Locomotive Roller Test Stand

[Asteamhead]

Hello bill4227,
You're looking for suggestions how to built your roller stand?
For my class A I found a simple construction using pairs of standard ball bearings. Thus the driving axles take a stable position .
Rugged ball bearings of some diameter improve running a great deal compared to small ones. The loco may be rolled into the cage and will find the right position by just a small push.
The combination of a safe cage for transportation including the rollers has proved it's worth already!
By the way: To test the engine at power a simple plate of wood placed under the loco will do fine, too !

Asteamhead

[RONALD]

This subject was covered in a post about a year ago:

www.chaski.org/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104736

[gwerhart0800]

The main reason for asking is the problem of valve timing. This is a Maxitrak locomotive that i have running smoothly in reverse but is terrible forward. Using a roller stand should help get the timing right. Valve gear is Marshall

Bill

I am working on a Maxitrak Lil'Jo "Mogul" and the timing is a bit "lumpy". I also seem to have an issue in reverse where the valve gear gets "locked up". I am suspending the engine between wood blocks, so I am now wondering if I should also be looking at building a roller stand to get the timing right.

[bill4227]

Thanks to all for the great ideas. I erroneously said 1" gauge at the beginning. I meant 1" scale. I have a Maxitrak Ruby that I have had problems with and I hope that these ideas can help solve the timing issues. I have also just acquired a GER Y74/LNER Y4 0-4-0 and without loading the wheels it runs great on air in both directions.

Bill

[NP317]

I just completed a set of loco stand rollers for my Ten Wheeler, following ideas from posting in this thread.
They slide under the wheels to lift them off the stand rails.
So Thanks to all for your help.
RussN

CRAP! The pictures are inverted. Sorry