On Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:56:01 -0700 (PDT), harry wrote:

If this joint were to fail there could be very severe consequenses.
Under no circumstanses should you try to repair this.

I fully agree. You should get some mechanic from a museum or something who has
*experience* repairing these ancient things. You know, someone who has actually
spent *time* fixing these things. Or a fully qualified stem engine mechanic!*

Cast iron has been outlawed for seventy or eighty years for steam
vessels. You need to forget all about this project or someone could
get killed.

All steam vessels by law have to be insured and inspected annually.
There's absolutely no way you could achieve this, it would fail any
inspection.

You'd be much better off scrapping the boiler and replacing it with something
entirely new. And instead of a firebox, maybe an electric heater? These are much
safer. Or a modern condensing boiler, which is also more efficient! Yes!


Thomas Prufer


* There are actually few around, as East Germany ran steam locomotives in
regular service until recently, relatively speaking.