Large Scale Central

First run of my Aster Swiss Eb 3/5 "Habersack"

Electronics Live Steam
#1
Made my first runs with my Aster SBB Eb 3/5 Habersack locomotive today at the summer steam up held at Jim Sander's house in Brownsburg, Indiana. Hopefully the link will take you to a short video I made of a couple laps in the middle of one of my many runs today. Still having some steam raising problems but with some babying she will eventually stablize and run well for the duration of the boiler water. Ernie Noa, John and me traced it to some improper packing of the wicks, along with being packed way to tight. So I will be repacking wicks properly tomorrow. I had not messed with the wicks yet since trading for the engine. I did burn a complete quart can of fuel today, so some miles were put on the old girl. Mike
https://youtu.be/cOAt5PSUzCg
#2

hi mike

in reading your 1st.steamup post of the Swiss Eb3/5 Habersack

Did you rework the wicks as you stated in the write up so they will burn well and heat water in boiler as should ??? Before we traded?

I haven’t had time for a test of the new LOCO from you that we traded. I watched the Fowlers first run for you running great.

Thanks

Dave Ellis

#3

I did change how they were packed as it wasnt correct according to Ernie Noa. It worked but not like it should. She should steam good now as the wicks are packed how I was told to pack them and how I read in a book I have on alcohol firing. Its not a hard item to remove from the fire box and change them or how they are packed. I never got a chance to resteam after repacking the wicks. If they are not quite happy, there are several online tutorials on wick packing for alcohol(meths)fired live steamers you can read. I got my fuel from the paint department at the local home improvement warehouse, they carried both quarts and gallon containers of it. Mike

#4

MIKE

Thanks for your quick reply

I will be testing it tomorrow ???

Thanks again

Dave

#5

Have fun with your first steaming, I know I did, it was a learning experience for me as it was my first alcohol burner of that type. Its a Smithies boiler, just like the first Schools class, nice easy one to steam with. I did have to swap back in the blind drivers and solder an extension to the draw bar to set the tender back far enough for my tight curves. Somewhere along the line, the draw bar had been modified to closer couple her. She ran great the 2 times I was able to run today. Got a bit to hot and sticky during the mid afternoon to do much of anything on the railway