VGN 800 Boiler explosion

[NW Mailing List]

I, too think that a detailed article and explanation what took place
and why would be most interesting and informative. That the Society
just came into copies of these many detailed photos only makes the
story all the better.

Trains did a nifty article about boilers going boom 16 years ago
titled "Big Bang-No Theory" in 1995 or 1996 if I remember and it
mentioned this event but with nowhere near the detail Ken explains
below. However, they did give a nice explanation of how a steam loco
boiler explosion usually took place and as they said, it all happened
in a span of about 1 or 2 seconds at most once everything was primed
and ready to go.

I have spoken with people who were conversant with dropping a coal
fire in the firebox when it was felt danger was imminent and it's not
a happy feeling and back in the days of steam, also entailed a lot of
paperwork afterwards explaining why you delayed your train and
whatever else might be on the track in each direction. Thankfully in
my limited firing days, I never had to deal with that or see it.

So, Ken, go for that article and we'll all look forward to reading it
in The Arrow and thanks for your knowledge and willingness to share
it.

Bob Cohen




> Thanks to Harry for his detailed report. I thought I might add a few things.

>

> Coming up on April 1, will be the 70th anniversary of the 800 blowing up at Stewartsville, Virginia about 5:20 AM.

>

> This tragedy killed all three crew members, Engineer John Dudding, 46, Fireman Mead Brown, 25 and head brakeman Hollie Harrision, 26, less than a week short of his 27th birthday. It would be hoped that all three died instantly, as they were thrown great distances and dismembered by the violence of the explosion.

>

> While the Federal Investigators pinned the cause on a worn and pitted injector nozzle, causing the injector to fail. They also pulled a large quantity of cinders, coal and mud dredged out of the tender tank, which could easily have caused the valve to the injector to have stopped up. The injector had been reported as problematic in a number of inspection reports both at Victoria and at Roanoke in the months prior to the explosion, but apparently tested fine at Roanoke early in the morning of April 1, 1941.

>

> Of course, we'll never know exactly why the crew allowed the water to get so low in the boiler. It could have been inexperience, as Harry pointed out, Brown had only hired out on the Virginian about 6 months previously, the crew could have been tired or not paying attention. Another accident with less dramatic consequences a few years ago on the Gettysburg Railroad, found that the water glass could have had some debris in it giving a false indication of water in the gauge when there was none. One of the photos shows the water column and glass, relatively intact I am certain the investigators checked it, but the violence of the explosion could have dislodged any debris in the line.

>

> I've written a rather lengthy story on the 800's fateful trip, if there is any interest, I'll submit it for the Arrow.

>

> Ken Miller

>



> ------------------------------

>

> Message: 2

> Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2011 14:23:08 -0500

> From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

> Subject: RE: VGN 800

> To: Norfolk Western Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>, Michael

>        Dawson  <mayberryfan1960 at yahoo.com>

> Message-ID: <COL103-W100D11665CEC8B8EAE0481AFC90 at phx.gbl>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

>

> Ken,

> I would encourage you to do so.

> Dave Willis

> (blt 1962, c/n4)

>

>

>

>

> Ken;

>

> I for one would be very in interested in reading your article on the 800 in the Arrow.

> Being an ex-Navy Boilerman, should the feed water pumps( main and aux fail, which was not likely to happen), and the boiler water level began to drop. The procedure would be to drop the fires, easy enough on an oil fired boiler, and secure all steam valves. What would be the procedure for the coal fired steam locomotives. Were the injectors the only water supply? How easy would it have been to drop the fires from the cab?

>

> Thanks;

> Gene A.

I agree with Dave. I understand the editor of The Arrow could use some
articles for future issues.

>

> Gordon Hamilton