Sternwheeler From the Susquehanna River's Hard Coal Navy by Keith Black - 1:120 Scale

[Keith Black]

22 minutes ago, MAGIC's Craig said:

Wonderful detailing, Keith!  Another fine old rough craft brought to life for all of us to respect and appreciate.

 Thank you very much, Craig. 

[clearway]

having two coal fires in the house i use real coal smashed up in a bag to coal my railway locos- now we have to use re-constituted coal so i saved a few lumps of "real" coal for future projects.- build is looking better and better Keith.

 

Keith

[Keith Black]

1 hour ago, clearway said:

having two coal fires in the house i use real coal smashed up in a bag to coal my railway locos- now we have to use re-constituted coal so i saved a few lumps of "real" coal for future projects.- build is looking better and better Keith.

 Thank you, Keith.

 

 I just asked Mr Google how many homes in Britain are still heated with coal and the answer was 30,000. I then asked how many narrowboats and wide beam boats there are in Britain and the answer was 35,000. I watch several YouTube videos on canal boating and several use coal to heat their boats. I would think coal usage is declining but you and the canal boats seem to be hanging on. 

[wefalck]

There are no hard coal-mines in the UK anymore and neither in most European countries, only in Poland I think. This is becoming a real problem for the European steel-makers (Trump will be happy ...) and also for the preservation railways and traction-engine owners. Coal has become very expensive, as it is imported from South Africa and Australia. 

[Keith Black]

Thank you to all for the comments and likes.

 

 Quick update...

 

 The knee braces and winches have been added and that completes the bow face except for the deckhand and he will be the last piece added to the model. 

 

 With the exception of the water and steam pipes the boiler is done and glued in place

 

 Next on the list is the steam engine. 

 

 Thank you for the support and for being part of the journey.

 

   Keith

Edited Friday at 03:56 AM by Keith Black

[MAGIC's Craig]

Always a treat to see the development of your model(s), Keith.  They open my mind to new techniques and possible future models.  Carry on!

[John Ruy]

Love the detail and weathering technics. Awesome work, Keith. Holds up to magnification and inspection. 🧐 

John

[Keith Black]

15 hours ago, MAGIC's Craig said:

Always a treat to see the development of your model(s), Keith.  They open my mind to new techniques and possible future models.  Carry on!

 

7 hours ago, John Ruy said:

Love the detail and weathering technics. Awesome work, Keith. Holds up to magnification and inspection

 

 

 Craig, John, thank you both so much for your kind comments. It's high praise coming from the builders of the beautiful Twilight and Klondike models. 

[Keith Black]

 Regarding the steam engine.

 

 We know it was a non condensing steam engine because we see the exhaust being emitted directly into the atmosphere. We know it was  vertical steam engine and not a horizontal engine.  We know the height was no more than four feet high as the exhaust pipe from the engine can be seen through the engine room window viewed from the bow.

 

 If it was an expansion steam engine the exhaust would be water. The idea of a non condensing expanding engine is not a possibility according to what I've read and I've done a bunch of reading/research over the past two days trying to come up with an engine design I can make. 

 

 The power of a two cylinder expanding engine was only suitable for a launch, so that eliminates a vertical two cylinder non condensing engine because of the lack of power and a vertical three cylinder non condensing engine also sounds like it wouldn't  have also had the power to push barges. I did find a photo of a model of a vertical three cylinder non condensing reversing engine, see photo.

 

 They did make a special marine vertical four cylinder reversing non condensing steam engine but I can't find a model or better yet, historical photo of one.I did find a photo of a vertical four cylinder reciprocating (V-4) but that wouldn't work because there would have two exhaust pipes coming off the engine, not one.

 

 The vertical marine four cylinder reversing non condensing steam engine was powerful and smooth running engine. Because of the length of the drive shaft and the wheels being gear driven, minimizing the amount of vibration would have been a huge factor. 

 

 What's a guy to do? The only thing I know to do is get creative and add a cylinder to the three cylinder engine shown.

 

 "Houston, disregard that last transmission" .... 

 

 

 

Edited 17 hours ago by Keith Black

[Dr PR]

I would search the US Patent Office for vertical non-condensing steam engines. I would expect to find quite a few - with drawings. Just pick one dated from about the time the tug was built.