The Home Machinist!

Why bother faking it up? Unless you are building a scale model of a particular engine, then it should be accurate- but if you think the Mich-Cal should have a conventional loco boiler, then modify the design to allow for one. The real thing would have done so, if a better design came along that made...

IIRC, Model Railroader also ran a article on the sleepers, ect.

James

It didn't want to post for me last night, so here goes again-

Station Road Steam in the UK have a combined digital dyno and indicator system-
http://www.stationroadsteam.com/indicator/index.htm

Basically, 700 quid including shipping (no VAT on export...)

James

The portable track here (VIME) is (was?) built on a box made from plywood, so each section was 8' long, and was then small rail (something like 1/4"x3/4", welded to about 6 ties per box. This is for a straight length- and IIRC, it wax 96' long. I may have some film photos of it set up here...

On a Sentinel Steam Waggon, you didn't need the frying pan- all you do is use the top of the chute. We had some Sawyer-Massey pork and corn @ Luxton 2 weeks ago, and I have done good big fry ups in the boiler room on the ship. (you have a choice of 500 or 865F for the oven...) So, while not _common_...

2 1/2" exists on IIRC, 3 tracks here in Canada. Toronto Live Steamers, Manitoba Live Steamers & Aldergrove MES. I have seen 2/3 in use with 2 1/2", dad had a 2-8-4 that ran at TLS for several years, and a 2-8-2 at AMES. The boiler for Thing is steel shell, with copper tubes expanded in...

A steam locomotive for $150? Please post a photo. I am curious as to what you can actually make for $150. What gauge are you talking about? David 3 1/2" gauge, not scale at all. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5741/21555152638_bfa88d0b13_c.jpg Thing3 by Peach James , on Flickr https://farm6.sta...

So, people are asking how little can it cost- well, the answer I think, lies in "thing", which, if I have my math right, probably cost less than $150. Now, that's a lot of scrounging, and gifted bits and pieces, but still... Wheels came free (ex 3 1/4" gauge truck) Frames- some offcut...

Any loco is limited to putting out about 1/4th the weight of the loco. So, if the engine is going to weigh in at 200 lb, then the maximum pulling power will be 50 lb TE. Which means, that you can run up to about 8000 lb behind it on level track. (and about 1/2 of that for every 1% of grade, or >10 o...

1. I have to agree with Harold. We were warned it might be 120-140mm of rain (that's 5-6" or so of it...) about 2 weekends ago. Much delight in it NOT raining that much over one weekend. 2. Burn bans- strangely enough, where I live, they managed through ineptness, to remove ALL requirements for...

1. Mount bolted up sections on side, on mill. Use a boring bar to cut the arc. 2. Mount on carriage of lathe, and do similar. Both are an intermittent cut, and may not be liked that much. At least all you are doing is supporting the smokebox with the radius. (not like on a UK traction engine, where ...

Jos, Dad makes them with something like 1/16th bore and stroke. He tests them by holding the spindle in the lathe, and running them against a 400 PSI gauge. If they will pump up to 300-400 PSI run at a moderate speed in the lathe pumping motor oil, they pass, if not, into the junk box. My assumption...