How?

[rclick9]

What do you need to and how do you build a live steam locomotive?

[two tone]

Hi rclick9, Can I ask why you want to build it your self?     If you have been in the engineering trade then OK.  But if not buy a good loco,  remember stream kills  plus if you build it yourself it will need a boiler test certificate. and you are responclble if any one is injured.  You dont say where you are in the world some times this info helps you may find some one near by will be able to offer advice if you go ahead  hope this helps 

[cabbage]

First of all you need to buy the basic instruction manuals... AND READ THEM. The one I started off with was KN Nobles : "Model Boilers and Boilermaking". Once you have digested that, the next one you need is Henry Greenlys : "Model Steam Locomotives".

The requirements are at the very least: a lathe, a mill, oxy gas torch equipment, lots of silver solder -you are going to have to learn the art of "step soldering" before you even think of building a boiler.

There was a thread by someone a few months ago who complained that he had assembled a kit in five hours and it didn't work. I would estimate that you should spend at least 3 months research and drawing BEFORE you even start writing your shopping list and a further 12 months building it.

I have done it -but it is neither simple or quick...

regards

ralph

[Anonymous]

Go coal burners!!!!

Toad

[rclick9]

I've heard it was cheaper so I decided to check it out but I guess I'm gonna have to learn a lot more than I thought. I didn't even know there were certificates about this. I mean making a small model steam locomotive for a garden railroad...

[rclick9]

So does anybody know anywhere I can get cheap live steam locos for HO scale?

[altterrain]

I have never heard the words "cheap" and "live steam" go together.

-Brian 

[cabbage]

So does anybody know anywhere I can get cheap live steam locos for HO scale?

The short answer is NO. Hornby make live steam in OO (4mm scale) but that is all. Boiler certificates are LEGALLY MANDATRORY wherever in the world you may live... In the EU you would also require a SIX BAR test certificate for your gas tank (I use liquid butane).

A boiler test requires that your boiler withstand a hydraulic test of TWO AND A HALF times the working pressure without leaks for the period of 15 minutes, a steam test at which the safety valve is set to plus 25% of the working presssure and the boiler brought up to the release point and boiled dry. Finally your pressure gauge fitted to your boiler MUST be within 5% of the master test gauge.



You can see the hydraulic pressure test equipemnt in the shot above, although you cannot read it the meter reads to 10 BAR. My boiler (on the left) has a certificate to 3 BAR. A boiler certificate is 2 years a gas tank certificate is 3 years

BOTH of the certificates MUST be produced if I take my loco on other club rails.

It is generally accepted that the "Australian Rules on Small Boilers" are the most stringent and exacting specifications and standards that exist in the world. MOST people are now using them as minimum specification for their boilers.

You seemed perplexed that all the rules and regs and testing requirements involved. Well a 500ml boiler running at 3 BAR has the same explosive power as a World War One Grenade...

regards

ralph

PS I don't want to scare you or put you off -but I feel it is my duty to show you the cliff and tell you it is dangerous to jump off...

Have a look here:

http://home.iae.nl/users/summer/16mmngm/Articles_htms/porky.htm

[altterrain]

Adding a funny story about the need for certificates - Back in the 1990's, my club (before my time) had a holiday display in the conservatory of the National Botanic Garden which is right next door to the US Capitol building. A few of the club members had set up a steam track and were running large scale live steamers in the conservatory. They were having a grand old time until approached by a gentleman who asked them if they had their boiler certificates. They laughed and said "no". The gentleman then whipped out his DC fire marshall's badge and told them to shut down.

-Brian 

[tangerine-jack]

Cheaper to build yourself????  Well, maybe if you already have a well equiped machine shop and the experience to use all those machines.  Before you "roll yer own" do this, cut a drive wheel.  Just one drive wheel out of some metal stock.  Report back when you have a working wheel.