The Home Machinist!

Kyle, You don't mention what previous experience you have in fabrication, machining, and/or building locomotives. I'm familiar with the prototype engine and there are no "kits" available that accurately represent it. Depending on your level of accuracy, an Allen mogul may or may not be abl...

They open positively and close sharply. You are actually "pre-warned" of the impending lift as there is a small "crack" about 2 seconds before they lift (you can see and hear it in the video). They are as loud as all hell but they work really well. My 2nd one never lifts when run...

I know for our public train we have a mix of MCC and Tom Bee. The public train guys had issues with the original Mountain Car Co... trucks (Now Titan), but these were early trucks. At some point in their history, changes were made to the original design which made them much more flexible. Their curr...

I used 22 gauge sheet steel for my slopeback A3 tender. It's built the same way as Kozo shows in his book although, since I burn propane, I didn't need the coal bunker so I was able to gain another gallon and half or so of water for a total of 9 gallons. I also don't sit directly on the tank itself....

Well considering that the video was uploaded nearly 8 years ago I'd pretty much guess that things have changed ....

Ken

I vaguely remember seeing this engine back then. I believe it's 3.5" gauge. I thought it might be an AC9 at first glance till I saw the cab. I don't get why it has the shroud.

Ken

There is a 4-4-0 with slide valves that I've see a few times that has cylinders made from hydraulic bottle jack bodies which were turned horizontal and had the valve seats welded to the tops. LOL. If it works.......

Ken-

What's not to like? Cutest thing ever. $.02

Ken-

The way I see it, the angularity of the main rod is the result of placing the cylinder higher. But if you are proposing that angularity is the design goal, then we are just back where we started.. Why change the angularity of the main rod? This is the question I was focusing on by looking at crossh...

timmy wheeler wrote:Ken, do you use a different product than Fender?

I use the RWBT1 raw water boiler treatment from A&K Enterprises. It may be similar to what Fender is using as it's based on sodium sulfite.

Ken

It's my understanding that LSB is a polymer based treatment and there has been a lot of discussion over the years on the value of that in a model boiler. I did like fender and moved to a treatment containing sodium sulfite that is shipped dry and mixed prior to use. Part of that was just out of nece...

This confirms what I was told. It seemed like common sense to me. It is discussed in Yoder and Warren but the answer isn't entirely clear. They state that "Modern Locomotive design standard practice is to raise the cylinder CL above that of the axle CL in order to allow for spring settling"...