1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

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6491
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Re: WW2 Australian Army loco.

Post by 6491 »

Not to sure anyone is interested but here are some more progress shots.
First is a early photo of the frames being cut (high tech).

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Progress on the 250mm/10 inch wheels.

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Frame is now taking shape, it's not really that big for its scale. Original loco is only 8'6"x4'.

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Have a good one....John.
"MALCOLM MOORE LOCO & THE 100 FOOT RAILWAY" on Facebook.
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Harold_V
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Re: WW2 Australian Army loco.

Post by Harold_V »

Beautiful job on the wheels.

Harold
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Re: WW2 Australian Army loco.

Post by 6491 »

Thank you Harold, I take that as the greatest of compliments as I had not seen a metal lathe until I was 65. It is quiet a learning curve.
The wheels will be 90% out of sight, but it is one of those "I know it's there" things.
Have a good one....John.
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Re: WW2 Australian Army loco.

Post by 6491 »

Back again, just so people don't think that I am a quick builder (I'm not). The idea to build this came about just on 12 months ago during the Easter break. I thought it could be finished for Christmas but I am now only about 1/3 way through. Another thing is I like to build to what the aero guys call "stand off scale". Stand back 10 meters and it looks OK.

This photo is of the rear bearing block and suspension, the front is much busier having adjusting shims for chain tension. Nothing flash here, just cut straight into the side plates. No bearing surface but when you look at units that have been in service for 70 years with no great wear....
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This is the crude start to mine, a mill would have made them a totally different proposition.
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And a coat of paint just to make them pretty. Everything will get Army green when its finished.
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Have a good one....John.
"MALCOLM MOORE LOCO & THE 100 FOOT RAILWAY" on Facebook.
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Re: 1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

Post by 6491 »

This is a twin to the loco shown earlier....1/3 scale I think.

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Have a good one....John.
"MALCOLM MOORE LOCO & THE 100 FOOT RAILWAY" on Facebook.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: 1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Great build, and your detail work is impressive - very authentic looking.

I wouldn't worry much about your long axles. So long as they are supported at the outer ends by the frame, you should have many decades of life in them. Axles that are supported inboard of the wheels, such as found in off road go-karts builds, are much more susceptible to breakage due to the extra weight and turning movement of the wheel bouncing up and down a foot or more outboard of the bearing. That kind of design imparts tremendous fatigue on an axle, right at the spot it exits the bearing housing. Your design supports the outboard end of the axle nicely and so should do very well even with axles less than 1" OD.

Also, axles made of mild steel seem to last longer than more rigid, high strength, hence more brittle steels. The vibrating induced flexing motion of un-supported axles can very quickly can cause stiff, strong metal to fatigue, crack and fail. Mild steel can absorb this vibration indefinitely, so long as it is below its elastic threshold - if that is the right term.... I've had high strength go kart axles in commercial service break within a month of being placed in service, while mild steel ones kept chugging away, year after year.
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Re: 1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

Post by 6491 »

Back last March when I first started to think of this project I realised that my 9x20 lathe would be pushing up the creek to do some of the turning. My thought was that I could get the wheels turned for me, so the project was started.
About August I started to get some quotes on getting the wheels done. Well after picking myself up off the ground, I realised the wheels were going to cost more than I had budgeted for the whole project (yes I know the cost of running a business). Sooo, in November I bit the bullet and sold the last loco that I had built to finance a bigger lathe. Australia is a big country and any second hand lathes all were 3 to 5 thousand kilometres away, that left it being cheaper for me to buy a new Chinese locally. That is how I have ended up with a 12inch jobby. Being a pensioner my hobby is entirely funded by selling my last project to finance the next.
Photo shows the wheel/axle assembly being checked for true running. I wanted to cut keyways, a mill was out of the question but I could afford a mill head so it is attached to the lathe bed....

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This photo of my mate (Kevin the Krane) helping to test fit wheel assemblies to loco.
Yes us introverts are a bit strange, we name everything. The loco is "Big Mal".

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Have a good one....John.
"MALCOLM MOORE LOCO & THE 100 FOOT RAILWAY" on Facebook.
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Re: 1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

Post by 6491 »

Just a little something to get hooked on..
The drive-train is built on a subframe for quick replacement during hostilities. The flat plate hooks at the front are for this operation. Other hook is for slinging the unit on and off shipping.

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Like the original manufacturer I have become a master in the art of make-do, side hooks have been made from cut down shackles and they are doing a great job when it's time to move "Big Mal" around.

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Have a good one....John.
"MALCOLM MOORE LOCO & THE 100 FOOT RAILWAY" on Facebook.
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Re: 1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

Post by 6491 »

I know this is not machining but maybe some of you guys might find it of interest.
(Harold, just delete if not wanted)

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Have a good one....John.
"MALCOLM MOORE LOCO & THE 100 FOOT RAILWAY" on Facebook.
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Re: 1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

Post by boaterri »

The drive train on a sub-frame would make for easy re-gauging as well.

Rick
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Re: 1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Thanks for adding the photos. Very impressive work you are doing.

My apologies if I missed this, but would like to know your overall dimensions - what overall width is the body of the loco you are building And Do you expect any lateral stability issues with 7 1/4" ga and a fairly wide frame? If so, how might you mitigate...?

Regards,
Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
6491
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:57 pm
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Re: 1942 Army loco. 2/5 scale.

Post by 6491 »

A few measurements Glenn....

Width...430mm/17" to outside of angles at top and bottom of frame.
...355mm/14" outside of side frames.
Length...1000mm/39" frame, couplers will add a couple of inches. I think it's 6" each end on prototype.
Rail to seat...550mm/21.5"
Wheel base...400mm/15.75"

This seat height is the same as on my previous loco, very comfortable especially with arthritic knees like mine. Some driving positions remind me of a dog having sex with a tennis ball.
As for stability I build the rear suspension with just enough movement so as not to be rigid, but the front quiet loose. I have to say that in the years I have been running that I have never had a loco derail (touch wood). On this size loco I set the suspension so you can lift any wheel one inch without any other lifting from the track.
Just an idea of how it looks with the seat in position. I will also try the seat sideways as you see a lot on British narrow gauge models....

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This is my previous loco "Little Goose", dimensions including driving position are very similar....

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Have a good one....John.
"MALCOLM MOORE LOCO & THE 100 FOOT RAILWAY" on Facebook.
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