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Another Solo (But Not For UNCLE & No Bobbing Intended)
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 Posted: Sun Oct 11th, 2015 02:28 am
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Ray Dunakin
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 Truly brilliant work! Did you make the portable turntable, too?



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 Posted: Sun Oct 11th, 2015 11:35 am
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Helmut
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 @Ray
No. That friend with the metalworking firm devised a portable system years ago and made all the necessary gadgets you need to operate it properly. So I am the lucky one who can always rely on his friend's almost endless stocks of equipment.
That interoperability also is the reason why I did not choose 10 1/4" but 9 7/16" gauge. Interesting enough, in the 60's there was a large operation with 2inch-scale models open for the public using the same gauge in the US. Read here.

Last edited on Sun Oct 11th, 2015 11:42 am by Helmut



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 Posted: Mon Oct 26th, 2015 07:15 pm
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Helmut
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 It turned out that I still have no switches. In order to mend the situation, some good ( and thirsty ) friends came to my rescue. here's what we achieved:

An example of a well-organized workspace:


Two in place on saturday, 19:30Hrs CEST


Sunday saw some driving on remote and strange grounds, we had the locos transferred to my friend's firm premises:


Somehow no one takes a photo of me at the throttle:bang:



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 Posted: Thu Oct 29th, 2015 10:05 pm
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Salada
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 Top job Helmut !. I've somehow overlooked your thread since your summertime posts.

Very elegant solution to fixing the track across the yard - running rail & hole drilling template at the same time, clever.

The need to run with cylinder drain cocks partially open : Looks like a flat slide valve from the loco photos ? :-

Is the valve body lifting off the cylinder port face slightly ?

Is the valve body face absolutely true ?

Is the admission lead/lag calculation & position of cylinder ports slightly wrong ?

Some "steam cushion"/cylinder back-pressure is necessary.

Have you tried temporarily fitting a valve manifold recording pressure gauge ? (your friends seem very well equipped, might have one ?).

I'm impressed that a B.Sc. Mech Eng undergrad actually has to MAKE something - they mostly seem to be 'paper theory &/or computer user only' graduates over here.

Regards,             Michael
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 Posted: Sun Nov 1st, 2015 06:22 am
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Ray Dunakin
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 Perhaps I missed it, but what fuel does that thing burn?

How much maintenance does a small loco like that require?



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 Posted: Wed May 25th, 2016 02:38 pm
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Helmut
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 After the turnouts had been in place for some time, two drawbacks showed up:
1. The parallel track clearance was much too small - two flatcars carrying a standard pallet each must be able to pass one another.
2. That notched curved tongue did not divert the flange enough to keep it from climbing up. This led to derailments.

So I took them out again and welded on some wedges, which completely solved the problem:


P.1 Wedge on the curved tongue



P.2. Now the flange is gliding along smoothly.

Plus, I had not yet a decent method to keep the switchblades in position. I did not want levers or ground-throws there, as this is a frequently used area ( The compost bin is just there and will be served by a siding anyway ). I devised a lock-pin method to keep them in place:



P.3. This channel is welded underneath the tie-bar . Keeps it free from dirt and moisture.



P.4. The assembly in plce before drilling the holes.



P.5. Locked in straight postion



P.6. Locked in branching position.

The notch on the straight tongue does not interfere with operations and is giving no trouble at all.

Finally, the corrected track alignment:


Last edited on Wed May 25th, 2016 03:06 pm by Helmut



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 Posted: Wed May 25th, 2016 02:49 pm
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Helmut
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 To answer some of the questions:

The loco burns athracite coal briquets about the size of an egg.
Maintenance is the same as for the big ones:
Clean out the flues, shake the grates, remove cinders and ashes from the smokebox, oil round before each trip, keep your cylinder oil pump well filled, blow down the boiler properly after each session, and last but not least  watch that gauge glass!



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 Posted: Fri May 27th, 2016 09:23 am
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Si.
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 " The loco burns athracite coal briquets about the size of an egg."

Hi Helmut.

Is that more, or less, pollution per kilometer than a V.W. ?

:moose:

Si.

Sparrow or ostrich ?



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 Posted: Fri May 27th, 2016 12:28 pm
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Helmut
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 @Si
much less, and my run is only some 400'
BTW, did anyone consider the amount of detrimental exhaust generated by our beloved lorries/trucks?



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 Posted: Fri May 27th, 2016 07:38 pm
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Herb Kephart
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 Switches look almost identical to the ones that I made for our 7½ gauge line (when we had one) except that I didn't have to make the points (tongues) so sharp--but that might have been a factor of the flange contour (SMEE std) and the fact that the rail was rectangular bar, set on edge.

I like the pin locking the points, simple, and positive. Well done! I owe you a beer!

Sooner or later, someone is going to ask how you are going to insulate the steel ties so that they don't short the two rail power <G>


Herb



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