Glad you got it worked out! I agree on the springing being stiff. Mine wasn't a problem of the springs being compressed all the way, but just stiff in general. I removed the center of the three (!) springs per bushing, and it softened up and tracks very well. (Hmm, maybe I should have named the loco "Three Springs" (after a town along the East Broad Top).
I'd love to see some photos of your finished loco.
Later,
K
Finally solved the blow back problem. A leak at the joint in the smoke box between the cylinder block and the superheater tube. It only leaked when the joint was up to maximum heat and took several attempts at tightening to get a seal. I also found the springing was almost non existent with the springs almost fully compressed giving trouble on 6 foot radius points (switches). Finding advice on the internet, I carefully drilled the horn blocks out and the loco rides much better.
The recent article by Kevin Strong in the magazine and his blog about Tuscarora no 4 has inspired me to attempt somthing similar on my loco.
The mogul exhaust is very sensitive to being "clogged" by oil and condensate. If you've got a stack with a screen in it (diamond stack or spark arrestor), try removing the screen and see if that helps. Mine had a spark arrestor on it, and as soon as I took that off, it sprang to life. I'm betting the problem is worst when the loco is just starting out. What's happening is that the oil and condensate from the cool cylinders is blocking the exhaust, so the only place for it to go is back down the boiler, blowing your fire out in the process. You might also try opening the smokebox door when just starting out. This will help give the exhaust a more expedient exit path when just starting out, instead of blowing back into the boiler. Once the cylinders have warmed up and the steam is a bit drier (less condensate), you can close the door.
You might also try installing a "Chuffer" exhaust pipe. This device enhances the sound of your exhaust, but also catches and deflects the oil and condensate back into the smokebox so it's less likely to clog the works. I have not tried this solution yet on mine, though it's "on the list."
Sorry, computer problems prevented me from replying sooner. Yes, it is normal for the burner to point downward. As for the going out problem, a number of things are worth checking:
1. The jet could be clogged. To clean it, remove it and blow it out in reverse direction with a blast from your gas cartridge.
2. Fuel coul be sloshing in the tank so as to get liquid into the jet and put out the fire. A good idea is to steady the loco by hand when clearing the cylinders at the beginning of a run to keep it from lurching.
3. Extra air could be leaking around the jet carrier. Readjusting the gas line to the carrier so as to press the carrier against the burner tube might help. Or you might fashion a spring to hold the carrier firmly down.
4. The jet might be too small or the burner could be getting too much air. One way to cure this is to make a damper ring to fit onto the burner tube so as to slightly close off the air ports. Repeatedly adjust to get the right amount of air.
More advice can be found on the Southern Steam Trains website. www.southernsteamtrains.com
Good luck.
Wayne
I have acquired a used Mogul and the burner tends to go out seemingly from blow back from the smokebox. I discovered that the burner has the slots pointing downwards. Is this normal?
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