A wish list for large scale castings

Discuss park gauge trains and large scale miniature railways having track gauges from 8" to 24" gauge and designed at scales of 2" to the foot or greater - whether modeled for personal use, or purpose built for amusement park operation or private railroading.

Moderators: Glenn Brooks, Harold_V

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Topics may include: antique park gauge train restoration, preservation, and history; building new grand scale equipment from scratch; large scale miniature railway construction, maintenance, and safe operation; fallen flags; track, gauge, and equipment standards; grand scale vendor offerings; and, compiling an on-line motive power roster.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Odduck, here it is Thursday and I haven’t heard anything, so beginning to think the likelihood exists that the patterns no longer exist. Next few days will tell the tale.

Mainly, I wanted to itemize these specific items and general dimensions in reply to your request for what people might need for a 3” scale locomotive build. On my loco, these are the specific parts can not be readily machined with lathe and mill out of bar stock or plate - hence I felt are candidates for the casting process.

It would be interesting to discuss a group order. If others are interested, we could talk about it. I would likely participate.

I fell like these castings could be used to build almost any park gauge loco from a 4-4-0 up to a small Mike.

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....
OddDuck
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by OddDuck »

Hmmm..... I do want to get a few other projects done first, however. And, I seriously need to improve my iron casting qualities. Doable, though. Might take a few years just for the patternmaking.
"If you took the bones out they wouldn't be crunchy!" -Monty Python's Flying Circus
LIALLEGHENY
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by LIALLEGHENY »

Glenn,

There's nothing on your list couldn't be machined/fabricated if you incorporated welding into the process. Of course having CNC would really help with items like the drivers. Granted, having patterns and having parts cast would be the way to go if you wanted multiples. I am finding that patterns get quite expensive the larger the parts get which is why I am going with fabricated and machined parts for my Berkshire. Hopefully Mr Campbell's grandson finds that box of patterns.

On Facebook you asked about companies with boiler stamp, there is Wasatch Railroad contractors.

Nyle
Glenn Brooks
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Thanks Nyle, good comments. My disadvantage is that Iam not versed in CNC and writing machine code. Hence thinking about patterns and castings.

I’ll probably contact Wasatch (for boiler work) if none of the other shops I’ve heard about work out. I’ve tried to talk them on two previous occasions, but they never returned my calls. So they are on the list, but I’d like to deal with a more responsive vendor.

BTW, your Berkshire will be a fantastic project. Maybe you mentioned this before, but where will you run it when it’s finished? Love to see it take shape.

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....
LIALLEGHENY
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by LIALLEGHENY »

Glenn,

If you have the time, make up some quick drawings of some of the parts you were thinking about having cast, drivers , wheels , stanchions , etc, and send them to me. I'll take a look and give you an idea of what it would cost to machine them from solid bar stock.
I have to agree when you talk about a "responsive vendor" I tried contacting Wasatch about a year ago and never got a response. Not a good way to do business, especially when you advertise that you make all sizes of boilers, and to please inquire.

I'll probably start a build page once I get back to working on the Berkshire. I have a few pictures of parts on Jim Kreider's -- Berkshire Modelers 1/8 Scale 2-8-4 Facebook page. Where will I run it? Not sure right now......there is the 15" railroad in upstate NY , and also the Reading Society in PA, which are on my list to look into further. I believe both would be able to handle it, I calculated it should run on a minimum of a 80 foot radius. I have plenty of time to figure that all out.

Nyle
Glenn Brooks
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by Glenn Brooks »

sounds like you are close to J.R. May. JR lives in New Jersey and may know of other park gauge locations. Also, I spoke with a fellow last year who owns a private 15” or maybe 16” ga pike at his camp in upstate NY. If it’s 16” ga it wouldn’t help much, but it might be worthwhile making his acquaintance. he and his father and brother developed their RR decades ago, and still have a nice working Pacific there. I’ll dig up his contact info and send to you.

I think Imposted photos of the various parts, earlier in the thread. I do have sketches of each part, I’ll see if I can copy them to digital and post here.

Iam intrigued by the idea of building a 2-6-2t or maybe a Hunslet 4-6-0 along the lines of a WW1 trench engine, using the Campbell loco parts - in 15” gauge to complement the 4-4-0.

Actually what I need before finishing the 4-4-0 is a set of drive trucks for my diesel outline yard goat. I need a completely new drive chain for the goat, as it has woefully undersized 4” wheels on a small 12” gauge frame. - the prototype trucks probably need 10” or 12” drivers for adequate 15” gauge work. If we find a suitable location for a 15” live steam club track, I will need to get that functional by next spring... I could work up a sketch and send you that for your review. Ryan has the capability to fab components in his company shop also. Lots of work, little time, eh?

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....
LIALLEGHENY
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by LIALLEGHENY »

Glenn,

Send over any drawings , with dimensions, and I'll take a look . How thick are the wheels? I am thinking about picking up a partial sheet of 2-1/2" A36, which will be way more than I need which is why I ask . I'm using it for my wheel centers, and will use 4140 HT for the rings. There is a Ebayer (is that a word?) bluemetalsales.....that is located in California that has all sorts of material, with free shipping. Search 4140 He has 12" and I believe 9" dia, and a lot of other sizes and other alloys. He has a lot of stuff not listed, just inquire.

Nyle
Glenn Brooks
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Nyle, interesting! My wheels are generally 1” to 1 1/2” wide, generally matching the head width of 12# rail. Might go with 20# rail as it is more commonly available. That would be up to 2” I think. Also, food for thought: with 6 or 8 drivers, the inner drivers are often substantially wider than the leading and trailing wheels. This helps the inner wheels stay in contact with the rail head on short radius turns.

I’ll work on the sketch’s on Monday.

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....
rkcarguy
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by rkcarguy »

I have a few needs but I'm an odd scale at 2", so I don't think it would be worth it unless there is existing parts that are a bit oversized for 1.5" scale. For example, the brand of couplers I chose are 1.5" scale but actually measure within 1/16" of being 2" scale.
Glenn, you could do 10" Sch. 80 pipe (.594" thick wall) tires on 1" laser cut plate centers, if you can't find reasonable wheel castings. You'd need to hand grind or mill the radii on the spokes though as the laser only cuts 2D.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Ryan, thanks. The wheels for the yard goat can be solid plate - maybe with 5 round holes placed symmetrically as an embellishment. 10” schedule 80 pipe might do the trick.

Iam going to run the loco into my shop and lift it for a T/I and new measurements in the next week or so.

When you have time, can you send me a drawing of your AAR type B cad design, and some general measurements - at least overall length and width?

Also the goat is likely 4” scale. Is it possible to expand your cad drawing to scale the trucks to this larger size?

Thanks,
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....
rkcarguy
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by rkcarguy »

My AAR's are 26" long overall in 2" scale, with 6-5/8" wheels. I know your "goat" is wide yet it's awful short, so I'm not sure you can get two trucks under it that are going to be anywhere close to scale. I want to say the best chance at that is actually putting a single triple axle truck under it, like they used on some of the industrial switchers that had one SD9/SD40 truck under them. A single AAR truck in 4" scale is going to be twice that size in every aspect.
I can easily scale any drawings by a scale factor, just need to place whatever bearings you'd want to use on the proper centers and draw them in afterwards.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: A wish list for large scale castings

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Odduck,

For your wish list, I would like to nominate “pole pockets” for 2 1/2” or 3” scale. Actually 3” scale with a 1 1/2” pocket would fit the smaller scales- and still be large enuf to actually “pole” a grand scale flat car or tender down the track. Something like this one:
B3BCA274-63D1-4C69-A24D-9B6582C451B1.jpeg
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....
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