Digitalizing a small loco

[modelsof1900]

I have written already that I would like to create a small Xtra-train for pulling my "Thick and large pressure tank" - see here this thread.
And so looks my idea using my little Norfolk & Western G1 consolidation as motive power for this train.



The only thing what I must do was to digitalize this loco and doing some small repairs and additions, of course.
The loco was modified by a pre-owner some years ago and he replaced the motor and changed also the gear by adding a second tooth-wheel for reaching an enlarged gear-ratio and so a well reduced speed. In result the models runs with an excellent slow speed and very, very smooth.
The biggest problem was the method of fixing all the changed and removed parts, motor, shaft for worm wheel and also axle bearings - they all are fixed now by an epoxy resin and they are not removable!


You can see the fixed axle bearings here in picture and so I had a problem, a big problem.
First run attempts with full 8-wheel power pickup on tender was not a really good success, so that I must add power feeders to insulated wheel rims on locomotive (like also the mass-side of wheels about frame). Because I do not prefer to mount long pickup wire feeders under the loco frame which are looking as spider legs, so I would add feeders inside of frame with a slight contact on insulated wheel rims on all four drivers. And that all with non-dismounted drivers!
Here is my solution:



I did set thick brass sheets on axle bearings between frame and wheels and so I could mill holes and cutouts with a high-speed cutter from a dental laboratory into side walls of frame without problems.





Above the feeder bolts (only one is inserted) and how the insulated plastic blocks are mounted in frame.
And last the complete mounted frame ...



... without spider legs!
Next picture shows a welcome spillover effect -



The brass loco runs without its tender because it has a complete own power pickup from all eight driver wheels. I think that that will be a good solution in case of repairs or services for engine.
Now the loco has made their first test runs and it runs very well, digitalized. See the opening picture above.
What I will do yet, maybe, is to add a cam wheel and contact wiper for better chuff synchronisation to exact position of crankpins. However the answer will give me the next runs of this model on a larger layout in three weeks, where I will like to shoot a few more pictures and I hope to make a short video clip also. And then I will like to post them here again. But what I must do is to re-letter and re-number the loco and the fat tank as the car must get paint and lettering. And I'm sure that I can get the support of my friend who has painted already a lot of my medels.

For viewing my complete picture gallery especially with a lot of prototype photos including a large drawing of this engine please open here the gallery of this project on my website - with picture texts in English. A gallery with texts in German does also exist - click here, please.

Maybe that I could give you an idea for mounting power feeders under a bit more complicated requirements? I would be pleased if it will help you for your own projects.

[doctorwayne]

Very nicely done, Bernhard.
It's also interesting that the previous owner epoxied the axle bearings in place. From the photos, it appears that there was excessive slop within the slots in the frame. Since the usual practice is to solder the sideframes together in order to cut the bearing slots (so both sides will be identical) I wonder if the frame sides were not aligned properly when the frame was assembled, and that either the manufacturer or a previous owner enlarged the slots to compensate. In any case, whoever applied the epoxy must have made a jig to fit over the axles in order to keep them square to the frame and properly spaced while the epoxy set. Otherwise, it would not run so smoothly.

Wayne

[modelsof1900]

Wayne, thanks for your comment and your considerations. I will try to make some remarks to the frame construction.

First, the frame is soldered in its basic construction. And second, the shiny areas left and right of my cutoffs did I make with a cylindric cutter in order to remove wide placed epoxy resin so that I could insert my insulating plastic blocks where steel tubes for the brass pickup bolts are inserted.
I think the original installation was a very common assembly with an open can motor and a directly connected gearbox by a rubber tube, maybe. The proof for existence of a gearbox is the great cutoff in bottom plate - and all axle bearings were sprunged.



You see here that a new shaft for the worm whell is epoxied between the rear spring hangers of second axle, and what you see is the epoxy resin which fix the shaft and not oozed out fat! In connection with the worm wheel is a smaller tooth wheel (behind and not visible) which drives the original tooth wheel on axle that was moved onto a side. Here you see the whole tooth wheel assambly on this picture in its modified condition.



Look also the voluminous epoxy filler at right frame end, however this is only a filler and not a basic connection of frame. (I milled out it again because I needed a breach for electric wires.)
Now, with fixing the worm wheel all other parts must be adjusted after the new position of shaft for worm wheel and the added idler wheel. First the motor, you see on first picture the motor epoxy fixing on underside. And with this fix positioned gear "main" shaft also all axles must be fixed, absolutely. So the previous owner fixed the bearings in frame by epoxy - 1 mm lower then the original position and together with all bearing springs in their original position in frame!
What I should write is that the previous owner worked very exactly in all respects. All tooth wheels and the worm have a very fine clearance. I think also that he positioned the frame whit all axles on an absolute flat working plate while hardening of epoxy because all wheels and really all are set absolute correct on level track without differences in high. Here I should give him a great compliment for a very solid work - with relativey unorthodox methods. But it works!



On this picture you see the high differences of lower edge of frame and those of bearings and this has not a reason by free moving bearings and the inside mounted springs. No, the bearings ase fixed all in this position and thereby the loco stands one millimeter higher now (or 0.04") as the model in its original condtion. This is not a problem, also with this change is this loco still a very small model. And it runs very, very well!

Wayne, if you will like to know more about this model, please ask again and I try to give you answers. Only I can't make new pictures in moment because the loco is complete assembled, however a new chance will come in next time, I think. Thanks for your interest!

[doctorwayne]

....First the motor, you see on first picture the motor epoxy fixing on underside. And with this fix positioned gear "main" shaft also all axles must be fixed, absolutely. So the previous owner fixed the bearings in frame by epoxy - 1 mm lower then the original position and together with all bearing springs in their original position in frame!
What I should write is that the previous owner worked very exactly in all respects. All tooth wheels and the worm have a very fine clearance. I think also that he positioned the frame whit all axles on an absolute flat working plate while hardening of epoxy because all wheels and really all are set absolute correct on level track without differences in high. Here I should give him a great compliment for a very solid work - with relativey unorthodox methods. But it works!

I agree: unorthodox methods, but good quality work - I think that you are not the first craftsman to work on this locomotive.

On this picture you see the high differences of lower edge of frame and those of bearings and this has not a reason by free moving bearings and the inside mounted springs. No, the bearings ase fixed all in this position and thereby the loco stands one millimeter higher now (or 0.04") as the model in its original condtion. This is not a problem, also with this change is this loco still a very small model. And it runs very, very well!

It is rather unusual that the bearing springs were left in place, but it was probably the easiest way to level the drivers. I'd guess that he must have used the bottom cover plate partially tightened down to equalise the spring pressure while the epoxy set. This would fix all the wheels at the same height. It seems like very precisely-done work.
As for the excess epoxy, I know that it was holding the bearings in fixed position and not holding the frame together, but it did look like some of the slots in which the bearings sit might be a little wider than needed. I was guessing that if that were the case, he would have also used the epoxy to help keep the bearings tight (front-to-back) in the slots, and that would mean that he also would have somehow held the axles parallel to one another while the epoxy set. Good quality work by him and enhanced by your improvements.
I do recall a somewhat similar plunger-type wiper on a locomotive I once had - perhaps a Rivarossi Hudson? I certainly didn't build it though, but your method is much neater than the wire wipers which I've been installing recently on a friend's locos.

Wayne

[modelsof1900]

I agree: unorthodox methods, but good quality work ...

Wayne, yes. Absolutely my point of view.

It is rather unusual that the bearing springs were left in place, but it was probably the easiest way to level the drivers. I'd guess that he must have used the bottom cover plate partially tightened down to equalise the spring pressure while the epoxy set. This would fix all the wheels at the same height. It seems like very precisely-done work.

Yes, you are right again. This was also my thought after sending last reply. A really good idea!

And a third time, yes you are right. Rivarossi used such similarly pickup bolts on their models which are mounted inside of frame. All wheels were made from plastic and so they needed pickup feeders on the wheel rims, one side only. The other pole came from tender also.

[modelsof1900]

Hallo to all, long time is gone since last post in this thread and so I must search this description for some new additions.

I know that I have posted some pictures of first use of this small N&W G1 consolidation on various WPF however there was a last thing where I must add work again. The reason was a missing part which I received some weeks ago and now the last modifications were done on this steam engine model.
The question was, which devices were mounted on the backside of fire box? How realistic is this rear end of fire box modeled?



This is definitively not a very realistic work! And yes, a brass part of a fire door must be added, at least!
The only availably information of prototype was to find on www.rgusrail.com website with this picture - the N&W G1 no. 6 on Virginia Museum of Transport in Roanoke.
And there were a lot of small items, the fire door, many flexible staybolts and two large handles. What were these for handles? But there were not water gauges or valves mounted or all other typical items which you can find on back side of a fire box.
Yes, this small consolidation is really an old engine, built in 1897 without many changes in comparison to class G steam engine of N&W, the predecessor of this loco built in 1887.
The "clean" firebox at my model was the last thing that I would like to detail! However all the typical items mounted regularly on back side of a fire box were mounted at this engine inside of cab on sides of fire box and the fire man must go outside through the rear side door of cab behind the fire box if he had to fire the boiler. Steam engine technology of 125 years back!
What was to add on this fire box back side? This picture gave me the ideas how I should model a new back side of fire box with exactly these missing items, a butterfly fire door, staybolts of two different types, two handles which were the things for working with the shaking grate while cleaning the fire after each run of loco!

This is the first step of change, a new back side made from black styrene.



And the full detailed back end of fire box, yet without paint.



The arrangement is not exactly that from the picture but you can find all these parts in a very similarly assembly like on picture of prototype.
I think that this will be a good addition and it’s a big difference to original model. However who looks on back side of fire box if the model train passed by?

Some more step by step pictures are to find on my gallery, English captions, of course. Enjoy!

[modelsof1900]

A last addition, again a very small part.
If you ought to study the picture of prototype and also the sketch of firebox in gallery of my website you will find a small valve which is mounted before the operating valve of fire door. And this was the small item that I would like to add, too. However waiting for a new order?
So I built my own valve from a piece of round brass and wire as pipe.



The hand wheel looks a little bit too large, however this is the new view on backside ...



... and I think that this will be aceptable.
And this was the last change on this model, only the lettering must be corrected yet together with a bit black paint for back side of fire box.