Re: A LONG Reach to Narrow Gauge Nirvana . . .

Well I have a couple of options available right now Rich. The pump on my mule is a gov surplus single stage Gorman Rupp centrifugal pump rated at 150gpm @ 156 psi. According to the chart on the pump it should go about 350' of head at that pressure and flow. Clearly not enough to get to Lava tank, but plenty to test most of the line to the pumphouse. I also have some ex Navy Hale P-250 portable fire pumps used to fight fires and dewater ships. They are powerful little brutes powered by a 55hp OMC outboard engines and able to pump 250 GPM @ 125 PSI. While both pumps don't put out enough pressure alone, according to what I am reading on the internet I can connect them in series to double my water pressure, which should be more than enough.

There are LOTS of other factors like altitude affecting engine performance, resistance to water flow in the pipe, not to mention that at rated flow I would be pushing almost TEN TIMES the flow rate of the old PD piston pump the RIo Grande used there.

For right now all of this is a moot point until we learn what the condition is of the pipe to the tank. I talked to John Engs (Friends project co/leader), and both of us are of the opinion that the lower part of the pipe from the hillside to the pumphouse is probably in the worse shape of all the pipe. We shall see.