C.P. Huntington

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Fender
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Location: Chattanooga TN

Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Fender »

Mjordan wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:32 am But I would like to come to one of the meets, bring the Huntington and talk to members, possibly also join a club. It looks like both clubs are relatively the same distance from me. Are there many steam locomotives at either club?
Both clubs have several members who run steam, so come and visit! You should be able to get some good advise. If I understand, your C.P. Huntington is set up to burn oil. Most engines in this “neck of the woods” usually burn propane or coal, but I’m sure you can get some help with it.
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
Pontiacguy1
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

Hello: Charlie pipes has an Allen 4-4-0 that he runs up at our Club track sometimes, which is made from the same castings as the C.P. Huntington. Leo Myers used to bring a C.P. Huntington down to Mid-South meets all the time back in the 80's. He wasn't a big man himself, and he had a small and light, but very well detailed, train that he pulled around with it. He never tried to go up our 'upper loop' with it's longer and steeper grades. He kept it on the lower loop, which has a maximum 1 1/2% grade. He never ran it for a long time, though. He would fire it up, take it out on the main, go around for 3 or 4 laps, maximum, then bring it back into the bay and shut it down.

Our spring meet is April 29 through May 1st. Our website is www.midsouthlivesteamers.com and you can find contact information there. My suggestion would be for you to come up to the spring meet, bring your locomotive, meet a few of us, see if you can get a hydro test done, and then see if someone can help you fire it up and test it out. Don't let not having a car stop you... For the first few years I had my 0-4-2 Chloe locomotive, I had to borrow a gondola to be able to ride. That shouldn't be a problem as long as you've got couplers. You'll need to add some way to hook up a safety chain between the locomotive and a car, since safety chains are required. You didn't say what you fired it with, I assume coal. You'll need to get a bit of that somewhere, and good coal is getting harder to find. That Alabama coal burns hot, but is really smokey and has a lot of ash and volatiles in it, and it will plug up your tubes fairly quick. You can run off of it, but you'll be brushing flues every couple of hours or less.

Maybe I answered a few of your questions.
Mjordan
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Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:52 pm

Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Mjordan »

Fender wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 2:48 pm
Mjordan wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:32 am But I would like to come to one of the meets, bring the Huntington and talk to members, possibly also join a club. It looks like both clubs are relatively the same distance from me. Are there many steam locomotives at either club?
Both clubs have several members who run steam, so come and visit! You should be able to get some good advise. If I understand, your C.P. Huntington is set up to burn oil. Most engines in this “neck of the woods” usually burn propane or coal, but I’m sure you can get some help with it.
No sir it’s coal fired, I just cleaned the firebox and flues. It wasn’t that bad. I know he used to clean it after every run and hose the whole engine with kerosene to clean it.
Mjordan
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Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:52 pm

Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Mjordan »

Pontiacguy1 wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 4:28 pm Hello: Charlie pipes has an Allen 4-4-0 that he runs up at our Club track sometimes, which is made from the same castings as the C.P. Huntington. Leo Myers used to bring a C.P. Huntington down to Mid-South meets all the time back in the 80's. He wasn't a big man himself, and he had a small and light, but very well detailed, train that he pulled around with it. He never tried to go up our 'upper loop' with it's longer and steeper grades. He kept it on the lower loop, which has a maximum 1 1/2% grade. He never ran it for a long time, though. He would fire it up, take it out on the main, go around for 3 or 4 laps, maximum, then bring it back into the bay and shut it down.

Our spring meet is April 29 through May 1st. Our website is www.midsouthlivesteamers.com and you can find contact information there. My suggestion would be for you to come up to the spring meet, bring your locomotive, meet a few of us, see if you can get a hydro test done, and then see if someone can help you fire it up and test it out. Don't let not having a car stop you... For the first few years I had my 0-4-2 Chloe locomotive, I had to borrow a gondola to be able to ride. That shouldn't be a problem as long as you've got couplers. You'll need to add some way to hook up a safety chain between the locomotive and a car, since safety chains are required. You didn't say what you fired it with, I assume coal. You'll need to get a bit of that somewhere, and good coal is getting harder to find. That Alabama coal burns hot, but is really smokey and has a lot of ash and volatiles in it, and it will plug up your tubes fairly quick. You can run off of it, but you'll be brushing flues every couple of hours or less.

Maybe I answered a few of your questions.
I do have some coal, about 30lbs of it. I know the riding car he used had a water tank in it, so i assume I would need take a tank along with me on whatever car is lended to me. As far as couplers and safety chains, it lacks both. I can order a short shank coupler for it, but I guess I need to add rings for safety chains. Is there a specific size or distance from the coupler I need to be able to install? I’ve attached a photo the rear of the locomotive.

Also I plan to be at the midsouth meet in April.
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Fender
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Fender »

When you come to Eagle Point (hint, hint) for the CSME meet, I can set you up with a riding car. Send me an email to fender2982 (at) yahoo.com and I’ll send a map to our railroad. The hooks/eyebolts are usually placed about four inches to the left and/or right of the coupler centerline. We might be able to set up a solid drawbar between the loco and riding car, which would obviate the need for a safety chain (at least on EPRR it would).
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
Mjordan
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Mjordan »

Fender wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 6:11 pm When you come to Eagle Point (hint, hint) for the CSME meet, I can set you up with a riding car. Send me an email to fender2982 (at) yahoo.com and I’ll send a map to our railroad. The hooks/eyebolts are usually placed about four inches to the left and/or right of the coupler centerline. We might be able to set up a solid drawbar between the loco and riding car, which would obviate the need for a safety chain (at least on EPRR it would).
I’m pretty sure he used a draw bar, I’ll attach a photo of the car he used. Right now it’s about 900 miles away and won’t be able to get it unit July when my folks come to visit. I’ll definitely shoot you over an email. I’m not sure if I’d be able to make both meets though.

In case the drawbar still needed chains I was thinking I could fab a plate with an eye and use the two frame bolts that go through the wood on each side of the coupler.
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NP317
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by NP317 »

Steam safety valves are best tested on steam. They might not "tell the truth" with compressed air.
If you have the documentation for that locomotive I bet your information is in there.
RussN
Mjordan
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Mjordan »

NP317 wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 8:38 pm Steam safety valves are best tested on steam. They might not "tell the truth" with compressed air.
If you have the documentation for that locomotive I bet your information is in there.
RussN
I do have all the drawings and documentation, I’ll have to go through it all on a weekend. It’s all really old and delicate.
Mjordan
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Mjordan »

Here are a couple of photos of the engine during fabrication and finished.
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Bill Shields
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Bill Shields »

A safety will release at set pressure no matter what the fluid.

Resetting is another matter entirely.. for purposes of a test you can pump with anything to get started.

Suggest that you not do an initial pop test on the boiler unless you are very comfortable with applying pressure.

When working with liquid.. a single stroke of the pump can be catastrophic to the boiler if there is no working relief system.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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Bill Shields
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Bill Shields »

Considering the age of the build and the fact that it is copper...dare I ask the question regarding g what was used to glue it together?
A lot of boilers of that generation were put together with sil phos solder
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Mjordan
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Re: C.P. Huntington

Post by Mjordan »

Bill Shields wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:50 pm A safety will release at set pressure no matter what the fluid.

Resetting is another matter entirely.. for purposes of a test you can pump with anything to get started.

Suggest that you not do an initial pop test on the boiler unless you are very comfortable with applying pressure.

When working with liquid.. a single stroke of the pump can be catastrophic to the boiler if there is no working relief system.
I was going to do the hydro test to 120psi, and then if I can find documentation on the safeties release pressure I was going to plumb them to my air compressor by themselves. I know 80psi was the operating pressure on this locomotive.

I believe he used silver solder when making the boiler.
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