During that time of illwill, the south picked up steam engines from ferries, railroads, etc. I'm trying to build the internal section of the CSS Albemarle. The only information I can get is from the US Naval Surveyors report of 1866. It says the steam cylinders were 18" in diameter with a 2'9-1/2" strokeline. There were two horizontal non-condensing engines fitted with link motion to two propellers by means of four gearwheels. Can ANYBODY, please tell me what this means. I've never been involved with model steam engines before. Also were steam cylinders measured by Inside Diameter or Outside Diameter n 1864? Also the report says the boat had "two elipitical & vertical water tubes for the return to each boiler" Does that mean they go frm the cylinders up to the boiler. And would there be second ine taking fresh steam to each boiler? Help please!

Bruceofnc@cs.com

-- Bruce M. Beard (Bruceofnc@cs.com), October 11, 2001

Answers

I'm no naval steam expert, steam cylinders are ALWAYS inside dimensions, and those two are WHOPPERS. Link motion would imply to me the valve gear, in this case, it sounds like stephenson valve gear. The USS Cairo (preserved in Vicksburg) used poppett valves, something the RR's didn't try till almost the end of steam. Non condensing I would take to mean that the cylinders exhausted steam, not water, which must have been condensed elsewhere, for the return to the boiler through the tubes you mention...you couldn't just exhaust steam from the cyl's at low pressure and run it straight back into the boiler (high pressure) hope this helps

-- rudd long (rudd@cogdellmendrala.com), March 19, 2002.