ACOUSTIC EMISSION MONITORING DURING A PROOF TEST ON A REPAIRED STEAM LOCOMOTIVE BOILER.

The flagship of the past for the New South Wales Railway, a specially streamlined locomotive identified as 3801, has been restored by the Newcastle State Dockyard and the State Rail Authority of New South Wales to be used on special passenger trips for both transport an enjoyment of rail enthusiasts. Inspection of the boiler prior to restoration revealed a number of cracks radiating from washout plug holes on the back corners of the boiler. These areas were cut out of the boiler; the cracks ground out; and the metal replaced by welding techniques. Acoustic emission techniques were used during the proof test of the boiler to evaluate these repairs and to identify any areas of significant defect activity. The data obtained from this test indicated that there was no defect and/or crack activity from the areas repaired at the time of testing and under the prevailing test conditions.