Re: Correct Procedure for blowing down a sightglas

Reading the NTSB report of the accident is a sobering analysis that details not only improper water glass procedures but contributing factors of poor maintenance, falsification of FRA reports, lack of proper training, missing and broken critical gauges and components, lack of water treatment, improper boiler washes, and the list goes on. I think there was an article in the 9/95 Trains magazine about this incident as well.
I can only hope that other tourist RR's are not operated in this manner as the whole industry is only as strong as the weakest link...
One other interesting factoid was the engineer who was 48 at the time of the incident (1995)claimed to have started helping as a fireman on the Pennsy at age 15. Seems to me that steam was long gone from the Pennsy by 1962...but maybe firing a Baldwin dieseal on the Pennsy counts for something.
A very sad story for all involved.