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What are the risks of a dyno test?
Is it more dangerous than any other steam engine activity?
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Taking the practice as seen on the videos, and some rather crazy stuff at Tallington in around 1988 (approx.):
There doesn't appear to be a governor in use. Any steam engine will race away uncontrolled after a belt loss- especially with regulator wide open. How quick can you shut things down or "Are you feeling lucky, punk?". Potential ending is a burst flywheel.
The engine is clearly putting out very large powers - well beyond what the makers suggest. Potential for siezed bearings, broken con rod / valve gear with associated flying debris.
The belt is obviously taking power well beyond design point for that width of belt. Failure mode well illustrated. How much further debris could have been thrown and who gets hit is entirely down to chance - potential outcome fatal.
Driving a threshing box or sawing is what engines (and their belts) were designed for. With dyno testing, the stresses are much greater and the chances of failure similarly increased.
I notice the chatter on Youtube is less than complimentary - is this really where we want our hobby to go?
Martin