Large Scale Central

4-4-0 Kalamazoo Bash

Modeling
#41

Added a piece of plexiglass to fill in a gap. Also to fasten the under frame work to it.

This arch piece needed removed to allow clearance for the cross head assembly made from a piece a plexiglass.

Arch being removed…

All gone…Now the frame can sit under the boiler with plenty of room…

New cylinder chest cut. The red ones as seen before did not fit correctly so I had to redo those…

chest added to the front pilot mount… these were cut down in the center. Needed to remove a 1/4 inch from the centre so it would sit flush to the boiler sides…

So I have the underframe completed and the crosshead done and mounted to it. The slots cut for the drivers and the guides for the piston rod. I used a Bachmann piston guide and rotated it 90 degrees to get the look of the General’s locomotive guides. They may need to be narrowed a bit tho. I took a 4-6-0 drive rod and cut it down to fit and it works really well after being tested. However I need to make a set or side rods and drivers to replace these. the 1860’s were square and not tapered as the ones I used to test this all out.

I really want to replace the guides with ones made from brass. I ran out so I will need to pick up some more this weekend. The MPC model part is on the top right. I am wanting to try to replicate this design…

So this is where I am at now… The locomotive runs really smooth with the current drive rod that is from the Bachmann. Just doesnt look right. I will add some more photos later this weekend… As I have been working on this I thought of “MIK” whom most of us knew from here.I think he would be pleased that most of this Locomotive build is being built from scrap stuff…:slight_smile: …To Be Continued…

#42

The pics showing the under frame shows a gap in the plexiglass piece. I am really thinking i will redo this piece. The gray Styrene used looks really too big. I will probably try to find something narrower to use and close the gap in too. …

#43

Update on the build…

I worked on a side rod and a driver made from brass K&S. I used hollow square tube. When I finished them, I tested them out and when the wheels turn they bind up. So I think one of the holes needs to be oval a little bit… Also noticed that the ends are too thick, I am going to try and lap sand them down to make them thinner, or may have to redo them…

Pattern I used for reference…

Filling the ends with solder…

Completed one side …

I also rebuilt the under frame for the crosshead out of brass stock, this looks much better…

This is where I am at now. Hopefully I can get both sides too match… :wink: .

#44

In case no-one has informed you; the side rods should be the same length (Between mounting holes) as the spacing between the axles. Any binding is because the two side rods are not equal in length.

The normal way of machining the side rods, is to do them as a pair, soldered together; drilled together, then sweated apart, to finish. This makes for side rods of equal length. If for some reason the two axles are not equally spaced apart, then you have another problem.

You can manufacture the two main rods the same way.

Keep up the good work.

#45

Don’t forget to drill the steam chests for the simulated valve gear, and manufacturing of the associated bell cranks for it.

#46

That clear, acrylic I presume, boiler bracket and crosshead guide support is a part I’ve been working on noodling out for my Bachmann 4-6-0 Big Haulers with the plastic crosshead guides, a couple have snapped at the cylinder head from use (read, derailments) and handling, therefore the extra bracing is sounding like a good idea. Without the air space under the boiler they will have to join the side of frame trough under that boiler.

Gotta say, definitely a gutsy project, keep on keeping on! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#47

Fantastic work Travis!! …really enjoying the progress pics!

#48

Really getting frustrated with these drive/side rods. Love the look of the brass, but I cant get the darn things to work right. May need to try something different…or just say…

#49

The side rod spacing from rod bearing center to rod bearing center has to be exactly the same spacing as axle center to axle center. This is one case where “close enough” just will not do. That’s why many model locomotive manufacturers make the rod bearing holes oval, so they have a little “slop” and don’t have to be precise on the manufacture of the side rods. Since both axles are driven on the Kalamazoo and Heartland, you could fudge it by doing the same, and making the rod bearing holes oval. Its not a proper solution, but then the rods are just there for show. They aren’t actually transmitting power from one wheel to the other.

#50

We had the same problem while restoring our full scale locomotive! that took the better part of a year to resolve . slotting the end holes in the rod should help and is prototypical listen to the rod clank on any loco working hard!

#51

Great progress Travis. Its frustration when things don’t go as planned. Happens to me all the time lol. Im sure you will get it worked out. Just keep at it, it will be worth it.

#52

Eric Schade said:

We had the same problem while restoring our full scale locomotive! that took the better part of a year to resolve . slotting the end holes in the rod should help and is prototypical listen to the rod clank on any loco working hard!

Really, is that what that awful noise is? I did not know that.

#53

Hmm, clanking rods, rods clanking, rodclank - there’s gotta be an expression which can come out of that, something like, “What was supposed to have been a well organized and smooth running event wound up being just a big basket of rodclank.” (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

(why won’t Oxford and Websters hire me to invent new words, what’s up with that?)

#54

Or, “I thought he was going to say something useful, but all heard from him was rodclank.”

#55

David Maynard said:

Or, “I thought he was going to say something useful, but all heard from him was rodclank.”

Which probably covers about 17% of my posts (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#56

Forrest, probably not, but even if its so, that means that 83% of your posts are useful. If I could bat .830, I would be so rich.

#57

Eric Schade said:

We had the same problem while restoring our full scale locomotive! that took the better part of a year to resolve . slotting the end holes in the rod should help and is prototypical listen to the rod clank on any loco working hard!

I always wondered what was making that clanking sound!

#58

“I used a Bachmann piston guide and rotated it 90 degrees to get the look of the General’s locomotive guides.”

Wow, I never realized the guides were done that way. I wonder how many other locos had horizontal crosshead guides?

#59

Ray, many of the Civil War era locomotives had horizontal cosshead guides.

Sorry, I should have said “The War of Northern Aggression” instead of the Civil War.

#60

David Maynard said:

Ray, many of the Civil War era locomotives had horizontal cosshead guides.

Sorry, I should have said “The War of Northern Aggression” instead of the Civil War.

NO you were correct the first time. It was called the Civil War