Looking for handcar information.

[kpolak]

Can anyone provide information about handcars, and the power linkage?

I want to create some working models, but don't have any clear photos on how the power gets to the wheels.

Here's what I'm working on:

Thank you,

Kurt 

[TomDiehl]

Handcars are "powered" through a simple mechanism. The pump handle you normally see pivots in the center as the operators pump it up and down. A rod is attached to this handle off center which connects to a crank. On the earliest models, this crank was directly on one of the axles, later, the crank was mounted on a separate shaft that would drive one axle through a gear reduction arrangement.

[dredmann]

I think that what you have pictured is not a handcar, but a velocipede.

There is one of each at the St. James Parish Historical Society museum in Lutcher, LA. I think both are from the Butler collection (which also featured three steam locomotives, one of which worked, and a wooden cupola caboose); alas, Mr. Butler died many years ago.

If you can't make it to Lutcher, LA, I can see whether any of my pictures from there show much of the mechanism.

[kpolak]

Thanks for the information.

I'm having trouble keeping the 2-wheels together, and adding a linkage to power.  I'm guessing a 1-wheel drive, with the power linkage connected to the rear axle, outboard (interior of cart) of the axle linkage, and axle linkage on each side of the 2-wheels.

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Kurt

PS My thoughts:  Does this look reasonable?

 

[tomikawaTT]

It looks like you got it!

The linkage is equivalent to a steam loco with only one cylinder.  If it was centered (handle at end of travel) the operator would have to move it out of center before it could be "rowed."

Chuck

[kpolak]

Thanks for the help.

Kurt

[dredmann]

Okay, here goes. I found a picture of the machine similar to the one you showed. I'm now less confident it's called a velocipede, but to me it is not a handcar. Anyway, I found the raw file, cropped, (probably over-) sharpened, etc. Here it is, in full resolution (2100 x 1575--the crop from 6 MP).

The file is posted at http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/DaveRedmann/velocipede.jpg.

Once again, it is at the St. James Parish Historical Society in Lutcher, LA (about an hour upriver from New Orleans), and I think it comes from the collection of W. E. Butler (deceased).

Dave

[dredmann]

P.S.

The forum automatically reduced the picture, but click on it and it opens at full resolution. You should be able to right-click save from there.

 

[steamaddict]

I can confirm that they were called a velocipede or nicknamed trikes.  They used the legs as well as the arms to propel the machine.  The footpegs are near the front wheel with the pivot above it and iron links to the bottom of the wooden handle.  You would pull with your arms as well as push with both legs and then push forward with your arms (couldn't pull back with your legs naturally) and momentum would assist complete the movement.  Talk about a complete body work-out.