"A boiler that, due to its age and the obscelete technology that designed it,..."
That has got to be one of the most mis informed statements I have ever heard, despite and including the spelling error. I assure you that the guys at Alco with a slide rule and drawing board could calculate and design a boiler with better quality that any of todays geniuses with computer CAD.
The only thing that made the boiler design "obsolete" was the invention of the diesel locomotive; we know basically nothing more today about rivited firebox boilers than they did in 1900, and infact the lowest man on the engineering totem pole likely knew as much as todays self appointed experts.
If we are to continue to operate locomotive style firebox boilers in this current atmosphere of official paranoia and general ignorance of how well historic boilers are really designed and built, statements such as the above just add fuel to the fire that seeks to shut 'em down.
Please, PLEASE don't get me started..........