Restoration Fund

I recall back in my days working at J.A.Yansick Lumber the A&A filled the steamers from the boiler behind the sawmill. I remember them doing it at least twice. It was an all day operation when they did it.
Anyone else remember them doing this?
Alas, the old sawmill is gone now. What a step back in history it was to see the inside of that mill. Sorry, getting a little off topic. I worked in that mill for 14 years and I get nostalgic sometimes .

How many carloads of lumber did you guess put out on the A&A each day or week, if you can remember?

If I remember correctly, they would bring the locomotives down to get hot water from the boiler at Yansicks and later Blue Seal only in the spring when they were doing the hydro tests. The boiler seals up better when it is hot. So, they would go get the preheated water out of another boiler. This was done to save having to build a fire in the firebox just to test the boiler. The hydro is a test performed on the boiler using the water and compressed air to test the structure for leaks before the actual steam is generated inside of it. It is usually done before the FRA, DOT, RR and insurance inspectors before the beginning of the season.

In the early days of steam, the Bordens boiler man would keep the fires up over night. They actually would store the engine over on their siding during the operating season.

Actually, thats only part correct.

A hydro, or hydrostatic, test uses only water. The boiler is filled with water right to the brim. Then, after sealing the boiler, more water is pumped in until the water presure within the boiler vessel is equal to (I beleive this is the number) 1.6 times the operating pressure.

The increased amount is used because this covers additional stresses created by the heat energy from the fire as well as the expansive quality of the steam.

On the A&A, the hydrostatic test uses an old air pump that has been modified. Rather then twin cylinders connected together, the piston from the air side has been removed, allowing the unit to generate a much greater pressure from the 90psi air plant in the shop.

Yansicks stopped shipping by rail just before I was hired so I really don't know how much lumber went out that way. From what the old timers there told me cars would be spotted near the mill on Friday and would be loaded over the weekend then shipped out on Monday. Older boxcars were used which were very labor intensive to load. They stopped using rail shipments mostly because lumber tended to mold in enclosed cars particularly in hot, humid weather.