Union Pacific FEF-3 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive, by Smokebox

[mrennie]

Don't hold your breath...the poor 844 needs so much work and absolutely nothing is currently being done. 4014 isn't being worked on and 3985 hasn't been touched for years. It's really a bad situation there.

4014 isn't being worked on? That's surprising news!

[UP3985]

The inside of the shop is undergoing a major renovation and stuff is getting pitched all the time (Old documents, tools, spare parts etc.). The old insulated lowered ceiling is gone.

The 844 to be more specific is full of mud and water scale. Improper blow downs and bad new water treatment implemented in 2011 and continued use up until 2013, it's built up a lot and is caked on. Here's a pic of her this July with all her tubes taken out that are covered in it. The new water treatment has corroded all the appliances that the water touches, the insides of the tenders are getting thin as well and need repair (Basically the water had acid in it and that's what did it.).

[FourEightFour]

I would like to see the picture. Tubes are consumable items in the world of real steam operation. It's the 1472 that encourages us to try our hardest to get 15 years out of a set of tubes so we don't have to pay for tube jobs more than once between mandated removal intervals. I also know a thing or twelve about water treatment.

[UP3985]

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... 166,page=1

Information on this issue is here.
No it's not rumors or speculation.

This one's not my pic.

[FourEightFour]

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3426166,page=1

Information on this issue is here.
No it's not rumors or speculation.

This one's not my pic.

Train orders is noting but rumors and speculation. What I see are tubes that have been used. They look no different than any other tube that I have seen that has been used. How many service days has 844 put on in the past few years? Heck during the 150th tour alone I'm fairly certain that 844 logged more miles than some other super power engines combined.

[UP3985]

I respectfully disagree. Former UP steam members post about this and answer questions regarding this and other problems there. People very close to this who know people there also post. I've found the info there reliable. Just don't believe everything that's being posted.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

How come in this day of portable probing equipment the acidity, salinity and other mineral content of the feedwater can't be checked while it is taken in? And the proper additives added?

Where does she take water from when on excursions? Aren't local fire brigades helping out, using water from nearby hydrants (which I presume is potable and reasonably clean and neutral)?

[FourEightFour]

Where does she take water from when on excursions? Aren't local fire brigades helping out, using water from nearby hydrants (which I presume is potable and reasonably clean and neutral)?

One would think that our drinking water is clean and neutral and would be good for boiler water, but that is not the case. Our drinking water contains a lot of stuff Microorganisms, Disinfectants,Disinfection Byproducts Inorganic Chemicals, Organic Chemicals, Radionuclides ect ect ect, most of which are bad for boiling. And of course every cities water composition is different. There is no such thing as a "one size fits all" program.

[PapaXpress]

Even hydrants are flushed out periodically. The amount of calcium, rust, and silt builds up after years of non use.

[Ericmopar]

I couldn't read more than page one of that link. It says you need to be a member to read archives.

I can only tell you people what the Steam Crew told me a few months back and that was that a burner accident caused a defect in the crown sheet of 844 and that everything else was supposed to be in good to great mechanical condition. That came from their own mouths.
As far as what was said on the forum at that link. What does the tubing normally look like when taken out? Obviously between the heat and different water qualities they aren't going to look to good. But... how bad is bad?

They are working on 4014.
Here's the proof of that.

[thecanadianrail]

What does the tubing normally look like when taken out. Obviously between the heat and different water qualities they aren't going to look to good. But... how bad is bad?

Tubing from a boiler looks pretty much like that, its in not too bad condition especially for just using regular water. When I worked at the plant and we had a turnaround event we had everything with tubes in it taken out for inspection and it looked almost like that and the plant uses special treated water full of anti corrosion chemicals.

[buzz456]

Had some experience with stationary boilers through the years and I agree, other than some damaged or that one plugged one they look pretty much normal.

[Ericmopar]

That's kinda what I figured.
If you look close, that plugged one has some asphalt stuck in the end. Someone must have dropped it on the parking lot after it was pulled out of the boiler.

[Hunter1]

That's kinda what I figured.
If you look close, that plugged one has some asphalt stuck in the end. Someone must have dropped it on the parking lot after it was pulled out of the boiler.

Darn I was hoping nobody would notice.

[Hunter1]

To - Smokebox Have you asked DTG about the release of the FEF-3