Saw a boiler from the 1920s still running at a plant in Pittsburgh

I was at the old steel mill site in Pittsburgh for a walkthrough last week. They have a Babcock & Wilcox boiler from 1923 that's still part of the main steam loop. The thing is a monster, all riveted construction, and the plant guys say it gets a full inspection every 18 months without fail. It made me think about how we build things now versus back then. What's the oldest piece of kit you've seen still in regular service?

3 comments

3 Comments

terryk103d ago

My old pickup truck is from 1998 and I feel like a hero when it passes inspection. A boiler from the Coolidge administration still making steam is just showing off. That kind of build quality is a lost art, but I bet the maintenance logs for that thing are thicker than a phone book. It makes you wonder if we traded lasting power for being cheap and fast. What do they do for parts when something on a 1923 model finally wears out?

cameronjenkins3d ago

Sounds like a dangerous liability to me.

-3

joelt703d ago

Lol a liability? That boiler has been running since before my grandpa was born. If anything, modern stuff is the liability, breaking down after the warranty ends. That old thing is basically a museum piece with a full time caretaker crew. They probably have to custom forge any new parts in some guy's backyard workshop. Calling it dangerous is like saying the pyramids are a safety hazard.