The Whistle_04_April 2013_pub

THE WHISTLE
The official publication of THE BRITISH COLUMBIA SOCIETY OF MODEL ENGINEERS
Operators of the BURNABY CENTRAL RAILWAY
Vol 43 Issue 4 April 2013
Gerry Wittenberg taking Loco 3601 out for a test run of the loco's
repaired boiler. More photos on page 8!
Photo: courtesy of Joe Holman
Next Monthly General Meeting
Wednesday April 3, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.
Rainbow Creek Station
120 North Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby, B.C.
Anyone wishing to join our Society is welcome to attend this meeting!
In This Issue
Page 2: Calendar
Pages 4, 5 & 6: Miniature Injectors & Ejectors, Pt 4 cont'd
Page 3: Announcements
Page 7: The Caboose
Page 8: Northern Update
The Whistle
Page 2
The Whistle is the official newsletter
published by, and for, the members of
The British Columbia Society of Model
Engineers (BCSME). Any opinions
expressed herein do not necessarily
reflect the policies of the Society. All
content is the copyright property of
The BCSME, and the individual
contributors.
BCSME Address & Track Site
Rainbow Creek Station
120 North Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, B.C., Canada
V5C 6K1
April 2013
The BCSME Directors & Officers
President
Vice-president
Secretary
Treasurer
Business Manager
Site Manager
Operations Manager
Shop Manager
Communications Manager
Financial Review
Tom Carr
Kent Cavaghan
Gerry Wittenberg
Bruce Wilson
Barrie Sansom
Ken Klakowich
Tom Pruden
Ian MacGregor
Joe Holman
Bill McKenzie
604-463-9156
604-597 9018
604-582-5940
604-871-9141
604-435-9802
604-299-5655
604-273-5760
778-233-8202
604-925-1879
604-789-2720
Monthly General Meetings
These meetings are generally held on the first Wednesday of every
month, unless it happens to fall on a statutory holiday, at 7:30 p.m.
at Rainbow Creek Station.
Phone: 604-291-0922
Directors Meetings
Web Site: www.bcsme.org
These meetings are generally held on the last Wednesday of every
month, unless it happens to fall on a statutory holiday, at 7:30 p.m.
at Rainbow Creek Station.
Members are welcome to attend these meetings!
Editor of The Whistle
Joe Holman
307 – 1340 Duchess Avenue
West Vancouver, B.C., Canada
V7T 1H6
e-mail: [email protected]
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Submissions & Deadline
If a BCSME member has any articles
or photos that they'd like to submit for
publication, please send them to the
editor as an attachment in an e-mail.
Please add the word “Whistle” in the
e-mail's subject line. The more
submissions made by members of the
the Society the better this newsletter
will be.
The deadline for any submissions
is the 3 rd Sunday in every month.
Opening Day – Paradise Valley Railroad
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Also check: www.prforestrymuseum.org
BCSME Model Contest
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Also check: www.bcsme.org
Train Mountain Narrow Gauge Meet
Friday to Sunday, May 10 – 12, 2013
Also check: www.trainmountain.org
BCSME Victoria Day Weekend BBQ
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Means of Publication
I use Apache's OpenOffice suite on a
Linux PC to create this newsletter.
OpenOffice can open almost any
Microsoft document file.
Photos are handled using The GIMP.
Any digital pictures being submitted
for publication should be in as high a
resolution .jpeg format as is possible.
Also check: www.bcsme.org
Train Mountain June Train Meet
Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2, 2013
Also check: www.trainmountain.org
SHAS Summer Fair
Saturday & Sunday, June 15 & 16, 2013
Also check: www.vime.ca
BCSME CONFEDERATION PARK 20TH ANNIVERSARY MEET
Thursday August 8th to Monday August 12th, 2013
Registration form is now available now at: www.bcsme.org
ç
The Whistle
Page 3
April 2013
President’s Message
As we enjoy the first few weeks of spring it’s sometimes hard to believe that the new operating season is upon us already. I
wish to personally thank all our hard working members and volunteers who have put in countless hours during the “off
season” to make sure the park and equipment are ready for opening day. It is especially nice to see some of our newer
members coming out to lend a hand!
Our booth at the annual Western Rails show on March 17 th was well attended, and Barrie reported good sales at his booth,
right beside ours. Thanks to everyone who came out and helped make the day a success.
I was very pleased with the attendance at the safety and track manager’s meetings on Saturday, March 23 rd; there was a lot of
enthusiasm in the group. Attendance was also very good for the work party, our last Saturday before opening day.
Our 2013 operating season is shaping up to be very successful. I look forward to seeing all of our members, especially those
who live outside the lower mainland, as we celebrate our 20 th Anniversary in Confederation Park. Mark your calendars and
come join us for our anniversary meet from August 8th through 12th. See you at the park.
Tom Carr
BCSME TRAINING COURSES
With public running now underway, we can start setting up our training courses.
Conductor - Those wishing to train as a conductor should contact Doug Bach, Bruce Wilson, or Joe Carroll. The
course consists of studying the safety rules, taking a rules exam, and then a short period of training followed by
practice working with passengers.
Diesel/Electric Engineer - Those wishing to train as a diesel/electric engineer should contact Doug Bach, Bruce
Wilson, or Joe Carroll. The only prerequisite is that you MUST have completed the Conductor course, and put in
18 hours (3 full days) serving as a conductor. This course consists of instruction in diesel/electric operation,
experience running a non-passenger train followed by running a train with passengers under the immediate
supervision of the instructor. Please allow a minimum of two weekends to complete this course.
The Steam Engineer course will be announced later.
For Your Reading Pleasure...
An
excellent two volume collection of in-depth, but very
readable discussions of a wide variety of historical steam
locomotives from the mid-1800's Crewe type ( England ),
WWII German locomotives, classic American 4-4-0's, and
NYC Hudsons are some of the examples.
Check them out !
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF LIVE STEAMERS
The IBLS (International Brotherhood of Live Steamers) is being reinstated after a former member,
Ken Shattock, has agreed to organize it again. The IBLS is a loose-knit group of live steamers &
model engineers that helped create standards in the North American hobby. There were, and are, no
dues, just a register of hobbyists.
If you want to register your name with the IBLS, you may do so by e-mailing
KEN SHATTOCK AT: [email protected]
OR MAIL TO....
34312 - 31st Avenue SW ,
Federal Way, WA, USA
98023-7634.
VIDEO OF 3601'S TEST RUN ON SATURDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2013 CAN BE VIEWED ON YOUTUBE AT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NADcuuyGcc&feature=youtu.be
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT!
The Whistle
Page 4
April 2013
All You Need To Know About Miniature Ejectors & Injectors Part 4
By Bob Bramson
Editor's Note: this is the 2nd instalment of part 4 of the series. The 3 rd, and last installment will appear next month.
Common Problems and their Solution
Any engineered item must be properly designed, tested and installed before use. Assuming all this has been done, it is
certain that just like human beings, parts will be subject to wear and tear. The more the use, the more the effects of wear
and often the ageing process itself results in degradation. If, as in the human analogy, devices are abused, the onset of bad
health is accelerated. Injectors are no exception and are affected in this manner. The following are perhaps the most common
causes of failure along with their remedies.
A spray of water issues from the overflow pipe at higher pressures.
Solution: Withdraw the steam cone from the entry to the condensing cone (a few thou. at a time. This can be
accomplished by inserting a thin washer between the cone and the entrance to the injector body)
Violent pulsations at higher pressures.
Solution: Decrease the steam cone throat (make a new one) by several thou.
A steady flow of water issues from the overflow pipe.
Solution: Enlarge the throat of the steam cone by half to one thou at a time. Use clock maker's broach (one light
twist at a time until the problem is solved).
Injector tries to start but then ceases very quickly.
Solution: It is likely that the length of the mixing cone is in adequate. A new set of combining cones is required.
Water and steam sprays violently from the overflow at all pressures.
Solution: The feed water may have become too hot. Cool down the feed water.
Water sprays from the overflow at higher pressures but feeds at lower.
Solution: The feed water may have become contaminated by solids which have become lodges or deposited on the
cones. Remove the injector and clean the cones. Cleaning the injector and its cones is best achieved by using
domestic kettle descaler. Use a warm but not boiling solution – five to 10 minutes should be sufficient after which,
thoroughly rinse the cones and the injector in clean cold water to remove all traces of acid.
Injector sometimes does not feed dry at higher pressures but does at lower.
Solution: This is an intermittent fault indicative of only partial establishment of the jet. It can usually be remedied by
momentarily shutting and opening the water valve fully which helps to provide an impulse to start the feed process.
Suggested Operating Practice
Using an injector on a locomotive model should be a simple and reliable experience. Most drivers soon get to grips with this
but a few tips might be found useful.
Firstly, when raising steam, fully fill the tanks or tender with clean cold water. Many Clubs and Societies provide rain water,
however, a word of warning, this can be acidic and even a small level of acidity can be very injurious to steel boilers for which
effective water treatment is essential. Avoid using river or pond water which may be contaminated with sediment, chemicals
or organic matter. Even for copper boilers, water treatment is desirable, particularly when using hard water. Effective water
treatment additives are available commercially for steel boilers and should be used “right from the very first fill.” These often
contain sodium carbonate, corrosion inhibitors and special tannins which give the water viewed in the gauge glass a light
brown appearance. Copper boilers may be dosed with a solution of sodium carbonate using a syringe feeding through the
blow down valve prior to lighting up but thereafter the feed is raw water. The reason for doing this is that sodium carbonate
tends to deposit very quickly on injector cones and naturally with such small passages, these are particularly prone to
blockage. Even with steel boilers using commercial treatments, its use in the feed water should be carefully trialled to
establish freedom from obstruction of the injectors.
With steam pressure rising, prove the injectors at the lowest working pressure that normally applies, typically 30 - 40 lb/in 2
and again at the blowing off point. In normal practice, it is usual to open the water valve and allow a small quantity of feed
water to flow so as to ensure the injector is cooled and then crack the steam valve open for a second or two so that the jet
can be established. Once feeding has started, fully open the steam valve and depending on the boiler pressure, make any
necessary adjustment to the water flow to achieve freedom from overflow. Dry overflow depends on the feed water
temperature or the cleanliness/soundness of the injector. If some overflow results, this should not be regarded with over
concern although with a finite quantity of water aboard, wastage is not a good attribute.
Mastering the use of injectors on the run entails a bit of practice and with experience should not present too much of a
challenge. It is all part of the joy of successfully operating these little engines.
As a rule it is not desirable to start away from rest with an injector on. Depending on the gradient and thus the demands for
steam, it is useful to anticipate the point at which an injector should be started. For example if the road is uphill, the injector
should be started before reaching the summit so that on the downhill stretch, when the water runs to the front of the boiler,
feed is entering to ensure that the firebox crown is suitably covered. Approaching a station or stop signal should be a prompt
to start the injector to avoid excessive blowing off at the safety valves. If the water level or boiler pressure is low, it is good
© R P Bramson 2011
The Whistle
Page 5
April 2013
practice to restrict the amount of steam used for traction so as to facilitate the injectors making up the water level. When
stationary, always leave a margin of space to inject water so that cooling can take place to avoid blowing off and without
showering spectators with hot water discharged from the safety valves!
When feeding, injectors should emit a continuous sucking sound. This is in fact air being drawn into the final stage of the
injector and should be eliminated by use of a check valve when employed with steel boilers (see final section). “Chirping” is
the hall mark of instability of the jet and can result in the injector tending to “fly off” on the run.
Finally, after the run, or should frequent priming occur, blow down about half a glass of water in several bursts to reduce the
dissolved solids and then fill up, especially for a steel boiler. Remember, the water will contact when cooling down has been
completed. Any excess water can be drained off before the next run.
Full Size Injectors
Henri Giffard’s patented injector of 1858 was a truly epoch making invention. The only shortcoming in his design was the
inability to arrange quick starting and automatic operation. This omission was soon overcome in subsequent designs and
numerous patented variations followed. The main attributes of most full sized live steam injectors are listed as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Ability to start (establish the jet) with ease in the shortest possible time
Be self-regulating over as broad a range of boiler pressure as possible
Have the ability to automatically restart if the jet became disrupted
Lift water from a lower source or establish a vacuum in the suction pipe
Exclude air from the boiler feed water
Ability to handle hotter feed water
Raise to as high as possible the temperature of the feed water
Be reliable, economical and easy to maintain
Be simple to operate
It will be beneficial to examine a few examples of the main types that were employed during the steam era and the
developments that took place before the eclipse of steam in everyday use.
Fig 29 - The “Buffalo” Injector
Fig.29 shows the “Buffalo” lifting injector which employs a sliding ring type seal for the starting cavity which slides over a
parallel portion of the outside of the mixing cone. Several examples of this sliding seal type were made by different
manufacturers. The example shown also has an elaborate system of regulation which uses the rotation of the operating
handle (item 8) to withdraw the steam cone (item 18) thus allowing progressively more steam and water to flow as well as a
plug valve to control the water throughput. The non-return valve (item 3) cuts off any air from entering from the atmosphere
but allows the overflow to exhaust via an annular discharge shown terminating at the lower right hand side. This achieves two
things. Firstly, the air which contains about 22% oxygen is cut off so that its corrosive effects are nullified and secondly it
allows the injector to handle warmer feed water, typically for the range of pressures employed in miniature injectors up to
120°F. Note that in the starting position the steam nozzle only slightly penetrates the condensing cone but when fully
retracted has a gap, this being an end regulated instrument. A simpler version, is the “Penberthy” type which is also end
regulated but having a fixed steam cone as shown in Fig. 30.
© R P Bramson 2011
The Whistle
Page 6
April 2013
Fig. 30 - The “Penberthy” Injector
An example of a non-regulated injector having a hinged flap along the entire length of what is essentially the mixing cone, is
shown in Fig.31. This example is the Western Region “Swindon” type (based on the “Manhattan” principle) and its re-starting
performance is assured by the very large area which obtains when the flap opens, allowing the steam and air to be instantly
expelled and re-starting to occur. Regulation of this particular injector is entirely manual. An example of these types fitted to
a BR Standard Class 4 is shown in Fig.31 a). It should be noted that the overflow is protected against air ingress by the
lightly spring loaded flap. To fill the boiler after maintenance or washout, the flap is pulled off its seat and the water fed from a
hydrant via a hose connected by “quarter turn” fitting.
Fig. 31 – The “Swindon” Injector
Fig 31(a) – The “Swindon” Injector
© R P Bramson 2011
The Whistle
Page 7
April 2013
Time for me to get on board again and share some more of my opinions for those willing
to read them. As you probably know, both the big club steam locos, NYC Hudson and
Northern, have had boiler work done on them recently. The Hudson had a new Briggs
boiler fitted and ran last year very well. Now the Northern has had its copper boiler resoldered and improved by Roy Bickerstaffe. Roy also made a new superheater set and
many changes such as new steam turret valves and boiler check valves. We are all
looking forward to seeing the Northern back in service maybe by Easter if the crew in our
workshop can get it all set up. There are a lot of members who love driving either of
those engines and are really pleased to see them both in service again. After all, it is
model steam that got most of us interested in the hobby in the first place.
I expect steam training for new drivers will take place again for those wanting to get in
on the fun. We can use more engineers. The club also has #73 Mogul and the CPR
Jubilee 4-4-4 to drive also, and if there are engineers willing to steam them they can all be running on a given day, even if it
means giving the electric diesels a rest for part of the day. Having small locos running, even if they are not taking the public,
only makes the railway more interesting for everyone. Luckily with over 2 miles of mainline available, it is never a problem
accommodating all the trains, unless we get near 40 at one time like we did at IBLS 2000 Meet.
This year we will have our 20 th Anniversary Meet since we opened our present track. It's on August 8,9,10,11, and 12.
Hopefully we will see our track very busy and we will have lots of friendly Live Steamers come and enjoy a long weekend.
Many members have been busy in the wet season getting things ready for another year. Obviously our locos have been
maintained, and riding cars checked out for many more miles of reliable service. A new connecting track has been put in at
the east of the station to give us more operational flexibility. A drainage pipe was put in when the rail was relaid. The curved
viaduct is being re-painted and having the wood walkways replaced by steel expanded metal which will not be slippery when
wet.
While all these activities are going on with club infrastructure, there are members building their own models and I hope they
will get maximum mileage out of our railway this year. We want to encourage model building and our club shop has got more,
and upgraded, equipment to assist members. That is the great thing about our club; members helping members as none of
us have all the skills needed to build say a steam loco, but collectively by helping each other its amazing what we do and
learn.
Finally I know members recognize the work Barrie Sansom and his family do for the concession side of our railway.
Unfortunately Barrie has had a health scare but it is good to see him back at meetings. We do wish him a very speedy
recovery to good health.
Happy steaming,
Lindsay McDonnell.
Now, for all You History Buffs...
th
Our 20 Anniversary logo, designed by Paul Ohanessian and his son Ben, is
based on the Society's logo which Dave Simpson designed many years ago.
Our thanks go out to Dave for the original logo design, as well as to Paul
and Ben for their wonderful adaptation.
It's a Small, Small World
Some of our members not only enjoy the larger scale locomotives that the Society and its' members own and run, but they
also enjoy the smaller scale hobby as well. Roy Pachowski is one of those members who enjoys Gauge 1, also known as
Garden Scale, railways. He is an avid photographer, videographer, and model builder. Recently, Roy completed a model of our
own Rainbow Creek Station, and sent these photos for all to share. Hopefully, Roy will bring his model in for everyone to
enjoy.
The Whistle
Page 8
April 2013
Northern Update
The long and short of it is that the Northern's boiler is
back from the shop, and has passed its boiler test. All
that needs to be done now is to make a few minor
adjustments and put the cladding back on.
It has been a very long winter for all those involved
in this project. A big thank you goes out to: Doug Bach,
Roy Bickerstaffe, Jim Mackie, Paul Ohannesian, Mark
Waite, and Gerry Wittenberg for their efforts!
Left: Ian MacGregor, and Roy Bickerstaffe
discuss the finer points of the boiler work
Right: the new pressure gauge, and sight glass
assembly
Left: Jim Mackie preparing to line up the boiler
with the smoke box
Right: the new stainless steel superheater
in place
Bottom Row, left to right: close up of the new
steam dome, Gerry
Wittenberg and Jim Mackie in the process of
inserting the boiler into 3601's smokebox, and the
boiler mounted on the frame, and being fired up
for the first test run.
Photos: courtesy of Eivind Luffe, Mark Waite, and
Joe Holman
Laying Track
Over the winter a great deal of track was re-laid. These pictures show our volunteer navvies busy re-laying track
and switches in the station yard. A lot of credit for this work goes to John Ostler, Andrew Hutchinson, Ken
Klakowich, Phil MacGregor, Tom Pruden, Dennis Sherry, Theo Tielenburg, Brad Wickham, and Bruce Wilson.
Photos: courtesy of Joe Holman