Author Topic: Conway Scenic 7470  (Read 2255 times)

Mike Fox

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Conway Scenic 7470
« on: January 02, 2022, 07:05:13 PM »
Conway Scenic suffered a setback in their steam program this morning. After several months of repairs to get the locomotive into operation, it was fired up and tested on 12/30. This morning at about 6am, a cab fire caused by what they think was a fault in the radio, charger or battery, damaged the cab and gauges. The fire got hot enough to cause the spring in the whistle to let go and the whistle started blowing. This woke Brian F., who was sleeping nearby and he was able to call 911. The fire department is right next door so the fire was quickly extinguished.

Damage are said to be to the cab and gauges, and reported minor damage to the enginehouse. Photos and story available on Conway Scenics Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/ConwayScenicRailroad/
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James Patten

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Re: Conway Scenic 7470
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2022, 06:45:24 AM »
That stinks.

Mike Fox

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Re: Conway Scenic 7470
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2022, 12:42:18 PM »
But if the events hadn't played out like they did, it could have been much worse.
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John McNamara

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Re: Conway Scenic 7470
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2022, 12:59:14 PM »
....a cab fire caused by what they think was a fault in the radio, charger or battery, damaged the cab and gauges.....
Fortunately we have no radio, charger, or batteries in our steam locomotives. ;)
-John M

Bill Reidy

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Re: Conway Scenic 7470
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2022, 03:06:48 PM »
Fortunately we have no radio, charger, or batteries in our steam locomotives. ;)
-John M

What about those pesky D cell batteries in the portable mag phone set every good crew carries?   ::)
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Gordon Cook

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Re: Conway Scenic 7470
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2022, 05:25:50 PM »
It would be interesting to know what the cause was. If it was indeed the radio batteries, then my speculation would be that they were Lithium Ion, and those can cause a very hot fire. This is a problem with EVs and I believe Chevrolet Bolts were just recalled because several had battery fires.
Alkaline, NiCad or NiMH (nickel metal hydride) aren't usually associated with combustion unless it is caused by something else powered by them.
Something to think about.
Gawdon

Bill Piche

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Re: Conway Scenic 7470
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2022, 08:05:33 PM »
It would be interesting to know what the cause was. If it was indeed the radio batteries, then my speculation would be that they were Lithium Ion, and those can cause a very hot fire. This is a problem with EVs and I believe Chevrolet Bolts were just recalled because several had battery fires.
Alkaline, NiCad or NiMH (nickel metal hydride) aren't usually associated with combustion unless it is caused by something else powered by them.
Something to think about.

When I was still working there the battery was a car battery in the fireman's seatbox with a hard wired trickle charger attached to it. The cord plugged into a droplight\extension cord that would be connected to the house power overnight.

It could have been any number of things linked to that system that went. A pinched wire, a bad charger, a blown battery. At some point I'm sure we'll all hear through the grapevine but at least it was caught with the only damage being to the cab fixtures and (what was left of) the woodwork.

I never liked the idea of plugging into shore power overnight. Aside from trusting the guy before you to plug in the charger, chargers in general just give me the heeby jeebies. I much prefer the way it's setup at Essex where the battery charger is run off the power from the generator. That limits the battery charging to when the loco is in service, which is plenty of time, anyways.
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"Any day with steam is a good day." - me

Gordon Cook

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Re: Conway Scenic 7470
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2022, 07:17:53 PM »
My speculation was wrong, it was a lead-acid car battery as Bill says.
Gawdon