Joe Michaels
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Location
- Shandaken, NY, USA
I came across a great old Czech youtube about the building of steam locomotives. The title is: " Jak se co dela Lokomotiva" .
I do not know the Czech language, but this is a great old film. It shows, amongst other things, the fabrication of a large steam locomotive boiler with a combustion chamber. The firebox is fabricated by welding, so this is a newer steam locomotive. Also shown are specialized drilling machinery for drilling the boiler sheets for staybolts, as well as a trepanning operation done on a tubesheet for large diameter flues (for superheater elements). The spotting and scraping-in of main 'brasses' (the bearings which the driver axles run in) is shown, as is a hydrostatic test of the completed boiler. Interesting to note is the use of very heavy hemp rope, spliced into slings, for rigging and turning over locomotive parts during the building. The youtube is mainly to teach the operating principals of a steam locomotive in some depth, and includes an explanation of the injector and exhaust nozzle/venturi in the smokebox. Power driven rivetting is shown, as is the 'hammering up' of rigid staybolts using a specially shaped air hammer steel.
Something I've never seen in a youtube of old shop work is the use of a plate edge planer. This film shows a plate edge planer in use, with the operator riding along with the saddle and cutting tool. Another thing shown is the use of a horizontal boring mill running milling cutters. This is shown profiling the edge of a flanged boiler sheet, as well as machining the foundation (also known as 'mud') ring of the boiler.
The Czechs, from what little I have learned along the way, were some of the best designers and builders of heavy steam locomotives in Europe. They kept using steam power on mainline railroads well into the 70's. Also interesting to note is the use of electric arc welding (SMAW or 'stick welding') to fabricate the firebox. The welders in this film actually wear gloves and have welding shields that have 'headgear', leaving both hands free to use for welding work. Most European youtubes showing arc welding usually have the welders holding the shield with a handle rather than wearing it on their heads. The Czechs apparently recognized that a welder might do better work with both hands free to use for welding. They also realized that the welding arc tends to burn exposed skin, particularly around the neck and upper chest, so the welding shield is made to cover this area. Here in the USA in these modern times, we wear welding jackets and cover up, but shields do not protect our throat, neck and upper chest area. Some boilermakers in the USA would cut up an old rawhide welding jacket and fasten a flap of the rawhide leather to the bottom of their welding shield. This provided needed protection when welding in close quarters, maybe overhead. I've gotten a red "Vee' of arc burn on my neck and upper chest where my shield left off and my clothing had an opening for the arc rays to give me a burning. The Czechs pre-empted this. Interesting also is the fact the boilermakers and other wear safety glasses. Not usually seen in old locomotive shop youtubes.
This youtube is apparently an in-depth film made for educational purposes. A lot of great footage of old machine tools and boilermaking work is shown. As I've said before, engineering and machine work is a universal language.
I do not know the Czech language, but this is a great old film. It shows, amongst other things, the fabrication of a large steam locomotive boiler with a combustion chamber. The firebox is fabricated by welding, so this is a newer steam locomotive. Also shown are specialized drilling machinery for drilling the boiler sheets for staybolts, as well as a trepanning operation done on a tubesheet for large diameter flues (for superheater elements). The spotting and scraping-in of main 'brasses' (the bearings which the driver axles run in) is shown, as is a hydrostatic test of the completed boiler. Interesting to note is the use of very heavy hemp rope, spliced into slings, for rigging and turning over locomotive parts during the building. The youtube is mainly to teach the operating principals of a steam locomotive in some depth, and includes an explanation of the injector and exhaust nozzle/venturi in the smokebox. Power driven rivetting is shown, as is the 'hammering up' of rigid staybolts using a specially shaped air hammer steel.
Something I've never seen in a youtube of old shop work is the use of a plate edge planer. This film shows a plate edge planer in use, with the operator riding along with the saddle and cutting tool. Another thing shown is the use of a horizontal boring mill running milling cutters. This is shown profiling the edge of a flanged boiler sheet, as well as machining the foundation (also known as 'mud') ring of the boiler.
The Czechs, from what little I have learned along the way, were some of the best designers and builders of heavy steam locomotives in Europe. They kept using steam power on mainline railroads well into the 70's. Also interesting to note is the use of electric arc welding (SMAW or 'stick welding') to fabricate the firebox. The welders in this film actually wear gloves and have welding shields that have 'headgear', leaving both hands free to use for welding work. Most European youtubes showing arc welding usually have the welders holding the shield with a handle rather than wearing it on their heads. The Czechs apparently recognized that a welder might do better work with both hands free to use for welding. They also realized that the welding arc tends to burn exposed skin, particularly around the neck and upper chest, so the welding shield is made to cover this area. Here in the USA in these modern times, we wear welding jackets and cover up, but shields do not protect our throat, neck and upper chest area. Some boilermakers in the USA would cut up an old rawhide welding jacket and fasten a flap of the rawhide leather to the bottom of their welding shield. This provided needed protection when welding in close quarters, maybe overhead. I've gotten a red "Vee' of arc burn on my neck and upper chest where my shield left off and my clothing had an opening for the arc rays to give me a burning. The Czechs pre-empted this. Interesting also is the fact the boilermakers and other wear safety glasses. Not usually seen in old locomotive shop youtubes.
This youtube is apparently an in-depth film made for educational purposes. A lot of great footage of old machine tools and boilermaking work is shown. As I've said before, engineering and machine work is a universal language.
