Re: K-27 valves conversion costs back then

Everett Lueck Wrote:
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> Re: "Reclaimed material"
>
> So long as the railroad had an option of using the
> material again, it could be set aside as
> "reclaimed" for accounting purposes.
>
> So, in the beginning when you convert four engines
> from slide valves to piston, you have 4 sets of
> slide valve cylinders that could be used for the
> remaining 11 engines thus they are "reclaimed".
> Same goes for tubes, because you could either safe
> end them or shorten them to use in a smaller
> locomotive.
>
> When you apply Walshaert gear, the Stephenson gear
> material becomes "reclaimed" because it can be
> used on other engines with Stephenson gear.
>
> This all works until you get done with rebuilding
> the class entirely and then things like the
> cylinders have "no future utility" and thus cannot
> be classified as "reclaimed".
>
> The basic idea is that the managers and the bean
> counters want both low costs and a quick pay out
> on upgrades done. So if the upgrade costs less on
> paper, the managers and the bean counters are
> happy, and they guys in the shop look good, never
> mind if the stuff sits outside in the weather for
> the next two decades until it finally becomes
> "scrap" because at that point all of the people
> that did the work are somewhere else or just gone,
> including the managers and the bean counters.

Ah... bean counters...
Thanks for the explanation

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Sebastien
SNCF passenger trains engineer
Volunteer on the "Chemin de Fer de Rillé" (60cm/2ft, France)
www.aecfm.fr
cfrtrain.blogspot.fr