Pitchy Dreamin' (maybe Grizz too)?

[Griff]

The "Hercules"!

[piller]

Very cool. I learned a lot about steam engines from that. Warming it with diesel before using the heavy oil. Warming it on alternating burners to warm it evenly so that it doesn't stress the boiler. That was just the beginning.

[Pitchy]

That`s something, not exactly turn key huh.
Very nice thanks for posting it.

[Blaine]

I can't imagine the sort of magician it takes to keep all that perfectly adjusted and running properly.

[jeepnik]

I can't imagine the sort of magician it takes to keep all that perfectly adjusted and running properly.

Actually it's not as hard as you'd think. It just takes attention to detail and knowing your equipment. But the whole light off procedure is why steam ships usually didn't go cold iron when in port. Besides the need to run the necessary auxiliary equipment (pumps, generators and such) it was quicker and really, safer to keep thing hot. Add to that you aren't just heating the boiler back up. You have to slowly heat all of the piping and associated equipment (engines, generators, pumps, etc.).

Even today folks that run industrial boilers of any size don't shut them down when the work stops unless it will be for a prolonged period. The energy to heat all the steel back up and the time it takes to do it safely well outstrips the cost of keeping things hot.

I've brought entire plants back up from cold iron. It takes a lot of work, a lot of time, and always presents the possibility of damage to the equipment if not done right.