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Boulder’s Railroad
Railroad built from Boulder west into the mountains to serve mining camps in late 1800s
Track was laid from Boulder west to Sunset, north to Ward , south to Sugarloaf Mtn. and Eldora
Rails torn up in 1919Nickname “Switzerland Trail of America”
was created by Professor Snooks, Weld County Superintendent of Schools
The Grade Today
Roadbed still exists today as public roads
Can be traveled by car or mountain bike
Approaching Sugarloaf on Eldora Spur
September 30, 2007 — Photo by Shane Schabow
The Grade Today (continued)
Rock cut on Ward spur, below Mont Alto ParkSeptember 24, 2005 — Photo by Shane Schabow
Rock cuts on the railroad often filled with snow during the winter. Locomotives had to buck their way through, backing up and ramming the snow repeatedly.
Steam Power in the Mountains
The railroad owned and operated six steam locomotives of varied designs
The engines pulled both passenger and freight trains
Where Are They Today?
All but one of the locomotives were scrappedThe sole surviving engine, #30, is currently
undergoing restoration in Denver (see below)
October 5, 2007 – Photo by Sharon Spera
The first steam machine in recorded history (c. 100 BC) was a rotating toy, the “aeolipile,” invented by Greek inventor and engineer, Heron of Alexandria.
100 BC
The first practical steam engine was developed by a Scottish inventor named James Watt in 1775.
1775
Early applications of steam engines included pumping and propulsion for ships. During the height of the industrial revolution, steam engines powered nearly everything: Factories Sawmills Machine shops Ships Trains
By the late 1950s, steam was phased out of use and replaced by the diesel engine in both marine and railroad service.
19201943
The power in steam comes from both its heat and expansive properties. The heat present in the steam gives thermal energy. Steam by its nature has immense expansive energy stored within the molecules.
The compressed air that powers these models does not have nearly the power that steam would have.
As a whole, steam engines have very low heat efficiency.
addedenergyheat
enginebydoneworkEfficiency
Efficiencies of Engines
Reciprocating steam17%
Steam turbine 30%Gasoline 25%Diesel
35%
CylinderCylinder
PistonPiston
Piston Piston RodRod
ValveValveValve Valve RodRod
AdmissioAdmission Portsn Ports
Exhaust Exhaust PortPort
Piston motion
Hot steam begins here
• Live steam (red) allowed into left port;
• Steam expands and pushes piston to the right.
• As piston moves to the right, used steam (blue) is pushed out of cylinder.
• The valve directs the steam to the center exhaust port, which exhausts the steam to the atmosphere.
• When the piston and valve are both at center, all ports are closed. No live or used steam enters the ports.
• Steam on left side of piston continues to expand, pushing the piston to the right.
• As the piston finishes moving to the right, the valve moves to the left, allowing the used steam into the exhaust port and opening the right port.
• Live steam (red) flows into right side of cylinder, pushes the piston to the left.
• No live or used steam enters or exits the ports.
• Steam on right side of piston continues to expand, pushing the piston to the left.
The CU power plant supplies steam to heat buildings, hot water, and generate electricity (here, in the ITL Laboratory!)
Aircraft carriers – steam powers the catapult to accelerate airplanes off the ship
Nuclear submarines – heat from the nuclear reaction creates steam, which drives a steam turbine connected to the propellers
When steam is released from a pressure vessel such as a boiler on a steam locomotive, it expands approximately 400 times in volume!
Steam engines are the only engine that give maximum torque at zero speed.
To explain it another way… This would permit a steam-driven auto to easily climb a curb from a standstill!
What does “SS” stand for?(Hint: The “SS Mino”)
What does “RMS” stand for?(Hint: British designation for a passenger ship, such as the
Titanic)
Titanic and her sister ships, Olympic and Britannic, were all powered by steam engines
The engines were some of the largest steam engines ever built, before or since
Titanic (left) & Olympic (right) at the Belfast Dry Dock at high tide on March 2, 1912
The steam engines installed on Titanic and her sisters were 30-feet tall, and weighed 1,000 tons
Image showsengines beingassembled inBelfast, Ireland
size of a person