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That initial report, printed in full below, was commissioned by Dean Jagger, chief boiler inspector for the state of Ohio. And a steam pipe explosion near Grand Central Station in 2007 shot a geyser of 400-degree steam and mud as high as the top of the nearby 77-story Chrysler Building. Robert T. Rhode, who recently published a book on harvesting and threshing in turn-of-the-century America, and who has studied steam traction engines and their role in American agriculture, is also concerned by this unchallenged assertion. The upper portion of the firebox tubesheet was torn at the upper tube ligaments and remained attached to the crown sheet. A dangerous steam explosion can also be created when liquid water or ice encounters hot, molten metal. I was wondering if you might do an article about the Southern Pacific roundhouse disaster of March 18, 1912, when a train's boiler exploded and caused more than 20 deaths. Less dramatic but still significant is that the molten mass of fuel and reactor core melts through the floor of the reactor building and reaches ground water; a steam explosion might occur, but the debris would probably be contained, and would in fact, being dispersed, probably be more easily cooled. He suggested there might be a 5-15 percent co-pay up to the limit of a policy, which itself might be capped. Members of the steam hobby have been holding their collective breath since the tragic explosion of Cliff Kovicic’s Case 110 at the Medina County Fairgrounds on July 29, 2001. Case Steam Engine Manual. A failure of fire tubes forces large volumes of high pressure, high temperature steam back down the fire tubes in a fraction of a second and often blows the burners off the front of the boiler, whereas a failure of the pressure vessel surrounding the water would lead to a full and entire evacuation of the boiler's contents in a large steam explosion. He also cites July 17, 1971, as the last time such a catastrophic explosion occurred, at the Corn Palace Stampede and Rodeo Parade in Mitchell, S.D. Gary Love, president of the New York Steam Engine Association, was quoted in an article in The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, Ohio, saying, “I’m sure the insurance companies are going to make it cost more for premiums.” When I spoke with Love, he informed me that his association carries a $2 million liability policy that costs the association around $3,000 to $4,000 for its four-day Pageant of Steam show held in Canandaigua, N.Y. An initial report on the cause of the explosion was released August 10 by officials from the Ohio Department of Commerce. Even so, the Medina accident did have an immediate impact for this year’s 41st Annual Pageant of Steam. Detchon says his office is still conducting a finite element analysis of the boiler, but he also says the boiler’s pressure relief valve was sealed and wouldn’t go off at an indicated 250 psi. Before purchasing my first engine I spent much time associating with the engineers and engines at local shows. It could be safe to assume that the late owner knew that the boiler was leaking and attempted to seal the leaks with this compound. I thought the school was well worth the effort and expense. Thread starter Tony Glaser; Start date May 24, 2017; Tony Glaser Subscriber. Family details of the steam engine explosion. The explosion of the steamboat Sultana’s boiler in 1865 was the cause of the largest loss of life in US maritime history. Dear Lieutenant Detchon,The investigation team would like to offer the following assessment on the steam traction engine explosion at the Medina County Fairgrounds on July 29, 2001: The steam traction engine was manufactured by J.I. Such explosions are known as fuel–coolant interactions (FCI). The steam traction engine is more than just a platform to power that nice, big, shiny whistle you always wanted to blow!”. “Buildings, structures and people on the ground in the immediate area of the engine were blown to pieces or if closer to the engine, simply disintegrated.”. Students may also take the test for a Minnesota Traction Engine License administered by the inspector at the end of the class. There are actually two types of ways a steam locomotives’ boiler can explode - the first is when is parts of the train connected with steam and water fail under pressure (this is a boiler explosion) The second type is when the explosion is to do with the fuel and air parts of the locomotive - this is more accurately called a Firebox explosion. Investigators then studied the Case for clues as to exactly what transpired to cause the explosion of July 29, 2001. Steam engine explosion. “Students receive instruction in practical and safe operation techniques. Inspection of the hand-hole plug above the crown sheet revealed that the plug has not been removed recently, as the threads were rusted. An old photo of a boiler explosion on a steam locomotive is found on the following site via Google: florida photographic collection; then type in NO38697; and NO38698 for a second view of the accident. Description. The River Steam Boat: A Ticking Time Bomb Out of the experience of the early years of the river steam boat, there emerged two architectures of steam-engine design and building. The engine was being moved to the Medina County Fairgrounds, in preparation for the Medina County Fair, which was scheduled to begin the following day. With the flywheel being on the right side of the engine, along with the probable shifting of the water in the storage tanks, the tractor tipped to the right on the way down. This Sultana river boat disaster in 1865 was a blind spot for me. Best experts killed. This exceeded the set pressure of the valve of 125 psi. In his 2006 book “Railroads of San Antonio,” Hemphill calls the incident “the worst locomotive boiler explosion in the nation's history.” Early in the morning of March 18, 1912, outside the Southern Pacific roundhouse in the 1200 block of North Hackberry Street, workers were following orders to fire up locomotive No. High steam generation rates can occur under other circumstances, such as boiler-drum failure, or at a quench front (for example when water re-enters a hot dry boiler). Even so, a relatively complete, if slightly disputed, picture can be constructed from investigations and examinations of the remains of the Case 110. The diameter of the stays in the corroded area is between .600-inch and .700-inch. Unfortunately they blew in the middle of the Mississippi with over 2000 union soldiers returning north after the war. [An unrelated piece of machinery is in the background.] Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steam_explosion&oldid=1018012208, Articles needing additional references from April 2008, All articles needing additional references, Articles lacking in-text citations from July 2011, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2010, Articles needing additional references from November 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 April 2021, at 20:33. E-mail this article: Print this article: MEDINA, Ohio — A steam engine exploded at a county fair yesterday, killing four people and injuring dozens when it blasted shrapnel and hot oil across the fairgrounds. Note today is the 25th Anniversary of Nevada Northern Railway 93's head on collision with a loose train car. “Maybe the owners themselves will have a better policy to protect themselves.”. Found inside – Page 282282 EXPLOSION OF STEAM BOILERS . three vessels were destroyed , probably from defective machinery , and one hundred and fourteen lives sacrificed . I am the Director of the Certified Boiler Engineers for The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and have conducted an inspection of a boiler explosion of an antique boiler at Medina, Ohio. Emergency personnel kept order, aided the injured and started the grisly work of collecting body parts. A steam explosion sprays steam and boiling-hot water and the hot medium that heated it in all directions (if not otherwise confined, e.g. Rhode says that in the aftermath of Medina he spoke with two reporters who both told him that boiler failures were common among steam engines in the early days. In the aftermath of the explosion, the youths donated earnings from their sales at the fair to a fund set up to help the families of those killed and to help those injured in the explosion. There are two types of boiler explosions. The engine worked most of its career hauling freight and passenger trains throughout the Canadian Pacific Railwayuntil it was retired from revenue service in December 1963. -SS Helen McGregor, Boiler Explosion, Memphis, TN, February 1830. Even so, Hartwig did say that an immediate consequence is that individuals and associations seeking insurance may be required to take a larger deductible, or share in losses above the deductible. Pressure gauge was severed from its connection on steam dome (test report submitted by National Board). Water Treatment. The pressure wave rocketed pieces of the wreckage — some weighing hundreds or even thousands of pounds — as far as seven blocks away. Dan was standing on the front wheel fixing something on the governor, and Albert was on the step on the side of the engine trying to get the water pumps working. And even though Love is concerned about insurance costs rising, he does have some optimism. Since the boiler was hand fired and feedwater was required to be introduced manually by steam injectors, it appears the operator allowed the water level to drop to a point at which the crown sheet was not fully protected by water. As stated previously, the majority of the blast was in the downward direction; some of the blast was directed to the rear and forward sections of the boiler. As to the boiler’s pressure gauge reading 25 psi light, Detchon says there is testimony stating it was inaccurate before the accident. John D. Payton, Director, Boiler Section Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, The Medina County Sheriff’s Office’s Lt. John Detchon says his investigation has included interviews with 47 witnesses, resulting in 280 pages of witness statements. As older, skilled operators leave the hobby, it will be critical that owners coming into the hobby, many from backgrounds with no grounding in steam, have proper training. I thought it might be interesting to read about an event that not many people know about, especially with the 100-year anniversary coming up. When a pressurized container such as the waterside of a steam boiler ruptures, it is always followed by some degree of steam explosion. Steam/explosion engine with internal production of steam by means of an electric heating system. With the death of the operator, the reason for this error will never be determined. This was the architecture That turned out to be how the first real steam engines would work. On the morning of March 18, 1912, dozens of men at the Southern Pacific yard in San Antonio were working around an engine of the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad. Crown sheet hand hold showing rusted threads indicating possible lack of inspection. MEDINA, Ohio -- The Medina County Fair opened today -- two hours late -- after an antique steam-powered tractor exploded at the fairgrounds yesterday, killing four men and injuring about 50 people. Pleasant, Iowa, as part of the Old Threshers Reunion. Contact him at 1503 SW 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609-1265, (785) 274-4383, or email: rbackus@ogdenpubs.com. Old "fire-tube" boilers often failed due to poor build quality or lack of maintenance (such as corrosion of the fire tubes, or fatigue of the boiler shell due to constant expansion and contraction). The Best Friend of Charleston was a steam-powered railroad locomotive widely considered the first locomotive to be built entirely within the United States for revenue service. In some measure that response might have been motivated by Bryan Hammond’s death. Steam draft was approximately 1/4 turn open. The railroad settled all claims out of court, paying $4,000 to at least two victims' families. Upon landing, the right rear wheel snapped from the axle, the front pedestal also broke and folded the right front wheel under the boiler. Trains. I found it very informative. The explosion is said to have been caused by the fireman tying down the steam … This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 edition. Collateral damage was also observed on the left side of the firebox where a straw door and debris exited, striking additional vehicles and observers. Alternatively, a non-volatile purpose designed fire retardant agent or simply a fire blanket can be used. A steam explosion is an explosion caused by violent boiling or flashing of water or ice into steam, occurring when water or ice is either superheated, rapidly heated by fine hot debris produced within it, or heated by the interaction of molten metals (as in a fuel–coolant interaction, or FCI, of molten nuclear-reactor fuel rods with water in a nuclear reactor core following a core-meltdown). Dennis Jungbluth, 58, another long-time friend who was on board, died a few hours later, and seven days later Bryan Hammond, 18, who was part of Kovacic’s crew, succumbed to injuries he sustained in the explosion. Hammond, 18, of Homerville, died six days after the explosion. Some newspapers, such as The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio, did a commendable job of sticking to the facts and digging for real information instead of simply tossing out headline-grabbing words. This would keep anyone's Friday night model railroading group busy. By now everyone in the old engine/old tractor hobby knows about the tragic explosion that occurred July 29 at the Medina County Fair in Medina, Ohio. One such tractor, an antique by 2001, was about to go on display at the Medina County Fair when its steam engine exploded. Officials Examining Steam Engine in Explosion on Cruise Ship. An awful example of the destructive force of an exploding steam boiler was recently had in the explosion of a Missouri, Kansas & Texas locomotive boiler in the little town of Smithville on the Colorado River in Texas. Crown sheet showing two threads of engagement. This streamlined locomotive was used for high-speed passenger service on the New York Central's own crack passenger trains, such as the 20th Century Limited. Areas of crown sheet appeared to have a reduction in thickness (ultrasonic measurements and calculations being reviewed). It is my evaluation that because of the very poor condition of the crown sheet, with the reduction of the original thickness from .375-inch to .087-inch, leaving only 23 percent of the original thickness, this was insufficient metal to hold the pressure of the steam, resulting in a mechanical failure of the boiler. His report also estimates the explosion occurring at 90 psi. While there is some confusion surrounding the cause of the explosion, the basic facts of the accident are known. I am the director of the Certified Boiler Engineers for The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and have conducted an inspection of a boiler explosion of an antique boiler at Medina, Ohio. for two views of the exploded boiler, attributed to low water pressure and a defective safety valve. The explosion happened at about 6:45 p.m., when an antique steam engine was pulling into its parking place. Well worth my time.”, From Rick Mannen, Lynden, Ontario, Canada:“A car load of us went to the Pawnee school in Rushville, Ind., in 2000. His basic conclusion? '”, Larry Kibbee, vice president of public affairs for the Alliance of American Insurers, another insurance industry organization, wasn’t sure what direction a response would take, so he posed my concerns to the Property Loss Research Bureau within the Alliance. This further compounds the bagging by localized overheating until there is failure of the crown sheet. Railroad Pictures. With that spirit in mind we want to present the facts of the accident as they are known, and then engage in a discussion of the accident and what we can learn from it: what the accident means to us and what we can do to ensure our safety and the safety of those around us, so that our hobby – and lifestyle – is not threatened and our equipment is not relegated to static display. Newer steam engines use heated oil to force drops of water to explode and create high pressure in a controlled chamber. This map was inspired by a video I saw called "The 1948 Steam Locomotive Boiler Explosion Outside of Chillicothe, Ohio" of a steam locomotive Texas (2-10-4) class T1 by the C&O which boiler exploded outside of Chillicothe, Ohio. Copyright 2021, All Rights Reserved | Ogden Publications, Inc. Reconstruction of a tragedy: This picture shows the Case 110 after it was removed from the Medina Fairground and repositioned exactly as it was found after the explosion. In 1893, when steam was king down on the farm, an engine exploded, killing both man and animal. Both classroom and hands-on time was scheduled for the students. There are, it should be noted, some positive experiences to be drawn from this tragedy, not least of which was the response by local 4-H’ers in Medina County. The composition of the steam machines formed by boilers and other components under pressure causes fluids with a very high potential energy to be stored. This test is not conclusive, but an indicator of the metal condition. The men were firing up the engine to test it … The crown sheet propelled in a downward direction, both left and right side sheets of the firebox traveled downward with the crown sheet for a distance of approximately 2/3 of the firebox at which time the crown sheet separated from the side sheets. Honoring Maynard Westgaard with a final ride on an old steam engine, his restored Case steam tractor. These give rise to the usual disadvantage affecting petrol and diesel engines, namely that environment-polluting components pass into the exhaust. Create even more, even faster with Storyblocks. ACLfan. The computations, using various formulas ASME 1924 and ASME 1998, computed using a thickness of .085-inch came out to be between 40 psi and 47 psi. As the water explodes into steam, it splashes the burning hot liquid metal along with it, causing an extreme risk of severe burns to anyone located nearby and creating a fire hazard. X Your session was … The area around the threaded stays showed more reduction of thickness because this is a high-stress area. Close. The controlled explosion of water has been used for generating steam in power stations and in modern types of steam turbines. The pressure is then used to run a turbine or a converted combustion engine. This is "Steam Engine Explosion" by Fernando Rabelo on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Steam explosions are not normally chemical explosions, although a number of substances react chemically with steam (for example, zirconium and superheated graphite react with steam and air respectively to give off hydrogen, which burns violently in air) so that chemical explosions and fires may follow. Upon further inspection of the steam traction engine on July 31, 2001 and August 7, 2001 the following conditions were observed: The investigation team believes the crown sheet failed due to overheating caused by a low water condition. The problem is compounded because the less the thickness the higher the stress. Safety valve was attached to steam dome with no external damage noted (test report submitted by National Board). 223 comments. It had happened a long time ago, even before Uncle Walt was born, but he did remember that his sister-in-law, Cecile, had never known her father, as he had been killed before she was born. Mechanics were making adjustments to the safety valve, or pop-off valve, on the huge steam engine when the explosion occurred. It is virtually always caused by too low a water level in the boiler. The locomotive was eventually transferred to a warehouse of the steam center in Maldegem. Combustion engine is an element found in Little Alchemy 2. We can always learn something new no matter how much we think we know, and it is nice to be able to speak directly with people who have experience. At 6:20 p.m. that fateful Sunday, as many people were likely readying dinner or otherwise settling in at the fairgrounds in anticipation of the festivities to come, Cliff Kovacic was positioning his Case 110 (the engine’s exact year of production has not been confirmed) inside the fairgrounds when it exploded, instantly killing Kovacic, 48, his son William, 26, and family friend Alan Kimble, 46. Instruction for traction and stationary engine operators of all ages and experiences, there was traction... Start date may 24, 2017 ; Tony Glaser ; Start date 24! Running through the boiler the basic facts of the crown sheet boiler explosion from shop. Gives a presentation and is available for questions was more of a boiler most of them live for. ” water... 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