OK so on my 1880’s Baldwin Mogul I am building, I am wonder what needs to be on the steam dome. I am thinking a flat top style whistle and a pop of valve. Unfortunately, I don’t have a good photo of the prototype so I cant tell what they have up there. I get to have some artistic lisc. What is a good typical installation?
Here’s the steam dome on my EBT #1–just a safety valve and a whistle.
EBT #3 was similar:
This was a common arrangement on early Baldwin locos. I don’t know when railroads began adding a second safety valve, but if you wanted to, it would look something like this:
Later,
K
Thanks Kevin I opted for twin safety valve and flat top type whistle. These are both homemade per David Fletcher.
(http://largescalecentral.com/public/album_photo/fa/cb/01/1c930_85de.jpg)
I hand hammered a piece of brass rod for the lever on the whistle. think it ame out alright.
Nice work on those, they look at least as good as any commercial castings.
Ray Dunakin said:
Nice work on those, they look at least as good as any commercial castings.
Thanks Ray. I already have an idea on how to make a little nicer whistle next time but all in all I am pleased with how they came out. Rather simple design and had all the material in my box.
If i can brag a little more they look handsome on top of that dome. In my build thread I show how I made those. The dome is made out of a 2 - 1" PVC couplings, 2- 1" PVC plugs, and a piece of 1" PVC pipe. I then cut them to the desired sizes and glued them up and turned them on my shopsmith, there is a matching sand dome made out of 3/4"
Just a Little bragging because I am actually dang proud of them since it was a hair brain idea and never turned PVC or tried to turn something so small and intricate.
Add those pop off valves and the whistle and am darn happy with my homemade creations.
(http://largescalecentral.com/public/album_photo/4d/ca/01/1c784_d3f5.jpg)
(http://largescalecentral.com/public/album_photo/51/ca/01/1c788_0e2f.jpg)
(http://largescalecentral.com/public/album_photo/59/ca/01/1c790_81c5.jpg)
Nice work on those domes! Very professional looking.
Great work, Devon. They look factory made.
Yes, I like the domes.
As to the original post, when there are 2 pop off valves, they are set at different pressures. The lower pressure one pops first, and then if the pressure in the boiler continues to build, the second one pops. Kind of a safety saftey. I also am not sure when it was mandated that 2 pop off vales be on the domes.
David Maynard said:
Yes, I like the domes.
As to the original post, when there are 2 pop off valves, they are set at different pressures. The lower pressure one pops first, and then if the pressure in the boiler continues to build, the second one pops. Kind of a safety saftey. I also am not sure when it was mandated that 2 pop off vales be on the domes.
Thanks,
Well i can tell you it was mandated in 1887 or before because that is when CR&N bought this loco and looking at my model it has two and I have to be right so it must have been mandated before that. Because I can’t be wrong and I am not taking it off. ;-p
On D&RGW 315 (Baldwin 1895) the two pop off valves are set 5 lbs. of pressure apart. For reasons unknown to me, the lower pressure valve (160 lb. in 315) is always placed on the Fireman’s side, and the high pressure valve is on the engineers side. I don’t know if its tradition or superstition, and nobody admits to really knowing why, but it’s always done that way, not just on 315, but all engines.
Dave Taylor said:
On D&RGW 315 (Baldwin 1895) the two pop off valves are set 5 lbs. of pressure apart. For reasons unknown to me, the lower pressure valve (160 lb. in 315) is always placed on the Fireman’s side, and the high pressure valve is on the engineers side. I don’t know if its tradition or superstition, and nobody admits to really knowing why, but it’s always done that way, not just on 315, but all engines.
Its the way we’ve always done it. 
Steve Featherkile said:
Dave Taylor said:
On D&RGW 315 (Baldwin 1895) the two pop off valves are set 5 lbs. of pressure apart. For reasons unknown to me, the lower pressure valve (160 lb. in 315) is always placed on the Fireman’s side, and the high pressure valve is on the engineers side. I don’t know if its tradition or superstition, and nobody admits to really knowing why, but it’s always done that way, not just on 315, but all engines.
Its the way we’ve always done it.
And Steve that could honestly be the reason why. I can’t tell you how many times I have questioned a policy at work and get that answer.
Oocam’s razor. The simplest answer is usually the correct answer.
Perhaps it is so the crew will know at what pressure it is blowing off.
If the Pops are installed in any order and one blows could they be certain that it is the lower
pressure one? Or is the lower pressure one broken/jammed etc and the higher pressure one
is blowing.
Just a thought
Rick
If the fireman’s pops you’re ok, but when the engineer’s lets go … RUN!!!
PS; bird poop goes on top!
Rick Marty said:
Perhaps it is so the crew will know at what pressure it is blowing off.
If the Pops are installed in any order and one blows could they be certain that it is the lower
pressure one? Or is the lower pressure one broken/jammed etc and the higher pressure one
is blowing.
Just a thought
Rick
Rick,
You are correct on the placement of the safties. On our 1 1/2 inch Mogul and ten-wheeler, the lower is on the left set at 120psi and the right is set at 125 psi.