Hudson 5432 - Have no documentation re the ICC forbidding nickle steel boilers, but the banning of the Canadian Pacific 4-8-4's by the ICC to travel across Maine has been documented in a Trains article on the 4-8-4's and an Omer Lavallee (the lauded Canadian Pacific historian and author) book on the CPR Int'l of Maine Division. Perhaps it was an ad hoc decision by a local ICC regulator?
Excelent information and discussion. Was completely unaware that the NYC reboilered the Niagaras! Now do recall that NP had boiler leakage problems with their 4-8-4's. Not only new boiler courses, but, if memory serves, apllied patches.
It would, of course, make sense, that a leaking boiler could cause a boiler failure, but can't say I have come across a description of that. Low water - oh yes - Rio Grande Challenger #3703 in 1953, for example, exploded due to low water and crown sheet failure, killing 4 men.
Al - Did a cursorary review of "Canadian National Steam" by Donald R. McQueen, an extremely meticulous study of CNR steam, and no reference was made to boiler leakage. But, then, most of CNR modern steam ran at 250 psi, which the NP reduced their 4-8-4's to, so perhaps no CNR nickle steel boilers and more moderate steam pressure. CPR ran it's modern steamers in the 275-285 psi range.
Thank you to all participants - good data and thoughtful analysis.
