04-19-2013, 11:02 AM
This is where the project is at:
First, what the whole locomotive looks like at this time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Same shot, with just the Loco frame.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And this shot looking at the bottom of the frame, showing the pilot truck, both engine frames and drivers, and the trailing truck. One of the gearboxes has been "Thinned, and shortened" to fit. Still have to do the other one.
( Hmmmmm, guess who forgot about "cylinder drain cocks" )
The "Articulation link" turned out to be easier than I thought, two brass plates, attached to the front end of the rear engine's "cover plate", the rear end of the front engine's "cover plate" cut, filed to shape, with a clearance hole for the 1-72 brass screw.
The upper brass plate is tapped for 1-72, the lower plate also has a clearance hole. Yeah, I didn't think about running the screw from the top down. :oops:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I finally figured out why the rear engine has been so difficult to get running smoothly. :o the engineer's side wheel, on the middle axle, does not sit perpendicular to the axle, and "wobbles"......that wobble messes up the side rod alignment and causes binding. Soooo, I have to disassemble the rear engine, remove the middle driver set, and see if I can "eliminate" the wobble without destroying the wheel.
Fortunately, the axle has "D" ends that the cranks align to, so wheel doesn't have to be "quartered", and replacement is easily done.......finding a replacement wheel ? Aye, that's the hard part.
First, what the whole locomotive looks like at this time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Same shot, with just the Loco frame.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And this shot looking at the bottom of the frame, showing the pilot truck, both engine frames and drivers, and the trailing truck. One of the gearboxes has been "Thinned, and shortened" to fit. Still have to do the other one.
( Hmmmmm, guess who forgot about "cylinder drain cocks" )
The "Articulation link" turned out to be easier than I thought, two brass plates, attached to the front end of the rear engine's "cover plate", the rear end of the front engine's "cover plate" cut, filed to shape, with a clearance hole for the 1-72 brass screw.
The upper brass plate is tapped for 1-72, the lower plate also has a clearance hole. Yeah, I didn't think about running the screw from the top down. :oops:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I finally figured out why the rear engine has been so difficult to get running smoothly. :o the engineer's side wheel, on the middle axle, does not sit perpendicular to the axle, and "wobbles"......that wobble messes up the side rod alignment and causes binding. Soooo, I have to disassemble the rear engine, remove the middle driver set, and see if I can "eliminate" the wobble without destroying the wheel.
Fortunately, the axle has "D" ends that the cranks align to, so wheel doesn't have to be "quartered", and replacement is easily done.......finding a replacement wheel ? Aye, that's the hard part.
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!