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Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 7:17 pm
by paralleler
While checking the sales status of a friends locomotive, I spotted a Climax for sale. Photos looked nice and surprisingly, it was less than fifty miles away. I knew members of the Golden Gate Live Steamers (GGLS) had at least six Shay's, I've since learned that two members have Heisler's, but I had never seen a Climax. Did it come with drawings? No. Groan... Was it built in southern Nevada? No, it had come out from Florida in 2013. That was great news to me! Was it less than five feet long? Yes. Okay, it would fit in my truck! During a demonstration, it ran smoothly on about 30PSI of compressed air. And I now have three locomotives...

There had been a bit of speculation that it might have been Bob Reedy's Climax #33. Nope! Two friends who knew Bob straightened me out on that pretty quick. #38 is nice but Bob's #33 is what I'd call a locomotive of distinction. I received a few photographs of #33 and what a handsome locomotive it is! It was also a three truck engine. History has it that Bob donated to his church as a fund raiser; does anyone know where it is now?

Might #38 be made from the Kozo Hiraoka design? I have read in an eMail that the Florida seller did not know. What, there was another builder? #38 is possibly a Kozo but the piping to the cylinders is different and a lot of items appear to be larger (e.g., truck spacing is 990mm vs. 920mm, axel spacing is 176mm vs. 164mm, cylinder length is 89mm vs. 76mm -- generally about 7% larger but there are exceptions).

I'd love to know a bit more of the history of this locomotive. Right now I'm content thinking it could have been built by a rocket scientist -- it came from just south of the Kennedy Space Center! Does anyone recognize and can tell me a bit of the history of #38?

At any rate, hopefully it will be a hoot! Meanwhile I still have a lot to learn.

Climax #38 on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/8lqth5SNuW4

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 9:47 am
by paralleler
I'm looking for a set of drawings for Climax #38. Per chance are there other 7-1/2" gauge Climaxs out there? Might anyone know Richard "Rick" Steffe of Malabar, Florida? Rick sold #38 to the gentleman I purchased it from and could possibly lead me to the original builder and/or drawings. My seller also recalls Rick saying, "it came from out there." Possibly #38 was built in California.

Might #38 have been built from the Kozo design? Here are three possibly nots. First, the brakes. The Kozo design had cosmetic "dummy" brake cylinders (p. 30, Item 26) while #38 has a diaphragms in place and a functional brake valve to be added; no ejector installed yet. Second, no axel water pump on this locomotive, its got injector, hand, and steam pumps. I think the steam pump is mostly cosmetic because the outlet pipe is pretty small. And third, #38 appears to be 7% larger than the Kozo design. Variations on a theme, a different design, a custom design? Hmm...

A major reason for my purchase was #38 was unique, I guess I got my wish. Still chuggin' along. Many thanks!

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 10:33 am
by JTolan
Thats a kozo climax, the plans and book on how to build it are availible on amazon.

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 5:42 pm
by shayloco
Looks like it was based on a Kozo Climax. Kozo provided scaling factors to build in larger than 3/4” scale. One of these factors was to build to 7.5” gauge, 1.6” scale which would be about 7% larger than 1.5” scale.

Most builders make changes or have preferences when they build a loco. Could be the builder did not like axle pump so it was omitted.

An interesting difference between a Kozo Climax and a Reedy Climax: The Kozo Climax flywheel will turn in the same direction as the drive wheels, as yours does. Bob Reedy did not realize that the crankcase gears were opposite hand to the axle gears, he made them all the same hand. So a Reedy Climax flywheel moves in the opposite direction to the wheels.

I took over a Kozo Climax chassis in 1.5” scale and finished it as a Reedy Climax, making many changes along the way to suit my preferences.

Nice loco you have there.

-Larry

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 9:07 pm
by paralleler
Gentlemen,

Thank you both for your input. I hadn't heard of the 1.6" scale version, I'll look for more on that. There are a lot of similarities with Kozo's book as well as several differences. Either way, the Kozo book is a great reference. I'm looking forward to getting the locomotive on the rail and am currently working on the brakes.

Take care, Bruce

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:05 am
by shayloco
Bruce, I sent you a PM, please check your in box.

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:22 am
by paralleler
After five years of sitting in a warehouse, this new locomotive has finally seen first steam. I worked several issues to get it to this point and now have several new items to work. The main issue was getting water into the boiler. This locomotive has three ways of doing this: hand pump, steam pump, and injector.

Testing the hand pump prior to the boiler's hydrostatic test, ten cycles delivered about a tenth-inch of water to the sight glass. When the boiler was pressurized, the hand pump could barely keep up. A union was tightened and a check valve needs to be checked.

A steam pump makes a locomotive sound like a locomotive when it's at rest. But the outlet pipe on #38 is only 3/16" tubing so it's really cosmetic. The steam pump did help but couldn't keep up with demand.

Water to the injector was a dribble rather than a stream so I've got to inspect that line. I have one of Anthony's injectors on my problem child 0-4-0T and will probably purchase a second one for the Climax ( https://www.eccentricengineer.com ).

I have a new list of punch items to work. Step by step... Here's a link to a short video on yesterdays adventure:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/DuBXwreszj0

"To Infinity & Beyond!"

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:25 am
by Berkman
Id think one of the Small size EE injectors would be great for that. That way you can leave it on longer without worrying about dropping boiler pressure.

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 1:40 am
by paralleler
Thank you Berkman, sounds like a good suggestion. T.G.I.F.

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 8:24 pm
by paralleler
Here's a video of the second steam of Climax #38. The first steam followed a hydrotest nearly six weeks ago. Before first steam I had tried the hand pump where ten cycles gave me about a tenth-inch of gain in the water glass -- the boiler wasn't pressurized though! Upon steaming up, I found all three methods to get water into the boiler had failed (hand pump, steam pump, and injector) so obviously I cut the fire. Either by moving or replacing the hand pump check valve, it is now working. A good friend has helped me with machining the steam pump but no joy on its operation so far. During the second steam, I tried the injector at different pressures but again had no success. I have since ordered and received a new injector and have added its installation to my queue.
T.G.I.F. !

Climax #38 -- Second Steam:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/DxsbOZ54Q88

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 9:50 pm
by NP317
Nice to see your Climax under steam and alive.
Be patient working out the defined tasks.
All worth while!
~RN

Re: Climax #38 -- 7-1/2" gauge, 1-1/2" scale

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 10:07 am
by paralleler
Especially with the acrylic valve covers and always in the shop, wear your safety glasses! I also used half of the operating pressure to visualize the valve movement.

The original control valve was positioned on the trigger rod with a set screw keeping it from being held against the ports by steam pressure. The new one can. We're still having issues but I'm learning a lot.

My thanks to Roy for sharing a small fraction of his knowledge with me!