Sad news

[Dusten Barefoot]

The FRA has just announced that they are banning the operation of all steam locomotives effective immediately.

This startling move comes after continued research into the possible dangers due to steam locomotive operation. The FRA's initial concerns over steam locomotives were due to the safety risks in operating a high pressure boiler. However, the new regulations and stricter requirements have addressed that issue. There have been no further incidents like the one at the Gettysburg RR that prompted the new regulations, so the new boiler regulations are apparently effective.

The current concern comes from a new issue. The question regards the chemicals used in steam locomotives and the emissions these chemicals cause. The controversy intially came about at the Durango & Silverton with the local residents complaining about smoke. Wasatch Railroad contractors did extensive research and was able to come up with a smoke mitigation project that eliminated much of the problem. http://projects.wasatch-rr-contractors.com/?page_id=56

However, the FRA has now raised further concerns. Research has indicated that steam locomotives emit large amounts of Dihydrogen Monoxide during regular operation. The FRA has questioned the use of this chemical, and the effects that it has on surrounding areas.

When asked about the use of Dihydrogen Monoxide, steam locomotive experts claimed that it was critical to locomotive operation. In fact, if the levels of Dihydrogen Monoxide are allowed in the boiler to fall below a certain level, it can lead to immediate and catastrophic failure of the pressure vessel. Initial research indicates that is not possible to safely operate a steam locomotive without the use of Dihydrogen Monoxide.

During the regular operation of steam locomotives, a few were developed that did not emit Dihydrogen Monoxide as part of the operating cycle, however these engines were unsuccessful due to the added complexity of the exhaust processing equipment, and were never built in large numbers and very few were ever used on a regular basis.

Research continues on this matter, and the FRA has indicated they are willing to work with steam train operators, if an alternate to Dihydrogen Monoxide can be located. The prospects of finding a suitable substitute are not good though.

You may recall that a similiar problem ended the career of the famed GG1 locomotive when PCB's in the transformers became an issue. While there are several preserved GG1's, none of them are permitted to operate.

This is a sad day for the railway preservation scene.

[kevin2083]

Research continues on this matter, and the FRA has indicated they are willing to work with steam train operators, if an alternate to Dihydrogen Monoxide can be located. The prospects of finding a suitable substitute are not good though.

I don't think they can find a substitute for the widely used dihydrogen monoxide. Not many substances share its properties, while having no negative effects on living things. For those of you that would like to know more about this compound, visit this page:http://www.dhmo.org/

consider yourself informed

kevin

[Dusten Barefoot]

belayed April Fools.
Sorry http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46608

[Dusten Barefoot]

as I said,  I am sorry, it was a joke. I will delete this if you wish
Rock On & Live Strong
Dusten

[kevin2083]

That DHMO.org website is pretty entertaining to look through.

[westsidelumber12]

Very funny

Something you can expect from a 16 year old jerk.

Hal

I don't think you have any authority to call anybody a jerk, i think u have zero post because they keep having to delete all the unless stuff you say, Dusten said he was sorry, it was a joke.

[Miles]

WOW, phew,you sure got me, you had me there for a moment LOL. Never hurts to have a little sense of humor guys, a little joke every now and then.


Miles

[pdlethbridge]

Water, water, everywhere but not a drop to drink....

[Yampa Bob]

I personally feel that anyone who posts an "April Fool" joke on April 2 is a fool himself, and that is being polite.

Environmental issues are a very real concern these days, not something to be trifled with, even as a joke.  There are many wine and cheese malcontents who would love to see this "joke" become a reality.  We don't need to be planting seeds.

Colorado has a rich heritage in railroads, and to even insinuate in a joke that complaints came from my neighbors to the South is incomprehensible.

Yampa Bob

[rogertra]

The poster is obviously wet behind the ears, posting an April Fools joke on April 02.  DOH!

He deserves a good hosing down with Dihydrogen Monoxide.

[Mike]

Funny, I always thought it was hydrogen hydroxide, since it tends to remain mostly ionized....

[SteamGene]

Hey, he didn't cover his school with soap, etc., for heaven's sake.  If anybody is aware of the origin of April Fool's Day,  making the joke on 2 April instead of 1 April just goes with the reason.    It was obviously a joke!
Gene

[r.cprmier]

It appears that a lot of people do indeed have waaaaay too much time on their hands...

[Atlantic Central]

I'm with you Rich, judging from some of what is going on in this culture, many people have too much time on their hands.

Personally, I have too much interesting and productive to do, to spend time thinking up April Fool's jokes or paying much attention to the non sense of others.

Maybe my sense of humor is out of sync with the mainstream, but I have yet to find an April Fool's joke funny in my 50 years on this planet.

Sheldon

[glennk28]

I passed it along to the local owner of a full-sized steam loco and had him worried for a bit--