Ontario's Traction Engines in the 21st Century

To the unaware on looker the restoration of a Steam Traction engine is a very large undertaking and not to be taken lightly. To the majority of people these days they are seldom understood mechanically and for the most part unaware as to the extent of scrutiny the surviving traction engine undergoes in the 21st century.

A pressure vessel (boiler) is the foundation, which everything attaches to on most traction engines and is the heart of the machine so to speak. Boilers in Ontario on traction engines and locomotives fall under very strict guidelines for inspection, repair and operation. Owners who have been willing to make the commitment to own and operate a traction engine will have invested many thousands of dollars and hours to there engine. For those who have seen these slow moving giants of the prairie fields at steam shows and fairs around Ontario I hope this article will help give you a greater appreciation of what it really takes to get to that show!

First a sound knowledge of the construction and operation of a traction engine is required. The potential engine's boiler needs to be carefully surveyed for boiler condition if is even to be considered for restoration as apposed to replacement. Two very different undertakings, and both potentially very expensive. Grandpa's old engine in the shed is NOT going to get a way with just a little cleanup and a paint job.

A serviceable or potentially serviceable boiler is one that has been carefully cleaned inside and out to inspect for structural deformation, corrosion and pitting of all surfaces both internally and externally. It will have to undergo extensive non-destructive testing, which includes ultra sonic thickness testing every 4 square inches. Been examined by magnetic or liquid dye penetrant for cracks. The stay bolts in the firebox which provide critical structural integrity must be tested and verified that they are not significantly deteriorated along with rivets that must be checked for cracks. An average size traction engine will have upwards of 200 stay bolts and 500 rivets in its boiler. Once a report of condition has been completed by a qualified Non Destructive testing company for the owner, a TSSA (Technical Standards and Safety Authority) inspector can be contacted to come and inspect the boiler and then determine what repairs may need to be done. This is assuming the proper boiler manufacturing documentations and CRN (Canadian Registration Number) for your particular boiler is on file with the Government! (Basically these are the blue prints) If not then you will need to have them recreated by a qualified engineer along with the pressure calculations to get a CRN number issued. Now you have a boiler that is ready to begin repairs (if it is deemed repairable). If any areas of thickness deterioration, cracks or deformation are identified repairs will be required. Usually a qualified boiler repair shop will need to be contracted to do the repairs since all welding and materials used in the repair must be documented along with appropriate shop and welder's credentials (not just anybody can legally fix a boiler). A Government inspection is required of the repairs as they progress. Once complete, a hydrostatic test must be preformed (the boiler is pressurized with water) and no leaks are acceptable. A Maximum Allowable Working Pressure (MAWP) will be assigned based on its design and condition determined from the thickness testing done previously. Now the boiler is certified for operation in Ontario.

Normally to get this far a major disassembly of the engine was required, even if repairs were not too extensive. In many cases boiler deterioration is deemed to be too extensive and repairs are neither acceptable nor allowed. This brings us to the 2nd option. Replacement of the original boiler with a new custom made welded design.

To the most avid & serious owner the choice of a new boiler is of considerably more cost and an undertaking of major proportions. Again strict Government regulations come into play. The dimensional requirements of the new boiler need to match the original in most all positions. Custom drawn blue prints and pressure calculations will need to be created by an engineer qualified in pressure vessel design. A qualified manufacture of boilers will need to be retained to build the boiler according to all current construction and design codes. Sounds simple so far right!

Well here lies the problem. The original boiler when made was riveted together. The new boiler will be welded. Most all of the brackets that mounted parts to the boiler were riveted on or held with studs. The old brackets cannot be re welded directly nor riveted back on. Dissimilar metals are not permitted to be directly welded on to the new boiler shell and places where studs are required must have blind holes (therefore caps need to be welded on from the inside). On a completed boiler you would not be able to gain access to do this, therefore the boiler shell must be only partially completed by the manufacture, then all the components put back on in exact positions. Holes drilled, new brackets made (from approved plate) to appear as original and then welded on, or surface pads located and put on boiler where an old bracket is to be reattached. Virtually the entire traction engine with all the gears and components need to be reassembled on to the incomplete shell to verify correct position. Close attention to the position of the engine then crankshaft and next back to the gears are critical. There is no adjustment later to compensate for any misalignment or clearance adjustments between the gears. Everything must be right the first time. If you drill a hole in the wrong place its bad news.

I also forgot to mention that there are only a handful of shops that will build a traction engine boiler and most won't undertake the mounting of the parts. That's going to be your job. So, you will need own or have long term access to a well equipped shop with equipment capable of lifting & moving parts up to as much as 5000 pounds at least and maybe more. Be able to drill & tap 7/8" holes buy hand (may be up to 25) or lift & hold heavy casting in position prior to drilling. If not, you won't be able to do this job.

Once all of the trial fitting is complete, everything comes back off the shell and its back to the boiler manufactures shop for final completion. Approximately 200 stay bolts will be installed along with the firebox and considerably more welding. Then stress relieving, installation of the tubes and finally hydrostatic testing. All being satisfactory under the eye of the Government inspectors, a completed boiler certified for operation in Ontario is complete with certificate good for 1 year.

Now its time to take your new boiler home and start to final reassemble all of the castings and reconditioned parts! If you have been following close you will be thinking now "what reconditioned parts". These are the parts you have been working on constantly for the last 6 to 9 months while the boiler was away being finished. You likely had everything sandblasted when you took it apart but there may be parts with heavy wear that will need to be rebuilt. If you were lucky the steam engine you chose to rebuild was not to bad mechanically but if not you can add to that shop list a heavy lathe & mill and some good welding skills for casting & gear repairs.

It's not uncommon for a traction engine to have been built from pieces attained from all over the country. Often damaged or missing castings are recast from borrowed parts or wooden patterns made to have a foundry replicate missing parts or ones worn too much to repair.
Valve gear is vital to a good working traction engine. Careful attention to clearances on shafts and pins are important. Crankshafts are often straightened and welded to restore journals. Corroded, pitted or worn piston and valve rods replaced with stainless steel. Worn linkages re bushed with new pins. Each one custom made. There is no reproduction parts catalog for a steam engine (except for maybe decals on a few).

If you have made it this far you will have what appears to be a near complete traction engine, if you are 50 feet away! The reground & welded crankshaft needs new bearings. Material known as babit is used and after you align the crank in the engine on jigs to hold it in exact height and at right angle to the cylinder centerline you can prepare to apply babit putty and pour 2 main bearings in 4 separate stages. Approximately 50 lbs of babit for an average size engine. If your differential shaft was bad and needed repairs you get to re-pour them to. A big plowing engine axle shaft & intermediate gears will need another 70 or 80 lbs and quite a few days to set up & pour.

Timing of the valve gear once everything is assembled is usually near the end of the assembly. A very exacting procedure of locating front and rear dead centers on the crankshaft. Adjustments are made to place the valve (or valves on 2 cyl engines) in the correct position of lead according to the dead center and directional rotation it is to run. (And it runs in both directions). If its set correctly and your governors working properly under load the diehard steam experts will say "she's talkin" (a term for sounding & running real good) If it doesn't you will know it because the first time you put the engine to work under a hard load at a show all the critics will be near by to listen and tell you quietly later on "you know she's off just a little" or "that governors just a bit late cutting in". Then it's back to the shop to go correct the settings or work on the governor before you dare venture again to the sawmill demonstration.

Last will be your piping, steam and water valves. All new injector lines must be of approved schedule 80 or higher rating. All valves must be of approved pressure rating as well. All said and done, a few gallons of automotive acrylic paint if your boiler has as jacket, another gallon or two for the wheels & castings and last some pin stripping & lettering unless you could buy the decals. If you kept a diary of your time you should be at least 12 to 1500 hours depending on how much help you had. (If you were paying someone to do it you need to phone your bank manager about now).

Its almost steam show time. That is if your boiler certificate is still valid! Remember I said "one year". New boiler or old boiler, each must be inspected annually by a provincial inspector irregardless of the number of operating hours or if it even ran in that year. However this is a safety issue for everyone protection. Last but not least in Ontario you must hold a valid Provincial Certificate of Qualification for "Traction Engine Operator" which is proof of the required knowledge that is required to properly maintain and operate a traction or locomotive boiler. A three hour written exam at the TSSA will verify that one way or the other.

The traction engine operators are very dedicated avid groups of collectors who have gone to great personal and economic lengths. Along with the Provincial guide lines in Ontario that we follow will help to ensure the continued operation of steam power in Ontario for years to come. To date in 2002 at our show Steam-Era in Milton Ontario, of 15 engines that participated, 7 ran on new boilers built within the last 5 to 7 years and the remaining 9 were restored well enough to retain original manufactures working pressures even under strict Ontario regulations and each had at least 2 certified operators. Other shows had similar responses in 2002.
The key to this story is the dedicated work that goes on behind the seen, mostly unnoticed by the spectators to keep this hobby safe and preserved a piece of agricultural heritage for the future generations to see. So come out to a Steam show and see what the other half of the collector's world is doing and when you see an engine, don't hesitate to ask the engineer a few questions. We welcome them and you!

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