CPR 1278 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > operation requires. Concerning main line steam,
> > there is no FRA certification
> required,,,,,,,,yet,
>
> I am surprised to read that. I have heard of the
> Gettysburg RR catastrophe where guys firing did
> not know how to properly clear or read the water
> sight glass. Training was a factor apparently.
> Kind of interesting that govt authorities mandated
> lots of mechanical changes after Gettysburg, but
> did not require official training and
> certification for firemen. But, as you imply it
> may be coming, so let's see.


Just my opinion but, all the training/certification in the world of that "Fireman" and "Engineer" would NOT have prevented that event! Those idiots had absolutely no business owning/running a steam locomotive, as many/most of the key appliances on that poor locomotive didn't work. During quarterly inspections, the water glasses & associated fittings, were obviously never cleaned, plus a whole other list of critical Federal Defects. Whoever their mechanical and supervisory forces were, THEY were to blame.


> Background on Gettysburg from Wikipedia:
>
> "On June 16, 1995, engine no. 1278 suffered a
> boiler explosion while hauling an excursion train,
> seriously injuring the engineer and both firemen.
> The National Transportation Safety Board concluded
> that the explosion occurred because the crew had
> allowed the water level in the boiler to drop too
> low, causing the boiler's crown sheet to fail. The
> NTSB also determined that poor maintenance of the
> locomotive, as well as inadequate training, were
> contributing factors to the accident."


The water glasses didn't show the actual level of water in the boiler, the feedwater system didn't work, and the injector operation was problematic, at best. The whole danmed operation was an accident waiting to happen,,,,,,,,,and it eventually did. Plus, the FRA "inspector" was NOT qualified, and really had no idea what the many problems were. The FRA "inspector" just assumed that everybody was just as good as the Strasburg Rail Road operation. Obviously, he was wrong!