Don Young's "Lucky 7" 2-4-4

[steamfreak22]

Hello again,

I got some questions for you all...

Does anyone have experience with building the 7.5" gauge version of Don Young's "Lucky 7" Forney? I also would like to know if anyone had done a conversion from the 3.5" gauge wheel base to the 7.5".

Any tips and tricks?

Thoughts about it as a 7.5" gauge locomotive?

Owners speak up!

Enjoy the Holidays!

David W.

[LivingLegend]

Not sure what you mean...

But, Don Young also had, and made available drawings and castings for a Maxi Lucky 7.... Which in 3-3/4" scale and ran on 7.5 gauge track. No need to convert.

Don't know who sells drawing and castings fo the loco these days.

LL

[hwboivin3]

Original design was for 3 different scales. Outside frame for 3-1/2 gauge or inside frame for 7-1/2 gauge. These used the same parts just modified for the frame location. Then the 2nd dimension was the maxi lucky 7 which was the out side frame for 7-1/2.

A guy in our club is building an electric maxi 7 . I saw lots of pictures plus his rear truck with plum cove motors installed. Also, in the archives of Stationroadsteam.com there are some and I do believe one of them is the inside frame version for 7-1/4 gauge.

Hope this helps.

Harry



Here's the link

http://www.stationroadsteam.co.uk/stock ... /index.htm

[johnpenn74]

Isn't Steve Alley making casting for that again? One of the vendors at Train Mountain 2012 had some.

Also member of Blueridge Live steamers in Virginia has one too.

JP

[hwboivin3]

I think Steve has castings for SR&RL #24


AJReeves has lucky 7

[Loco112]

I think Steve has castings for SR&RL #24

I sure would like to see those!

[David_T]

I think JB Reeves in England has castings. Used to be Reeves 2000, now new web site.

[steamfreak22]

Sorry if I confused anyone. I'll try again. (For LivingLegend)

The locomotive I am speaking of is Don Young's 1.5" Scale 3.5" gauge forney.

My question is....

Have any of you out the converted his 3.5" gauge Forney to 7.5" gauge?

I was told that you could move the wheels from the inside of the frame to the outside thus widening the gauge from 3.5" out to 7.5"

Hope that's a bit more clear.

Also does anyone have any insight on the performance of these little Lucky 7's?

David W.

[Benjamin Maggi]

I don't have any experience with the engine, nor with converting it. However, I think the forum members inquiries as to your intent are because they want to help answer your question better. Which situation below best describes the position you are in right now?

1. You already have a 3.5" gauge engine, and want to convert it to run on a larger gauge (7.25", 7.5") track?

2. You don't have an engine but want to build one, and would rather start with a 3.5" gauge plans then the 7.25" gauge plans? It seems from the response on this board that since both engines use the same castings if you were starting from scratch it would make sense to build it to the larger gauge from the onset, rather then building it to the smaller one and then converting it.

[hwboivin3]

I don't know anyone who has done the conversion but it has been done. See link to stationroadsteam above. I am quite familiar with the blueprints and articles for it. And it was designed to do just that. It is a very good design as are all of Don's engines. The drawings and articles explain very well which parts go with what. For example the Maxi and the 3-1/2 gauge are identical in design, but there are differences with the converted inside frame engine. It's a little more than just relocating the frame.

[David_T]

If you access to a "Live Steam" magazine library, Don Young's construction article on the Lucky 7 starts in Jan 77 and runs thru Mar 80.

[steamfreak22]

Where I stand right now is I am looking at buying a 3.5" gauge Lucky 7, and I would like to convert it to 7.5".

Just want to check if people think it would make a decent 7.5" gauge locomotive.

David W.