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Pics of steam chain-drive engines or critters?

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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.
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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

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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.
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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

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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.
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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

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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

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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.
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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

 

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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

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