Alvordton, Ohio
Owners Name |
Make Of Engine
H. P. Raring
HP. Load Brake
Lbs. Of Coal Used
Lbs. Of Water Used
Lbs. Of Coal HP. HR.
Lbs. Of Water HP. HR.
Lbs. Of Water Eva. Lb. Coal
Engineer
John Holp
Advance
20-60
45.2
268
1472
5.93
32.56
5.49
John Holp
Wilford Bunyea
Harrison Jumbo
20-65
47.2
304
1691
6.44
35.8
5.56
A. H. Shear
National Threshers
Port Huron
19-65
50.22
234
1582
4.65
30.5
6.76
Peter Bucher
LeRoy Blaker
Port Huron
24-75
57.65
133
1164
2.32
20.2
8.75
LeRoy Blaker
Percy Sherman
Russell
25-75
61.12
218
1752
3.57
28.66
8.03
Percy Sherman
Raymond Fork
Baker
21-75
65.05
376
2080
5.8
31.94
5.26
Louis Fork
The above data is correct and was witnessed by a special
committee and hundreds of visitors. The committee weighed the coal
and water and checked the fire and water level at the beginning and
end of each run. The engineers agreed to give each engine
approximately ? its rated belt hp and about 10 minutes time under
load for warming up before time for test to start. The brake hp
used was James Watt’s 33,000 lbs. one foot high in one minute
— not the 18,000 foot lbs. adapted by the automobile industry
about 40 years ago.
The testing was done on the original Baker Prony brake and the
hp load was at the brake, not at the engine flywheel or the
indicated hp.
The A. D. Baker Company claimed the most economical steam
traction engine. We challenged that claim for economy and the
results show the 24-75 Port Huron ‘Longfellow’ high
pressure Woolf compound the winner with a water (or steam)
consumption of only 20.2 lbs. per hp.hr. The design and condition
of the engine accounts for its economy in lbs. of water (or steam)
per hp.hr. The average of all the other engines in this contest
used over 50% more water and over 100% more coal per hp.hr.
This engine was equipped with crosshead boiler feed pump,
exhaust steam feed water heater and firebox brick arch. This record
equalled the economy run made by it Oct. 13, 1956 as described on
page 16 of March-April 1957 issue of IRON-MEN ALBUM and it will do
it again at Montpelier in June 1961.
Most of the credit for this economical engine is due to the
Woolf compound cylinders and ‘Longfellow’ boiler. The Woolf
compound cylinders uses the steam twice and has a mild exhaust.
They do not waste their power with excessive back pressure
‘Blasting the sky’
The 19-65 Port Huron ‘Longfellow’ did not show up nearly
as economical so after the June 1960 reunion I removed the pistons
and found the piston rings and metallic packing between the
cylinders in very poor condition. The spring that holds the Woolf
valve up to its seat was weak – allowing the valve to not seat
properly.
The next most economical engine was the 25-75 Russell. It was
equipped with a Baker piston valve that replaced the original
double ported ring balanced valve many years ago. The reverse lever
was hooked up close to the center notch thus accounting for its
economy – ‘eye wash’ according to Hollis Cortelyou – who
has not owned an engine for nearly 50 years.
The nice 20 hp Advance was owned and run by John Holp. The
Holps-Homer and Sons are the best engineers in the country.
I think all the other entrants in this contest did real well
compared with new engines in the Winnipeg Industrial Exhibition
from 1909 to 1913. In 1909 a new 36-120 hp double Rumely engine
with 7&3/4′ by 14′ cylinders used 60 lbs. of water (or
steam) per hp.hr. The next year (1910) this same size engine used
54.93 lbs. of water per hp.hr. In 1909 a new 30-90 Russell compound
with 7?’/11′ by 12′ cylinders used 32.5 lbs. of water
per hp.hr. and evaporated 9.8 lbs. of water for each lb. of
coal.
In 1911 a new Buffalo-Pitts engine (my data does not give size
or style) developed 97.72 hp using 46 lbs. of water per hp.hr. with
147.3 lbs. average steam pressure. That same year a new large
Gaar-scott engine developed 150.72 hp on the half hour maximum run
with the engine running 285 rev. per minute and using 32.5 lbs. of
water per hp.hr.
The 110hp Case was the gold medal winner for several years at
Winnipeg and in 1913 this engine developed its rated belt hp for
two hours on 26.23lbs. of water per hp.hr. That same year the 25-80
Case with 9?’x 13’/11′ Woolf compound cylinders used
26.45 lbs. of water per hp.hr. on the two hour economy run
developing 80.1 hp and was the gold medal winner in its class.
At the Ohio State University, a new Baker uniflow engine
developed an hp.hr. on 24 lbs. of water. More economy run data will
be found on page 10 of the May-June 1956 issue of Iron-Men
Album.
So much interest was shown in the economy runs at Montpelier
last June, we plan to make it still more interesting with more
engines this coming June 22, 23, 24, 1961. We have promise of a
good Keck-Gonnerman and a cross-compound Reeves. Quoting Cortelyou
again – ‘It’s performance that counts – not theory’
