Building: Boiler Shop
Machine Power: elec
HAER Map Key: None
Date Built: unknown
Manufacturer: Lincoln Electric
Model: unknown
Serail Number: unknown

Welding is a process of joining workpieces together with heat and a filler material to obtain fusion between the the two workpieces. Welding has been used for hundreds of years in blacksmith shops using a forge and hammer, but this method is imprecise and very labor intensive. Electric arc welding has its origins in the 1880's but did not become favored over riveted construction for several decades. The process used by this welder referred to as shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) or manual metal arc welding (MMAW), commonly known as or stick welding, which is a type of arc welding.

This welder is essentailly a motor generator set, a mechanical means of transforming one type of electrical power to another. It receives three phase AC power from a utility feed to power a synchronouse motor, which is shaft connected to a DC generator. The DC is actually used for the arc welding process ad reliable AC welding has not yet been perfected. The AC power into the EBT shops was used only for the welders rather than general power. Lincoln offered a belt drivin version of the welder, so it is unclear why the EBT chose to utilize utilit power.

Near the welder is a stand containing welding rods or eletrodes. One lead from teh welder was clamped onto a clea par tof the workpiece and an electrode connected to the other. When the welder is on, a large electric charge exists between the leads. The electrode is gently brushed on the workpiece to start an electric arc between them. as the arc melts the workpieces and the end of the electrode together, the flux coating onthe eletrode vaporizes from the heat creating a vapor around the weld that prevents air from chemically reacting with the weld. Once most of the electrode has been used up, it is removed, a new one installed in its place and the process begun again.

This welder appears to date from the early 1930's which roughly corresponds ot the EBT's rist used of weleding on their steel cars. About that time the railroad begun installing welded height extenders on some of their rivited three bay hoppers. Overall the EBT tended to perfer rivited construction for car construction but did weld specific components like the height extenders. Although two of the EBT's locmotives have welded tenders, reports are that these were purchased from Baldwin Locomotive Works rather than fabricated in the shops.

At some point in the 1960's a new three phase service entrance was installed in the Machine Shop and the orignal sercie entrance removed. This welder was back-fed from that, but it is unclear if the welder was actually used. The welder remained connected until October 2011 when it was disconnected.

At present the welder is displayed out of service.

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