Large Scale Central

nother brilliant locomotive

Prototypes
#15

Devon Sinsley said:

Vic Smith said:

It’s a fireless locomotive. Fireless engines were common in industrial sites where sparks from a fired loco could trigger disaster. They fill the insulated tank with super heated steam under pressure then use that pressure to run and used inside pistons under the throttle/cab to minimize pipe runs, the downside is a very limited range that’s why they were only used for industrial uses where they could top off the tank repeatedly. This one is quite unique looking. This could be built on a Lil Big Hauler drive.

John C,

remember the picture you shared of that tiny 0-4-0 chassis that had the pilot that appeared to be on the wrong end? This sounds like it could be what Vic is talking about.

What???!!!??? You didn’t save it???

Dang it’s in a big folder, after I eat…

#16

I know that fire-less locomotives were also used at some steel mills. It also makes sense where a locomotive would be going in and out of buildings to snag loaded cars and spot empties.

#17

John Caughey said:

Devon Sinsley said:

Vic Smith said:

It’s a fireless locomotive. Fireless engines were common in industrial sites where sparks from a fired loco could trigger disaster. They fill the insulated tank with super heated steam under pressure then use that pressure to run and used inside pistons under the throttle/cab to minimize pipe runs, the downside is a very limited range that’s why they were only used for industrial uses where they could top off the tank repeatedly. This one is quite unique looking. This could be built on a Lil Big Hauler drive.

John C,

remember the picture you shared of that tiny 0-4-0 chassis that had the pilot that appeared to be on the wrong end? This sounds like it could be what Vic is talking about.

What???!!!??? You didn’t save it???

Dang it’s in a big folder, after I eat…

I might have it squirreled away for future build ideas. I did save a bunch of stuff for the micro build might be in there.

#18

This one?

Yes I can let you have this Low Mileage beauty for only…

Good rememberer Devon, but Vic’s above has an extended frame.

John

#19

That’s the one.

#20

Here I thought someone cobbled this together. However, I see, from a previous post, that it must have been in some catalog. This one is sitting in Oaks, Pa. My grandson and I saw it last year when we visited a Greenbergs show nearby.

#21

Wow. Just… wow.

#22

As to that fine vehicle John posted, what could it be used for? Those look like rubber tires, and it’s sitting on dirt, so if it does not run on rails, how is it steered? That looks like a big leaf spring, so the fenders, with so little clearance, must not be attached to the frame. That cow catcher looks too flimsy to be of any use, and the cylinder looks too short for the stroke. Regardless, let’s throw an orange crate on it and go for a ride once we figure out which end is the front.

#23

The rails are buried in the dirt, but they are there. There are fenders over the top and instead of a spring, I believe that’s part of the valve timing mechanism.

It’s use is as a tram loco. Just add a boiler.

John

#24

I do also see the rails. I am sure the fenders are hiding flanges. The tires do look rubber. . .traction tires or bad lighting and they are really steel or iron. I also think the little wire cow catcher looks about useless.

Now the reason I asked John to dig it out is it looks very similar to Vic’s fireless dynamite rig (Can’t you see Wiley driving it) take the ridiculous cow catcher off extend the frame and put a wood beam pilot and it s easy to see. When John posted this awhile ago I couldn’t figure out why it was built as it was but it makes sense now. You put a boiler on that thing and a place to stand and you have a fireless loco.

#25

There’s a lot a competent railroader could hang on that…

Yes they cross plumbed this from Vic’s, but it’s a start.

So this model was stretched slightly, but I’m sure a salesman charged for it!(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Remember railroads were evolving, new and improved often meant Bigger and Better!

Happy Rails,

John

#26

Back to Fireless … 'scuse the side track above…

Whaddya know? This cutie is down the road from me!

As I understand it; The water is super heated and as soon as steam is drawn off, the pressure is reduced allowing water to flash to steam maintaining the pressure until too much heat is lost.

This concept is so foreign… no really as ship yards were mechanized mobile cranes were needed…

John

#27

Oh that crane is just wicked sick.

#28

There was a fire-less locomotive parked on the South Side of Pittsburgh, back when I was in high school. I didn’t quite understand a stem locomotive without a firebox, but I guessed at how it could have worked. Later I found out that I was right. Somewhere I should still have some Poloroids of it.

#29

Interestinve discussion. As it turns out this is a diesel locomotive. It was used at Lakeview Amusement Park (you can Google Lakeview Amusement Park and see a photo of this engine with 2 stainless steel passenger cars behind it).

There is a parallel blog thread at the following Trains Magazine web page if you would like more information.

http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/740/t/129858.aspx

#30

Gee Jim,

Thanks for ruining it…(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif) it does explain a lot about why its streamlined. And it did open up an interesting conversation on a niche area of our hobby. Still would be fun to model none the less.

#31

#32

I like where we went better.

#33

John Caughey said:

I like where we went better.

So did I, so much I’m thinking of bashing one of my lil haulers into an Apache Powder fireless cooker, just because :wink:

#34

Well I was thinking that crane wold be a fun build.