Author Topic: A first live steam loco  (Read 3134 times)

Offline RReid

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1668
  • Northern California
A first live steam loco
« on: April 13, 2021, 03:06:23 AM »
I'm a new forum member and at the urging of those who've welcomed me I thought I'd post a few pics of my first crack at building a small live steam locomotive. This was completed about a year ago. I worked from Mr. Dave Watkin's plans for his Wild Rose III.  This is a 16mm/ft scale model of a British 2 foot narrow gauge quarry locomotive. The drawings are publicly available at the 16mm.org.uk website and are very good; complete, clear, and without errors.

I followed Mr. Watkin's drawings pretty faithfully for the chassis and all the steaming and running gear. Where I deviated was in building the cab, tank, details, etc. to 3/8" scale (1:32) and to resemble the early logging locos built by Baldwin and others. To my knowledge none of those were built with outside frames, but I figure since it was a time of experimentation and make-do equipment, someone might have! At this scale the 32mm (O gauge) track corresponds to a full size gauge of 3ft 4in.

Regards,
Ron

Offline crueby

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18554
  • Rochester NY
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2021, 03:14:32 AM »
Thats a great looking loco, I like the proportions. Is there a control for the reverse, or do you just roll the engine back so the drive pin moves around to the other stop?

Offline Bearcar1

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 829
  • Chicagoland Area, USA
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2021, 03:48:18 AM »
Say now, that is a pretty slick little garden loco. I like the design changes you made.  :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:


BC1
Jim

Offline rklopp

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 64
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2021, 04:43:44 AM »
Alcohol version, I presume? How does it run?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline Kim

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7860
  • Portland, Oregon, USA
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2021, 05:37:40 AM »
Very cool!  And you've got an elevated track running around your yard? That's really neat!
Kim

Offline RReid

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1668
  • Northern California
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2021, 03:45:37 PM »
Thanks for all the positive feedback! I'll try to answer your questions in order.

It uses slip-eccentric reversing, so yes, you roll it by hand a rev or two to set the direction. Simple and practical at this size. (And congratulations, crueby, on your new column in Live Steam. I enjoyed the first one and admire your work!)

Yes, it is alcohol fired. There is a butane fired fired option, which would require a different boiler. Overall I like the simplicity of alcohol firing, although I admit the rate of steam production doesn't quite keep up with demand. Apart from that it runs quite well and will do a few laps of my little loop of track before needing a breather (the full size Elk River Mill & Lumber Co. #1 "Falk" has much the same problem:}). First attempts at running only went about 6 feet, so I've been able to improve on that quite a bit. Most importantly I've learned a lot.

"Elevated track running around the yard" is true enough but sounds more grand than the reality! My yard is quite small, but has two raised garden beds of about 3.5' x 6" each with a couple foot gap between. The track runs mostly around the rims, but reaches out to the fence at one end, then crossing back via the "stone viaduct" visible in the last pic. The tightest curve has a radius of only 18", hence the need for a short wheelbase.
Regards,
Ron

Offline cnr6400

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2728
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2021, 04:18:36 PM »
 :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline RReid

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1668
  • Northern California
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2021, 05:21:12 PM »
My first ever in the history of the universe YouTube video. I hope I don't trigger a second Big Bang.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAmc-5buOHI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAmc-5buOHI</a>
Regards,
Ron

Offline crueby

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18554
  • Rochester NY
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2021, 05:28:33 PM »
The video is there, but it needs to be made public or at least unlisted - it is currently 'private' so only you can view it. Just change the checkbox on your youtube page for that video.

Offline RReid

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1668
  • Northern California
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2021, 07:02:43 PM »
Thanks. Fixed.
Regards,
Ron

Offline Kim

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7860
  • Portland, Oregon, USA
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2021, 07:13:12 PM »
Very nice video!  Thanks for posting it.  Seems you fixed the permission problem, or at least I can see it :)

Kim

Offline crueby

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18554
  • Rochester NY
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2021, 07:24:39 PM »
Great!

Offline Zephyrin

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 766
  • near Paris, France
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #12 on: April 13, 2021, 10:29:17 PM »
nice little engine, congratulations !
its good to have a decent track for her in the plot too, lucky man, my club is still closed for lockdown, and my locos haven't been out of their boxes for over a year !

Offline Art K

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1761
  • Madison, Wisconsin USA
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2021, 03:28:04 AM »
Ron,
Impressive looking little train. Very nice track!
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline Brian Rupnow

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7573
  • Barrie, Ontario Canada
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2021, 03:33:13 PM »
I like that a lot. Great job!!---Brian

Offline propforward

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1656
  • MN, USA
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #15 on: April 14, 2021, 03:52:40 PM »
Just watched the video - that's great! That loco is a little rocket - so much fun watching it fly round the track.

Also - I'm jealous that you have an anvil as a garden ornament. Now I want one.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline RReid

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1668
  • Northern California
Re: A first live steam loco
« Reply #16 on: April 15, 2021, 05:44:22 PM »
Quote
Also - I'm jealous that you have an anvil as a garden ornament. Now I want one.

Many years ago I did a bit of hobby blacksmithing. Fun, but I got tired of the coal smoke and dust. If I ever go back to it I'd switch to a propane forge! Anyway, that was my homemade anvil, cobbled up from some bits of train track and an old tie plate. Glad you liked the video!
Regards,
Ron

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal