Locomotive Stand Test Rollers

[Dick_Morris]

Looking for ideas for rollers that I can use with my 4-4-0 to test it on air or steam. I'm hoping for something that doesn't require me to lift the locomotive or to modify my engine stand. I'm envisioning something that can be set onto the stand with the locomotive in place. Rollers would be placed on each side of a wheel and use a horizontal jack screw to pull the rollers together around the wheel to lift it slightly off of the stand. This design would let me use a set for each axle on my 4-4-0 and by making additional sets, use them on my 2-8-0. I did some searching here and on the web but haven't found anything similar.

[Fender]

Consider getting some strips of PTFE (teflon) and putting them on the engine stand where the drivers rest. This stuff is slippery enough that you can spin the drivers, without creating much force at the drawbar.

[RONALD]

I made a test stand in 2008 for a loco I had just completed.

Rollers were solid steel, and because it would not see much service, teflon bushings were used at each end.

While I was at it, I put additional hole spacing for a future 4-8-4 project.

[Bill Shields]

Dan's idea for the PTFE is what I have been doing for years....

of course you need to BLOCK the loco into place so that it doesn't run forward or back..

[atsfsteam]

Here is a short video of my pacific running on air on my stand.
Stand is made with angle iron with slots cut at the wheel spacing and a plate bolted to the inside with bearings.

https://youtu.be/vvWF6S7UCBU

[Fender]

Dan's idea for the PTFE is what I have been doing for years....

of course you need to BLOCK the loco into place so that it doesn't run forward or back..

I probably plagiarized the idea from Bill, but now I don't remember!

[Dick_Morris]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably get some Teflon, but I do like Ronald's with the solid roller and their flywheel effect.

[Dick_Morris]

Another project competed!

I based my test rollers on the photo posted by Bruce Mowbray at https://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/vi ... ller+stand. It would be nice to include his method to turn the drivers, but that would have involved additional work. Maybe later when I make another pair so I can support a Consolidation. There are ears that drop down about .25" on the inside of the rails that hold them in place against sideways movement.

The rollers have Delrin tires, are 5mm id X .94" OD, and cost $12 per dozen. On amazon they are called "AFUNTA 12 Pcs Big Plastic Pulley Wheels with Bearings Gear Perlin for 3D Printer, Compatible with CR-10 / CR-10S / CNC Router Hybrid – Black" Bearings." The bearings are 652Z. The specs say they are 670 newton static and 1730 newton dynamic. If those figures can be appropriately correlated to pounds, that is 150 and 1730 and that should be plenty of capacity.

The locomotive is out of commission (which is why I made the rollers) so I haven't tried them under power.

[NP317]

Thanks for your posting.
I just ordered sufficient rollers for my Mikado.
'Been thinking about a set of rollers that can be applied to a locomotive sitting on its stand.
A good winter project...
RussN