In many old railroad stories they write of an engine becoming "dead" because of leaking flues. Was this condition life-threatening (in that it could cause a boiler explosion). Was it the fault of the engineer? Do currently operating engines ever have leaking flues? What is the treatment? (Rebuild, scrap the boiler?)
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In many old railroad stories threy talk of an engine becoming "dead" because of leaking flues. Was this condition life-threatening (in that it could cause a boiler explosion).
Depends on which end of the flue/tube was/is leaking, i.e. if leaking at the front tube sheet, then no not "life threatening". If leaking at the rear tube sheet, i.e. into the firebox of a coal burning locomotive, then there is a potential danger of hot coals being discharged into the cab if the fire door is opened. On an oil burning locomotive, the leaking boiler water simply extinguishes the oil flame.
Hower, there really is no danger of "explosion", since all that is happening is boiler water is leaking out, plus it makes the locomotive very difficult to keep fired and maintain steam pressure.
Was it the fault of the engineer?
No.
Do currently operating engines ever have leaking flues?
Yes, it has happened.
What is the treatment? (Rebuild, scrap the boiler?)
No, the boiler is NOT "scrap"! If it happens while on the road, the boiler is cooled down and the leaking tube is simply plugged.
Lots of short lines with steam well past the normal 'steam era' had locos with leaking flues into the 1960s.
Thanx for answering.
My Grandfather was a Boilermaker on the Chicago and Eastern Illinois railway from around 1910s to 1950s.
Harrison Fultz worked most of his life at the Villa Grove, IL roundhouse.
My Dad referred to him as a "Front End Inspector".
This roundhouse was halfway between Chicago and St. Louis where they switched steam engines. If there were leaking tubes that needed fixing, the hostler would drop the fire and the Boilermaker would climb in and "caulk" the tubes hot and with a full head of steam! then they would build a new fire and put the engine back on an outbound train asap.
The Boilermaker would come out of there with his clothes smoking and his shoes melting!
C&EI was a class 1 railroad but got hung out to dry in the 60s. 1/2 to L&N and 1/2 to MP. No bailout.
This route became UP's first direct line into Chicago, and Villa Grove is still a UP crew change point.
But I don't expect to ever see a C&EI Heritage unit!
And the Roundhouse building only is still there and has been used for grain storage since the 50s.
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