Author Topic: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video (Read 1240 times)

RedRyder · « **on:** March 28, 2023, 09:30:40 pm »

It is my honor to present this 2 part video of the Prototype Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station. Part 1 is discussion, preparation, and heat-up for the run which starts near the end of this video. Part 2 will continue the run. There are 43 minutes total of video with me and Randy Calhoun showcasing and running his Prototype Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station. The running begins toward the end of Part 1. Part 2 will show about 23 minutes of the run.

If anyone is wondering if these Jensens are durable.... This one has over 8,000 hours on it.

Filmed by Mrs. RedRyder and edited by RedRyder @reddrryder The first 20 minutes (Part 1) is a conversation as we prepare for the run and warm the boiler.

Randy built this back in 1977-78 utilizing a Jensen #50 built for him by Tom Jensen Sr. Mr. Jensen loved what his friend Randy had done with this piece and asked him if he would build a few production versions to be marketed as the Jensen #51 Power Station. Randy wound up building about 25 of the production models. Tom Jensen Jr. and SteamerJ built a couple more of them for what we and Jensen believe is a total of 27 #51 Power Stations.

Enjoy!

Gil

Part 1

Part 2

Stoker · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2023, 10:37:27 am »

Wow Gil ... now I have to decide whether to make a very large cocktail, or a big bowl of popcorn to settle in for this visual and audio treat!?!?

IndianaRog · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2023, 01:46:52 pm »

Gil, thoroughly enjoyed both videos. Hats off to Simone for some great camera work. I visited Randy Calhoun 15-20 years ago...got to see his prototype first hand, though we did not run it like you guys did. Listening to him recount his experiences with the prototype 51 were great....learned new things like his suggestion that one just cracks inlet water line valve vs. opening full bore...I will try that.

Interesting mods he made to the Jensen 15 generators to improve the grounding of the shafts...I like those little copper tabs! No one will ever match the 8000+ hours on that machine...I'm trying, but have only accumulated 426 hours in 16 years...I will never catch up!!

Thanks for these videos.

Rog

Woe is me · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2023, 03:03:59 pm »

I have an old flier around here some where that has the 51 on the cover and the price back then.
The picture pales in comparison to the your video. Excuse me, Simone's video. Thanks for posting.

komet163b · « **Reply #4 on:** March 29, 2023, 03:05:19 pm »

Wonderful videos, amazing steam plant, every steamer should have one.
That boiler is amazing. What is its capacity? I love those in boiler
cartridge heaters like in the Jensen 25 and Weeden National Playthings
engines.

I do have a question regarding the water ram/pump and the reservoir
setup. Your reservoir looks realistic enough but I'm wondering whether
the height improves the action of the ram/pump. I have a Doll that will
pump ok from a low reservoir if I slowly turn it over by hand. Running it
at speed I get nada. I will try raising the reservoir and steaming at a
slower speed as is advised in the video. I have hopes. I added a video
link to a quick run so you can see exactly the Doll ram/pump setup.

Thanks for the great video,
Wayne

Stoker · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2023, 04:05:16 pm »

WHOA Gil

I can well sense the incredible honor that you feel for the trust that Randy has put in you and Bill to be custodians of "The ORIGINAL"!

You, of course, know why I can sense that honor which you now feel, simply because you and Bill have so honored me, and believe me, I NEVER forget that!!

Great videos of a great meet-up. So glad to have been able to be a fly on the wall ... Thank You Simone!!!

RedRyder · « **Reply #6 on:** March 29, 2023, 05:14:59 pm »

Quote from: Stoker on March 29, 2023, 10:37:27 am

Wow Gil ... now I have to decide whether to make a very large cocktail, or a big bowl of popcorn to settle in for this visual and audio treat!?!?

No reason you couldn't have both!

RedRyder · « **Reply #7 on:** March 29, 2023, 05:18:29 pm »

Quote from: IndianaRog on March 29, 2023, 01:46:52 pm

Gil, thoroughly enjoyed both videos. Hats off to Simone for some great camera work. I visited Randy Calhoun 15-20 years ago...got to see his prototype first hand, though we did not run it like you guys did. Listening to him recount his experiences with the prototype 51 were great....learned new things like his suggestion that one just cracks inlet water line valve vs. opening full bore...I will try that.

Interesting mods he made to the Jensen 15 generators to improve the grounding of the shafts...I like those little copper tabs! No one will ever match the 8000+ hours on that machine...I'm trying, but have only accumulated 426 hours in 16 years...I will never catch up!!

Thanks for these videos.

Rog

Thanks, Rog. Yes, Simone did it again!

You are way ahead of me on run time hours. I have only added about 36 hours to the #51 I have had since 2007.

RedRyder · « **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2023, 05:19:56 pm »

Quote from: Woe is me on March 29, 2023, 03:03:59 pm

I have an old flier around here some where that has the 51 on the cover and the price back then.
The picture pales in comparison to the your video. Excuse me, Simone's video. Thanks for posting.

Glad you like it, Tommy!

You are correct.... the flier picture didn't do it justice.

RedRyder · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2023, 05:25:46 pm »

Quote from: komet163b on March 29, 2023, 03:05:19 pm

Wonderful videos, amazing steam plant, every steamer should have one.
That boiler is amazing. What is its capacity? I love those in boiler
cartridge heaters like in the Jensen 25 and Weeden National Playthings
engines.

I do have a question regarding the water ram/pump and the reservoir
setup. Your reservoir looks realistic enough but I'm wondering whether
the height improves the action of the ram/pump. I have a Doll that will
pump ok from a low reservoir if I slowly turn it over by hand. Running it
at speed I get nada. I will try raising the reservoir and steaming at a
slower speed as is advised in the video. I have hopes. I added a video
link to a quick run so you can see exactly the Doll ram/pump setup.

Thanks for the great video,
Wayne

Hi Wayne, thank you for the kind words. The Jensen water pump works as well with the reservoir level with it or even below it.

Having it higher just makes the pump easier to prime.

That is a nice Doll you have and I believe the pump should work as well as the Jensen pump.

Perhaps it just needs a little service?

RedRyder · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2023, 05:54:34 pm »

Quote from: Stoker on March 29, 2023, 04:05:16 pm

WHOA Gil

I can well sense the incredible honor that you feel for the trust that Randy has put in you and Bill to be custodians of "The ORIGINAL"!

You, of course, know why I can sense that honor which you now feel, simply because you and Bill have so honored me, and believe me, I NEVER forget that!!

Great videos of a great meet-up. So glad to have been able to be a fly on the wall ... Thank You Simone!!!

Thanks, Daniel! Simone shot just 7 film clips, all of them fairly long.
After merging them all in order in the film editor, I cut out 27 pieces and sent them to the cutting room floor.
She made my work fairly easy in that I only removed a relatively small amount of total time.... less than 2 minutes!
Most of the editing was isolating anywhere from a fraction of a second to 5 seconds to cut out. I was able to make it fairly seamless this way. The hardest part was getting rid of 2/3 of the dog barks by taking out a small enough amount of time that you don't notice it much.

Gregowen · « **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2023, 06:56:16 pm »

Amazing video and story, Thank You!

krypto31337 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2023, 07:37:20 am »

The Jensen company has a great history and it's fascinating to see some of it documented.

St Paul Steam · « **Reply #13 on:** April 02, 2023, 07:10:59 am »

That is a great model for sure & it's wonderful to have the actual builder describing it & how it operates. thanks Simone & Gil for making a video of this for future posterity.

Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

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Author Topic: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video (Read 1240 times)

RedRyder

Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

Stoker

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

IndianaRog

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

Woe is me

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komet163b

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Stoker

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RedRyder

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

RedRyder

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

RedRyder

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

RedRyder

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

RedRyder

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

Gregowen

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

krypto31337

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video

St Paul Steam

Re: Steamin’ the Prototype of Jensen Steam Engines #51 Power Station Built by Randy Calhoun 2 Part Video