[Steam-engine] Question please

[James Hansen]

Yeah, I've had a few pop, and it's not that big a deal really if it's 
far away.  If close up, you can get cut or burned.  It does cause quite 
the commotion when the glass is right on the back of the boiler with no 
safety shield.  They should have at least a coarse wire screen like 3/8" 
hardware cloth to catch the big chunks.

Just remember to close the bottom valve first, as it's the one spitting 
water upwards, and of more immediate concern/danger. the top one just 
shoots steam downward.
-James

Andy glines wrote:
> James pretty much says it all.  I bet that water
> columns are more common than you think.  I haven't
> seen that many Case engines but I don't remember
> seeing one without a water column.  I also seemed like
> case likes to put them far away from the operator so
> that you need binoculars to see it.  Distance from the
> operator is also a bit of a safety feature.  The glass
> on Jansen's Minneapolis is mounted on the back head. 
> When the glass blew out at the Pinckneyville show it
> cut the operator's arm and gave him minor burns.  
> 
> --- James Mackessy <jmackess at twcny.rr.com> wrote:
> 
>> >From your description, you don't have a water
>> column. It's just a cast iron
>> cylinder
>> piped into the boiler, below the water line at the
>> bottom and above it at
>> the top.
>> As others have mentioned, it permits relocating the
>> water gauge (or glass)
>> away from
>> the boiler. They are a common accessory in
>> stationary practice, probably not
>> so common
>> on traction engines, although I believe some had
>> them. They really don't add
>> any extra
>> features, just relocate them, with the exception of
>> some used in stationary
>> practice that
>> have low water alarms built into them. Those on
>> package boilers often have a
>> mounting
>> for a float switch on the back. Some of the early
>> ones were pretty ornate,
>> but you don't see
>> very many around. -JM----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "David Myers" <walking_tractor at yahoo.com>
>> To: "Steam-engine mailing list"
>> <steam-engine at lists.stationary-engine.com>
>> Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2006 9:32 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Steam-engine] Question please
>>
>>
>>> James and all,
>>>
>>> >From your answers am I correct to assume that by
>> our
>>> Nichols & Shepard having the trycocks mounted
>> right on
>>> the rear shell and the sight gage on an angle on
>> the
>>> side that we don't have a water gage?  Haven't
>> ever
>>> looked for (and therefore haven't noticed) any
>>> traction engines with this feature.  Was it common
>> or
>>> mostly used on stationary boilers?
>>>
>>> Dave Myers
>>> Paw Paw, Michigan
>>>
> 
> Andy Glines
> Evansville, IN
> 
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