[Steam-engine] Re:Colorado antique boiler rules/law?

[Parker Fowler]

on 9/11/04 8:56 AM, Dan Donaldson at ddonaldson at tampatank.com wrote:

> George,
> 
> I checked out your web site.  The page on the Urbana boiler inspections
> is very informative and I am glad you had the link to John Babcock's
> "Unofficial Guide for Owners & Operators of Historical Boilers in Ohio".
> Sorry I don't have any information on Colorado inspections.
> 
> Dan Donaldson
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "George Erhart" <gerhart at columbus.rr.com>
> To: <steam-engine at lists.stationary-engine.com>
> Sent: Friday, September 10, 2004 10:04 PM
> Subject: [Steam-engine] Colorado antique boiler rules/law?
> 
> 
>> There is a reasonable chance that I may need to relocate to the Denver
> area
>> next year. I was wondering if anyone knew what the Colorado rules for
>> antique boilers were.
>> 
>> George Erhart
>> http://www.grotonengine.tzo.net
*********************************

Hi, George...

Colorado has only the flimsiest of rules for antique boilers as far as I
know.

It must be at least five years since a "state boiler inspector" checked out
our Minnie.  He looked her over but obviously had never seen a steam tractor
since some of his questions were off the wall.  I showed him an earlier
certificate that carried our state "registration number" which is also
hand-punched into a small metal plate about 1.5" square and riveted to the
toolbox door.  He asked whether the machine had all the appliances that were
on the machine when new, since that was the only state requirement he knew
about.  I told him that the crosshead pump was missing when I got the
machine some 35 years ago from John Lebsack, RIP.  I replaced it with
another injector and a small brass steam pump ("lizard" of unknown
manufacture, which I retrieved from the base of an apple tree in a yard in
Hotchkiss CO, where it had become a beehive!

Prior to that, I had an inspector come up every year.  Some of them would
check the safety valve, and/or do a cold hydro. And one year we had to cut
several holes in the jacket along the average water line to do a sonar check
which we passed with flying colors...about 3/8" inches everywhere.  The
holes are the size of a half-dollar and plugged with rubber chair-leg tips,
which confound steam guys who wonder what the hell they are!  (My kids tell
people that they are steam-driven gun ports!!)

I know of only six steamers in Colorado, although there may be more.  The
DeBacker family, including Stuart Anderson, of Boulder usually brings their
undermount Avery and a couple of small Cases to the Boulder County Fair
Yesteryear Show put on by Harvey Nelson of Hygiene (W of Longmont).  We have
often run our Minnie down Main Street in Longmont for the Fair Parade, but
my kids are so busy with soccer and babies that they've not been available,
and at 78 I'm unwilling to try to do that by myself any more. Maybe next
year.  

After the Medina tragedy I wrote our Governor (Bill Owens) suggesting that
Colorado set up a board of all steam tractor owners to recommend some useful
law but I never heard back, even when I know him personally.  So it seemed
the better part of wisdom to forget it, since bureaucrats can screw things
up so badly without trying.

George, if you do move to beautiful Colorado give me a call or e-mail and
I'll put you in touch with FRAPA ... the Front Range Antique Power
Association which we started with some other nutz some 25 years ago. The
club is mostly gas engines and old tractors, but there are three steam
owners.  They have developed a nice place in southwest metro Denver where
they can plant and reap and thresh, etc.

Parker Fowler
3745 Fowler Lane
Longmont. CO 80503
303-776-0784
pfowljr at qwest.net
1924 Minneapolis 24/75  #8691