UP 844 progress

...and the popcorn goes into the microwave...

I heard the crew of MR 261 is doing the boiler work. They are doing it to generate income and I think we can assume the UP steam crew is to busy.

And where did you hear this?  

PLEASE don't post rumors here. Post FACTS with verifiable sources. 

Ya know Rich, there is a point where too much popcorn can be hazardous to your health.

The latest Northern Lights(261)newsletter posted an article on machining the flues for the UP engine and one other steam engine.They stated they are doing the work to generate income because they can't get the 261 out on many excursion runs due to record rail traffic.Stupid economic recovery ruined my hopes for a 261 Chicago fan trip this summer.

Dan

Yeah the economy is wrecking things....

Maybe Big Yellow's Steam Program can become a new reality and/or drama series!

Gonna put butter and Spike on my popcorn......UP Steam; the mini series !

First, the "261 crew" is NOT currently in Cheyenne, let alone doing ANYTHING on 844!

Second, the entire inside of the boiler on 844 must be needle-scaled in order to remove all the crap, prior to ANY new flues & tubes (when the flues & tubes become available).

Third, The FRA mandated 15 year inspection needs to be performed, including the ultra-sound inspection.

Fourth, the inside of the tender damage must be addressed and repaired.

So no UP steam this year, or possible next year... oh boy... what a blunder.

You have no idea!

Question....back when steam operation was a normal thing, how long would it take to do this sort of work to a boiler?

Weeks. There were thousands of men working in the Cheyenne shops. They could do a complete rebuild in less then a month easy.

First let me stated that during the regular days of steam, there is NO WAY that the insides of a boiler, on a class one main line railroad, would EVER get that bad! Boilers were properly washed a MINIMUM of ever 30 days, as required by law (the ICC in those days), and much more often than that in territories with historically bad water. For example, the UP washer the boiler every 15 days, on locomotives assigned in the Nebraska Overland Route, while the Southern Pacific washed most of their boilers every 10 days. A well staffed roundhouse, with a 3 shift per day opening staff, could handle complete boiler washes in usually one shift.

Now, if your question is, how long did it take to completely reflue/retube a boiler, then that sort of work would be part of a "5 year overhaul" and would generally be performed in a "back shop" and take 5 to 10 days at the most, which would also include machinery (running gear) work. 

Whats is the process to wash a boiler? I assume its much more than stick a garden hose in it and swish it around

Funny that the conversation turned to the cleaning of the locomotive and all during its heyday.  I love this British film that was made in the 1950's, I think, and it shows the process they did at the time: