Box 278, Faribault, Minnesota 55021
Case 50 HP, serial number 33,181, arrived in November, just as I
was about to migrate South with the birds for the winter. Among the
bystanders watching the unloading was Smokey Cross, an engineer for
Land O Lakes Creamery. Much to my joy, I soon learned that I had
some one in Faribault with whom to share my love for steam. Steam
share it with.
Smokey had just completed a tiny scale model of a Case steam
engine, and brought it over to show me. It was a neat job and was
even decorated with tiny silver emblems. He looked longingly at the
Case we unloaded and had it not been for the fact that it weighed
nine tons, I am sure he would have spirited it away in the darkness
of the night.
Smokey and I looked over the engine thoroughly. An ugly tank had
been installed on the front of the engine, just ahead of the smoke
stack. The previous owner chose not to tackle the job of repairing
the original factory tank which leaked badly. We agreed the nose
tank should be removed and some means sought to repair or replace
the original tank. Coal bunkers were in excellent shape. Frontal
tanks are fine on the Minneapolis engine, but on the Case it looked
like a misplaced Adam’s apple.
While in Arizona I received a letter from Smokey which contained
two significant items. First, he had just received his Class 1A
steam engineer’s license. Secondly, he had a suggestion about
repairing the water tank on the Case. ‘I propose taking a torch
and cut out a panel on the back of the original tank, make another
‘T’ shaped tank, slide it into the old tank, and re-weld
the plate back on. Could I have your permission to do this?’
Says I, ‘Go ahead’.
On returning to Faribault, my first item of business was to look
at the Case and was disappointed as there was no visible sign that
the job was done. But Smokey assured me that a new tank had been
installed inside the old one, complete with baffles. Smokey was no
slouch with a welding torch and he had replaced the panel,
re-welded it, smoothed it over and painted it in such a manner that
it is difficult to find a scar even though you know it is there.
For all practical purposes and appearances, these
contractor’s bunkers are as good as new.
The tank holds 120 gallons, and I thought there might be others
who would like to know about this method of tank repair. I am
submitting a dimensioned drawing of our tank, but suggest a you
measure your engine carefully so that the tank you make will go
in.
