Arizona Gandy Dancers
Moderators: Glenn Brooks, Harold_V
Forum rules
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.
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.
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- Posts: 366
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:36 am
- Location: Bohemia, NY
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
What size rail are you laying 12lb? and what alloy steel is the rail? I can't imagine a 100 amp Mig welding 12lb rail ( it may look like it is welded but in actuality you have a cold joint that will eventually fail. 100 amps is good for 3/16 sheet metal, maybe 1/4" if you are pushing it. You are going to need a little more Amps 135-150 to get a proper weld. Last thing you want is for a weld to fail and put your locomotive in the dirt, they are a lot heavier than the 7.5 gauge stuff.
I think Bill is on to something...thermite!
Nyle
I think Bill is on to something...thermite!
Nyle
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- Posts: 2930
- Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
- Location: Woodinville, Washington
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
Andrew,
Interesting question... Short answer, everything we looked at (for 12# rail) cost 2-3x more than what we chose. Weβve made a serious effort to reduce our actual construction costs with four foundational strategies:
1) cut track materials cost by 50% thru use of recycled materials (mainly ties, gravel ballast, used RR spikes, etc)
2) negotiate wholesale price purchases and donated goods.
3) start small, build discreet, well defined phases. generate ride income at end of initial Phase 1 track construction to help fund Phase 2 and 3
4) emphasize membership and corporate sponsorship.
So far, we are meeting the first three goals. Our membership is are not well developed yet, due to some external permit and sponsoring organizational issues. However we have a really supberb Core group of 15β ga enthusiasts who turn out several to every day of the week - hence our unofficial Arizona Gandy Dancers name... lots of fun with these folk!
Glenn
Interesting question... Short answer, everything we looked at (for 12# rail) cost 2-3x more than what we chose. Weβve made a serious effort to reduce our actual construction costs with four foundational strategies:
1) cut track materials cost by 50% thru use of recycled materials (mainly ties, gravel ballast, used RR spikes, etc)
2) negotiate wholesale price purchases and donated goods.
3) start small, build discreet, well defined phases. generate ride income at end of initial Phase 1 track construction to help fund Phase 2 and 3
4) emphasize membership and corporate sponsorship.
So far, we are meeting the first three goals. Our membership is are not well developed yet, due to some external permit and sponsoring organizational issues. However we have a really supberb Core group of 15β ga enthusiasts who turn out several to every day of the week - hence our unofficial Arizona Gandy Dancers name... lots of fun with these folk!
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....
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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- Posts: 2930
- Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
- Location: Woodinville, Washington
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
Hi Nyle,
The 100amp is for the 7.5β gauge stuffβ¦
Glenn
The 100amp is for the 7.5β gauge stuffβ¦
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....
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....
- Bill Shields
- Posts: 10557
- Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
- Location: 39.367, -75.765
- Contact:
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
Thermite is how the railroads originally welded rails...so it is not original with me...just dredged up from my engineering school memories of half a century past.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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- Posts: 366
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:36 am
- Location: Bohemia, NY
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
Bill,
I have seen thermite welding done on the LIRR , amazing process, and fast. I think Glenn might have a problem getting his hands on any though.
Nyle
I have seen thermite welding done on the LIRR , amazing process, and fast. I think Glenn might have a problem getting his hands on any though.
Nyle
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
Might not be a problem. Thermite is used in the electrical field, so electrical supply houses may be a source.LIALLEGHENY wrote: βThu Mar 03, 2022 4:07 pm I think Glenn might have a problem getting his hands on any though.
An old friend, now deceased, used to work for Bonneville Electric, where Thermite was used in construction.
H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
- Bill Shields
- Posts: 10557
- Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
- Location: 39.367, -75.765
- Contact:
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
East enough to make...we did in engineering school..
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
Just don't confuse Thermite with Tannerite.
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Music isnβt at all difficult.Β All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!Β
Music isnβt at all difficult.Β All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!Β
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- Posts: 366
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:36 am
- Location: Bohemia, NY
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
You could use Tannerite to perform explosive testing of the weld joints.
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
I've done it on odd occasions with my belt sander. Fortunately, just miniature reactions. Aluminum powder and rust. That's all it is. The rust gives up its oxygen so the aluminum can burn and burn it does (when it's finely divided).Bill Shields wrote: βThu Mar 03, 2022 5:39 pm East enough to make...we did in engineering school..
H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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- Posts: 366
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:36 am
- Location: Bohemia, NY
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
I was amazed at how many places sell thermite, and how inexpensive it is.....being that it is only iron oxide and aluminum I guess that makes sense on the cost. Considering it burns at around 4000 degrees, what do you encase it with that won't melt, such as when they weld rail? or does the casing not melt because it's not mixed in with the powder?
Nyle
Nyle
Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers
I suspect that refractory dams are used to contain the reaction. Can't speak from the position of one with experience, however.
H
H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.