Re: Previous Work on DRGW 346 in Durango - 1944

Jeff Taylor Wrote:
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> How
> does that work? When 346s tubes can't be safe
> ended do they come from a K-36 that got them from
> an L-131 that got them from........?

Back when tubes used to be made of material that would last more than four years, that's how it worked at SRC. #90 was the only engine that got new tubes**. They then went to #31, then to #89. They never safe ended tubes, just cut them shorter. Add in safe ending, and the tubes could be reused three times in flue packs of the same length before being cut shorter for use on a smaller engine, at which time it may or may not have been kosher to start the safe ending all over again.

Now days, in addition to the crappy material available, I believe that a rule is in place prohibiting reusing materials from one boiler in another.

**#1223 always got new tubes as well, since she used 1-7/8" o.d. tubes, the only engine in my experience to use this odd size.