[Thursday] The Yellow Brick Road

Thu Oct 11 16:41:24 MDT 2018

Randy,
Don't forget that during the time the Corliss was running the boiler pressure increased from 20 to 30 PSI.  I wonder what it would have happened if we had started with the pressure at 65 PSI instead of 20 PSI we started at.  
Ernie
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On Thu, 10/11/18, Randall Snow via Thursday <thursday at newsm.org> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [Thursday] The Yellow Brick Road
 To: "Louis Vertefeuille" <kingfrog1 at verizon.net>
 Cc: matharda at sky.com, "Thursday Group" <thursday at newsm.org>, chrisprada at live.com
 Date: Thursday, October 11, 2018, 5:42 PM

 Lou and
 all,
 We need to write one
 more big chapter into today's record.
 The short story is that the Columbia
 boiler is sufficient to operate seemingly any of the large
 engines short of the Hereshoff.  We had the Fitchburg
 running for about 10 minutes, the Corliss for nearly 30
 minutes, and the older Harris for 10 minutes all solely on
 the Columbia.
 The
 longer story is that through the use of the air compressor
 we have made numerous discoveries, experiments and
 improvements.  Experiments indicated to me, as you might
 expect, that the Corliss actually consumes less steam than
 the Fitchburg does.  Tough to believe perhaps, but a direct
 demonstration of the increased efficiency.  Late last year
 on the last day Davinder was visiting, we wanted to give him
 something more to see.  Through much difficulty we managed
 to get steam over to the Fitchburg and it eventually ran, to
 some extent.  Just before steam up we managed to locate and
 fix a major steam leak through the newer Harris's main
 valve.  Sealing that leak made a big difference in boiler
 operation on Steam Up day.  Several times I had to damper
 the boiler down and vent pressure outside via the turbine,
 rather than fighting to keep pressure up as I have in the
 last couple of years.  We also used much less wood than we
 have in years past as well, some of which is of course
 because we operated it on oil for a couple of hours but
 proportionally it was a dramatic reduction.  Anyhow,
 through various small improvements and discoveries it would
 seem the Columbia is much more capable than anyone would
 have assumed.  I think it's good cause for a revised
 course of action on any future plans with the steam
 collection.  Revising the steam piping arrangement would
 likely be a dramatic aid to actually running under this
 configuration.  A main line that was properly drained and
 branches exiting the top rather than sides of the main would
 speed the supply of steam to all points versus the
 circuitous route the flow now takes.  Anyhow, all things to
 keep in mind for the future and insight that certainly makes
 think about everything that may have been seen as a
 "norm" or limitation in the past.  Somehow it
 does feel a bit like OZ!
 Randy
 On Thu, Oct 11,
 2018 at 4:46 PM Louis Vertefeuille via Thursday <thursday at newsm.org>
 wrote:
 Good afternoon to the People of Oz,

 There was a lot of activity this morning getting ready
 for the trip to Oz.  First of all we finished the cleaning
 up after the BIG DAY. There were a few details that required
 finishing touches....trash that hadn't made it to the
 pick up point last week...wood blocks and boards that were
 used to prop up the Porta Johns and the grill...the steam
 bicycle and steam hoses were gathered and transported to the
 trailer..the wheel was repaired on the third wheelbarrow.
 The turbine was covered with a tarp and the water pump that
 was set up next to the Lookout boiler was winterized and put
 away for safe keeping. The Lookout boiler was cleaned of
 ashes and the mud ring was vacuumed out. The engines next to
 the boiler were blown out to get ready for winter. All the
 water and soda that was temporally stored in the church
 basement was moved and stored on the rack in the Mayes
 Building rest room.

   The Good Fairy visited
 the Massie Station and left a working
 oscilloscope on the workbench much to
 Colin's delight.

 The names of the new volunteers from last week which I
 missed are;

 Davinder Singh Matharu..as I mentioned last week he is
 visiting from the UK

 The other new volunteer was not present today so I
 couldn't get his info.

 Yet another new volunteer came in today..he is a ham
 radio guy and has a variety of other skills.

 His name is Chris Prata and we welcome him to the
 Village on the Yellow Brick Road.

   A plan was devised to redo the paper product storage
 room to make it more presentable and organized. We hope the
 rearrangement will provide better use of our
 resources.

 The journey into the future starts with that first step
 along the Yellow Brick Road and I believe we have taken that
 step and we are on our way to bigger and better things that
 will take us to that fabled city of OZ.

 Best regards to all,.....the guy behind the
 curtain.

 LOU

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 -- 
 Randy Snow
 Snow
 Findings Company
 Lovements.com
 New England
 Wireless and Steam Museum

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