Interestingly, last year the mine owner applied for and was actually, MUCH to his surprise, granted an "Obamamoney" grant/loan to get this hydro power system going again, with the idea of selling power to nearby villages. When the powers that be found out that he was a private enterprise they rescinded the loan. What a surprise, eh?

You have a great archive of pictures Richard. The last picture you posted in post #21 is clearly a Francis wheel (also called a runner). A true Pelton, also known as an impulse wheel, has "buckets" that sort of look like cattle watering troughs mounted to a disc, or hub, facing outward. A single nozzle directs the water in a jet-like stream against these buckets.
After looking at the boiler pics again, it appears I was to haste in my assessment that the furnace was cut off. I'm a little surprised they were planning on firing it with slid fuel, with so little tree growth that far North. I would have assumed, probably incorrectly, that oil, even crude, was more plentiful or economical. As a geologist, you'd be the expert there.
You didn't say, but what kind of game would you shoot in that terrain shown in the pics of the steam engine? Ptarmigan and hares? Is that wild blueberry?
Blame Obama, or one of his revolving door czars for the lack of foresight in lending funding for returning old power plant to good use. They would rather put the lives of the native villages dependent on the regular supply of fossil fuels. The cumulative MW amount of plants once considered economically not viable in New England alone far exceeds the output of any single nuclear plant. Once back on-line, the maintenance of the rotating machinery isn't much different than any other power plant.
Back to Parker Steam engines for a moment; did you know Colt also made steam engines? Old Sam bought the patents from Baxter and continued to use his name in the manufacture of pretty little engine-boiler packages. I think it was Baxter who also invented the first practical adjustable wrench.

Oil was not much used at small remote mines like that one back then. This one never really went into production. They found enough local trees to build a mill bldg so I guess they could find enough to power that boiler, at least to run a sawmill and planer. All the old boilers in Alaska were fueled by wood or coal; usually wood. There's also about 80 drums of old heavy fuel oil dating from 1937 laying in the tundra on the other side of the mountain that are slowly leaking into the watershed. Same story; they Cat got stuck in soft ground and they just dumped the bbls short of the mine. I told the state; they weren't even remotely interested in cleaning it up. I had a plan to do so and got company/client approval but time ran out and it never happened. That's a far more depressing set of pictures in my archive. I managed to sling a few drums out and brought one full drum home; the fuel is in perfect condition and set me up with firestarter for life...

The hunting out there includes moose and caribou. Caribou stream by our drills out there all summer. There are also ptarmigan and lots of blueberries.

Didn't know Colt made boilers. I guess if Singer can make Colts, Colt can make boilers!

intersting topics...i too like the old engines of yester year...thanks for the photos.... charlie

Interesting- the cut-up pieces of rail in the grate
 

-- and even more telling is the (empty?) cardboard case of Seagram's 7 Crown atop the boiler- if the crew used that while tending the boiler- well, a beer and a shot is a "boiler-maker"- at least at Sully's just off Canal St.:bigbye:

It was, and still is amongst us that fire these monsters, common practice to use rail track for firebox grates because of the high manganese content.

What type of turbine would you call the one inside the hydro house - the green fabricated drum behind the Woodward?? It dates from the early to mid 80's I think. Not totally sure though, but it's the most recent turbine used at the mine.

"You have a great archive of pictures Richard" - You can't imagine what all I have in that department. Tens of thousands. Gotta love digital cameras with their free electrons + 10,000 Kodachrome slides before that. Anything of Alaska historical interest will eventually end up in the archive at the university here in Fairbanks.

Yes there neet talked to a guy with a case steam engine at a fair wish i could be around when one was tore a part and put back together so i could figure out how they work. He said they get power out of the steam twice.

Richard could you burn the rest of the fuel or would you start a fire?

Francis type. Most likely S Morgan Smith, York, PA. Later made by Allis Chalmers, who bought Smith.

Wow. Thanks for the photos and discussion. This is an unknown subject for me and fascinating. I never cease to be amazed at the talent and knowledge of so many of our Parker people.