I have a Lufkin dial indicator, scale, and some calipers I traded for. My FIL was a railroad machinist, once asked me if I did "fine" work using a mike. I do, he did "only" fitting tapered stay bolts using an inside caliper, transferring to outside bow calipers,turning the taper to fit the reamed hole, and they had had to be tight at both ends. So much for fine work. They took the lathe to the loco with a crane.
They had MATERIAL that would stand up to the demands they were placing on it, and the whole concept of "Longevity" was based on regular and reasonably squared away overhauls and re-builds.
I am by NO means, "OLD",.....and yet remember scraping Babbit bearings in Cooper Bessemers and Atlas engines,....steam, diesel, and Gas.
Lotta' GAS is getting blown around about "Sustainable technologies" and "Sustainable agriculture".
I'd most HUMBLY suggest that the older tech was in a LOT of ways BETTER.
GTC
