Trains.com

Pics of steam chain-drive engines or critters?

10583 views
39 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Friday, October 17, 2008 8:35 PM

OOPS! Blush

"Rack" railways aren't "Cog" Railways, necessarily... brain glitch! Google 'rack locomotive' and you should end up at Wikipedia, which has a fine lot of pixes and details.

I wuz thinkin' about goin' up steep hills, I wuz.

Sigh. Bed time.

Les

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Friday, October 17, 2008 7:39 PM

Ralph, Toadster & Gear:

Ralph,

The only ones I'm aware of were used on steep slopes, and were so constructed that the boilers stayed level. More or less. The ones I'm thinking of were old ones used on the Eastern mtns of the US. Incidentally, that's a beaut of an engine, thanks for posting the pic.

Let me try to put in a pic, here. If not, oh well--nope, don't have one, but they're easy to Google up.

Gear and Toad: As for the all-thread, I have to wonder if the pitch angle might be a problem? Also, I'd think the thread profile would want to be as near square as can be gotten. I really think it would be simplest in the long run to find a coarse-toothed gear of about the correct diameter, mark on the dowel where the teeth contact as it rolls along, and cut there with a saw, then file to fit. Once good engagement was achieved, The wheels could be selected, or axles located, to give the chassis a rake. Then chain drive the cog wheel. Also, flat rack and pinion gears can be bought, and since you guys are loaded, Wink that'd probably be the way to go.

I dunno, for certain. Like I said, the devil's in the details. But when/if I ever get to build one, that's the route I'll take.

Les

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Friday, October 17, 2008 7:11 AM

What a hermorphadite. I bet that thing will climb like a big dawg.

It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Peak District UK
  • 809 posts
Posted by cabbage on Friday, October 17, 2008 1:41 AM

I always liked this one made by Messrs Kitson of Leeds. The front half is pure traction 0-8-0 steam bogie and the rear half is an 0-6-0 bogie with a ABT rack set of wheels in the centre. The ABT rack cogs system has its own set of pistons to drive it too. They were built for Chilean / Bolivean trans Andean railway.

regards

ralph 

The Home of Articulated Ugliness

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Thursday, October 16, 2008 4:44 PM

Yes, that'd do fine. There are 3 dimensions you'd have to keep in mind: the rate of climb of the track (i.e. the distance between the rails and the axles of the front and rear main wheels) the diameter of the cog/driven gear vs the diameter of the rear wheels, and the height of the rack gear you lay between the rails. As I said, a little fiddling around should do it. If you want to buy parts, then you'd have to know at least the dimension of the rear wheels if you wanted them bigger than the front.

I don't know why you couldn't use flanged wheels the same size and just build a base that'd 'tilt' the boiler, don't know if that was ever done. It should work though.

In the other thread, the guy was talking of using worn bike chain--it has a remarkable amount of left/right 'bend' (or flex) to it. Thus, you could make wide-radius corners were you so inclined. (Pun). Smile

Les

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Thursday, October 16, 2008 12:09 PM

That's beautiful, Scot. Museum quality. I like it. Thanks for sharing.

It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Rochester NY
  • 335 posts
Posted by scottychaos on Thursday, October 16, 2008 7:15 AM

Here is a freelance chain-driven live steamer I built:

 

Not based on any real prototype..the overall outline is based loosly on a Shay outline, but the final design was a result of the parts arrangenment needed to make the model work! ;) rather than any real prototype practice..

More on the model is here:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/scottychaos/steam.html

It is fired with sterno, and runs on 45mm "G-gauge" track.

Scot

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Thursday, October 16, 2008 7:03 AM

All thread is a great idea. I would think you'd want it really coarse.

It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:33 PM

GearDrivenSteam

Actually, I think it would be easier to fashion the track gear from lengths of wooden square dowel rod.

Yes my son! Get a air compressor and nail gun then have with it! Big Smile

Or get all thread and make a "metal cog rail" with metal rail......sweet!

Toad

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:08 PM

Actually, I think it would be easier to fashion the track gear from lengths of wooden square dowel rod.

It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 7:42 PM

Gear,

I don't know. I'd assume, if a rack loco was made and sold, it would about have to.

From my perspective, making a rack is not a big deal. Just thinking off the top of my head, I'd try a delrin-type sprocket from one of these gear suppliers, and just to cheat, buy the matching chain. Fix the chain between the middle of the rails, affix the sprocket to the driven axle, and viola!

Here's the hard part (if one is building it): finding a pair of large driver wheels, and a smaller diameter set of other driver wheels--assuming you want an x-4-x, both of which provide enough 'rake' to keep the boiler level on the grade you choose. I'd imagine some fiddling back and forth would be necessary. Wait--the rack gear would be the driver, so the rest would all be idlers.

I have some wide gears that came out of a power tool. Perhaps 1/2" w. and about 1-1/4" dia. I was discussing with someone about using one of those, and just hacksawing teeth in a hardwood strip. By dusting the gear's teeth w. carpenter's chalk, perhaps one revolution's worth of teeth could be marked, then cut. Some filing would be needed, I'd think. But it could be done provided the gear tooth engagement was deep enough to accept unevenness in the track.

This board needs 'Etch a Sketch'! Sigh

Ol' Frogster seems pretty handy. Bet he could do it. I imagine anyone could if they wanted to climb the sharp part of the learning curve.

Les

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 9:55 AM

 GearDrivenSteam wrote:
Does someone make rack track to go with the rack loco?

Gear,

If my information is correct LGB at one time made the rack track but don't make it any more and the only person who may know is Buckso now.

Toad

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 9:21 AM
Does someone make rack track to go with the rack loco?
It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Monday, October 13, 2008 9:08 PM

Toad,

Mechanically, it shouldn't be hard. Can't you grab a rack loco and put the superstructure on it you want?

As for 'showing models' I have none and don't expect to for awhile as I'm still trying to get started myownself. Being a tool & die maker is one thing, being a scale modeller is a different ball game. I want to one day make a cog RR, just to see what it takes. The concept is simple enough, but, the devil's in the details. Yeah!! [yeah]

H

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 13, 2008 8:15 PM
 hoofe116 wrote:
Not sure what model you have in mind, but I do believe I can build one. It's just a gear and a rack, and likely either well-laid track or sprung axles + judicious weight on same. What's the big deal?

H.

Show me some Pikes Peak models and yeah I want the cog chain drive.

The big deal is I have always liked the old RR (that it was). Now it moves people.....

Toad

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Monday, October 13, 2008 8:05 PM
 ToadFrog and WhiteLightn wrote:
 hoofe116 wrote:
 ToadFrog and WhiteLightn wrote:

I leave here for a week and find Les and Gear up to there elbows in chain! Oh man.

Toad

Toadster:

Chain drive is the wave of the future. Count on it. Don't doubt me.

Hoofe

Hoofe,

If you can pull off a Pikes Peak Loco then I would buy one from you. Cog man, I should be able to make the RR for it.

Toad

Not sure what model you have in mind, but I do believe I can build one. It's just a gear and a rack, and likely either well-laid track or sprung axles + judicious weight on same. What's the big deal?

H.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 13, 2008 7:21 PM
 hoofe116 wrote:

Toad,

Dude. You need to take the ampersand (the &) outta your handle and change it to a plain 'and' (w/o the quotes). It makes this site barf my posts to you. I got Bernie to figure out what it was.

Les

Les,

Yeah I have known all along..... All you have to do is delete it when quoting me.

Toad

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 13, 2008 7:19 PM
 hoofe116 wrote:
 ToadFrog and WhiteLightn wrote:

I leave here for a week and find Les and Gear up to there elbows in chain! Oh man.

Toad

Toadster:

Chain drive is the wave of the future. Count on it. Don't doubt me.

Hoofe

Hoofe,

If you can pull off a Pikes Peak Loco then I would buy one from you. Cog man, I should be able to make the RR for it.

Toad

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Monday, October 13, 2008 5:43 PM
It does that to me too. It says "no matching quote blocks".
It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Monday, October 13, 2008 5:33 PM

Toad,

Dude. You need to take the ampersand (the &) outta your handle and change it to a plain 'and' (w/o the quotes). It makes this site barf my posts to you. I got Bernie to figure out what it was.

Les

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Monday, October 13, 2008 5:28 PM
 ToadFrog and WhiteLightn wrote:

I leave here for a week and find Les and Gear up to there elbows in chain! Oh man.

Toad

Toadster:

Chain drive is the wave of the future. Count on it. Don't doubt me.

Hoofe

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, October 12, 2008 8:25 PM

Yeah left computer and all for about a week.....Was fun.

Toad

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Sunday, October 12, 2008 2:36 PM

"I leave here for a week and find Les and Gear up to there elbows in chain! Oh man.

Toad"

You were gone? 

 

It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 11, 2008 10:44 PM

I leave here for a week and find Les and Gear up to there elbows in chain! Oh man.

Toad

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Saturday, October 11, 2008 12:13 AM
No problem at all hoofous. I'm still lookin, too.
It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Thursday, October 9, 2008 7:09 PM

Ralph,

"... the tighter the radius, the longer it gets..." ? Hm. Let me guess: and expansion-type connection between the mainframe and the 'tender'?

No, that's definitely not a beginner's model. 87cm? Let me think: @2.5cm/in we have ... that's pretty long, y'know?? Smile [:)]

Les

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Thursday, October 9, 2008 7:02 PM

Gear,

Yeah, this is in the ballpark of what I'm looking for. Small, clunky-looking.

Thanks for the drawings.

Les

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Peak District UK
  • 809 posts
Posted by cabbage on Thursday, October 9, 2008 2:41 PM
Hoofe,

I have already written a PDF on how to build your own Price 16 Wheeler -feel free to use it as a guide to building larger articulateds. There is also the missive on types of articulateds in the home page. The biggest thing I have ever got to go around a 2 foot curve is a "Super Golwe" at 87cm long.



This is a 2-6-0+0-6-4 locomotive and is not recommended for any beginner to model!!! Mine is a true functioning Golwe in that gets longer the tighter it corners...

Have fun and welcome to the weird and wonderful world of articulateds!!!

regards

ralph

The Home of Articulated Ugliness

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Florissant, Missouri
  • 493 posts
Posted by hoofe116 on Thursday, October 9, 2008 2:16 PM

Holy cow, Ralph! I had no idea such length was possible. Well, now ... new vistas opening....

Thanks for the headzup!

Les

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Garden Railways magazine. Please view our privacy policy