but to keep employees employed.
Cheers,
Bob
