Frank,
No one ever said it was goin' to be easy running a steam railroad.
But consider this.
A water change can be done in less than 12 and in most cases 8 hours.
Now I didn't say boiler wash. There maybe some difference of opinion when it comes down to FRA and what constitutes a 31 day inspection. But there is a difference between a water change and the 31 day work that goes into a monthly.
If one had a stationary boiler, water changes can take place in less than 3 hours, but that can be rough on a boiler. As this involves hot blow-downs and hot water fills and live steaming to bring the boiler water up to pressure.
What hurts in your situation is:
1. No house steam (stationary or another locomotive for steam supply).
2. Only cold water for the supply (fill) and boiler washing.
3. One engine operation.
4. Only one or two days for inspection & out-of-service work.
5. Bad water condition in town or out on the road.
OK, so what can be done to reduce the problem (bad water conditions) with the least amount of stress to the boiler and personnel problems?
(This is one of those - you know you got a problem and what are going to do to deal with it.)
On arrival at terminal:
1. Use injector to reduce boiler pressure while filling. Use injector for only 5 - 7 minutes at a time and let sit for 5 min to allow temperatures to equalize.
1A. Lest I forget, once the fire is dumped and the engine moved to the "spot", put a stack cover on to stop the cold air thru the tubes & flues.
Since you probably, have a 'cinder catcher' on, remove it if possible. If you can't remove safely, leave firedoor closed and blower off.
2. Continue this procedure until gun breaks.
3. If necessary, set up hose from boiler to r'house pit or outside to drop water level in boiler to allow the gun to be used as long as possible. The idea here is to reduce the (temperature) pressure at a steady, controlled rate.
(I've had Hancock Inspirators with new tubes work from 200psi to 35psi as long as there is steam (space) that will allow the gun to work.
4. When boiler pressure is down to 25 pounds or less, attach water supply to injector delivery line and continue to cycle water until boiler sheets are cool to the touch.
5. Top checks are the best for this, but side checks will work OK. DO NOT USE the Blow-Off Cock for adding water. You want the water to mix in the coolest part of the boiler and circulate from there to the warmest areas. Expansion & contraction to tubes will be easier to take than to the firebox sheets.
6. It may take a few times of doing this to develop the time frame but it shouldn't take more than a few hours to accomplish this cool down.
7. Once the boiler is cool to the touch blow out with air or drain naturally thru blow-off cocks and removing washout plugs. Watch for "color" when draining the boiler. "Color" (from mud or scale) can tell you where major scale areas might be.
8. Once drained, look the mud ring over and if necesary, flush the bottom of the barrel and mud ring. Clean any scale from the remaining boiler and water leg areas after looking things over.
8A. This is also a good time to do any fire brick or grate work if it won't make till the 31 day inspection.
9. It is important not to (if at all possible) blow boiler down when hot. This will bake the (soft) scale to the sheets, making it more difficult to remove. Also, If the sheets are still hot to the touch, do not use cold water to wash any scale or mud build up as this is very rough on the sheets, especially at the firebox.
10. Don't be in too big of a hurry. Plan the work out and have the material or tools you need ready to use. The main idea here is to cool the boiler down reasonabily and wash as needed so the cold water will not be injurious to the boiler.
10. Once the boiler appears clean, dope & replace the plugs, fill boiler, and light off.
11. If things go normally, a 3 hours fire up can be accomplished with no damage to boiler.
12. Don't forget to inspect the plugs for leakage at 5 psi or so, as in the night it is easy to "miss a plug".
13. If you doing a 31 inspection, the additional work will take more time and more mechaincal employees will be needed to cover the FRA work.
14. If another engine is available, the fill with a hose or pipe connection from delivery pipe (on the live engine) to the dead engine and filling the boiler with hot water is fine. Just make sure the live engine doesn't have the same "bad chemistry" that you just got rid of. If you use steam hoses, the must be the right material for the job, in good condition and connections in excellent shape.
For the water out on the railroad, this in many respects is tougher to deal with.
There are so many variables in this. But even using TDS and PH tests (resonably portable tests), when the water is suspect, can lead to the treatment at the tank or fill cistern when filling the locomotive tender that wil reduce boiler (repairs & operational) problems.
Bad water conditions cannot be helped. But both management and the work forces need to realize that it may mean some overtime nights and water treatment, test kits and training to protect the locomotives and keep them in service. This is not directed at just the mechanical department, the operating people need to do their part too.
The old operating department adage, "We break 'em, you fix'em" attitude cannot be tolerated. Your business is running historic equipment for the benefit of the public and to have a job! Life ain't perfect, but take some pride in what you do and think of what the other fellow has to go though.
Things happen out there on the road. Iv'e been a road man and it never ceases to amaze me what can happen out there. You have to depend on your knowledge and abilities to "get over the road". But don't beat the engine to death to make the point! A smart man makes the job look easy, sees the problems before they become serious and expensive.
Some times, it just part of the business of running steam locomotives.
All this may seem like 'Greek' at the moment, but when the inital fear, mis-understandings or mis-conceptions are overcome, you will wonder how you ever got along without water treatment and improved (hopefully) procedures. Life is a learning curve, something change, some don't.
This year it's water condition, next year it'll be something different.
If I've forgotten anything on this subject, please feel free to add on as I'm sure ther will be some opinions on this one!
All that is being said here is, that there are ways to do this work safely, with no damage to the boiler and accomplish the work that will allow the locomotive to remain in service for a longer period of time at less cost.
Damn, was that a mouthful!
BTW, the cool down procedure was adopted from the Canadian National. The Grande used hot water blow downs & live steam fire-up at many of the bigger roundhouses, but it takes money to set that up.
Now that your all asleep maybe I can go eat dinner.
Hope this helps dealing with some of the problems.
Chris
