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Posted by BigJim on Thursday, July 7, 2011 7:41 PM

GP40-2

How?

By being several percentage points higher in efficiency than your 4-8-4.

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Posted by Firelock76 on Thursday, July 7, 2011 4:39 PM

Well now, several things to talk about.  On Juniatha's T-1 color schemes, I've got to go with the green.  It's not Pennsy's Brunswick  (three parts black, one part green) Green, more like Lionels version of Brunswick Green.  Looks better than the real thing anyway.  If this keeps up Ms. Juniatha's going to turn me into a T-1 fan.  I call it the Pennsylvaniasaurus, after a painting someone did several years ago.

On articulated slippage and "synching", I suppose in the end it wasn't that much of a concern to the RR's that used them, or the type would have been discarded long before the end of the steam era.  I remember reading an article in a 1989 issue of "Trains" written by Steve Lee about running the Union Pacific's 4-6-6-4  #3985.  Ol' Steve said that "jackrabbit" starting an articulated would cause the water in the boiler to surge back towards the firebox, thus reducing the weight on the front engine and causing slippage.  Slow and steady starts were the key.

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Posted by GP40-2 on Thursday, July 7, 2011 4:29 PM

BigJim
and certainly this was one reason why Mallet type articulateds were never competitive in power output productivity (kW per ton of engine service mass) to rigid frame engines . 

 

With the exception being the above mentioned "Improved Y5/Y6 classes.

How?

The "improved" Y5/Y6 produced about the same maximum HP as a big 4-8-4, but the engine weight was close to 70 tons higher.

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Posted by jwhitten on Thursday, July 7, 2011 9:59 AM

Spinner5711

John,

 

Yes they did, at here in NSW they did.  it was a phenomenom exhibited by our D-57, D-58 and AD-60 Class locomotives.  From what I know, the drivers wore relatively evenly, with a slight worse wear on the main driving wheelset.

The 57s & 58s were three cylinder 4-8-2 heavy goods locomotives and the 60s were 4-8-4+4-8-4 Beyer Garratts, for heavy goods work too.  These locomotives would develop what was called 'skidded tyres' which caused rough riding as well as further loss of adhesion.

Look here, http://www.australiansteam.com/nswgrframe.htm, to see what they look like.  5711, 6029, 6039, 6040 and 6042 are the survivors.

 

 

If I understand what you're saying, you're agreeing that the drivers did wear in ellipsoidal patterns..? So my follow-up question is if that's the case, wouldn't that have complicated the traction scenario a bit, not to mention adding additional destructive pounding to the rails? How long does it take for the wheels to wear enough to cause problems? How often were the tires changed out? (And was that enough, or was the damage / wear also to the actual wheel itself?)

John

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
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Posted by Spinner5711 on Thursday, July 7, 2011 4:46 AM

John,

 

Yes they did, at here in NSW they did.  it was a phenomenom exhibited by our D-57, D-58 and AD-60 Class locomotives.  From what I know, the drivers wore relatively evenly, with a slight worse wear on the main driving wheelset.

The 57s & 58s were three cylinder 4-8-2 heavy goods locomotives and the 60s were 4-8-4+4-8-4 Beyer Garratts, for heavy goods work too.  These locomotives would develop what was called 'skidded tyres' which caused rough riding as well as further loss of adhesion.

Look here, http://www.australiansteam.com/nswgrframe.htm, to see what they look like.  5711, 6029, 6039, 6040 and 6042 are the survivors.

 

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Posted by BigJim on Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:07 AM

 I guess many Mallets used some sort of ‘artificial’ mass augmentation on the front unit – as these were substantial pieces they presented no small increase of engine mass  

The N&W poured lead into the front engine frames of the "Improved Y5/Y6 classes.

and certainly this was one reason why Mallet type articulateds were never competitive in power output productivity (kW per ton of engine service mass) to rigid frame engines . 

With the exception being the above mentioned "Improved Y5/Y6 classes.

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Posted by Firelock76 on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 6:50 PM
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Posted by mcsauerkraut_141 on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 9:44 AM

Hi,

I read this fine thread for weeks and Im hppay, that Juniatha is still with us.

Please let me give some remarks to the topic "slippery Duplex Engines".

First of all, as I recall the test reports of the C&O and N&W tests of PRR T1, the T1 was much less slippery than most publications tell. The N&W tests compared the T1 and the J with predictable results: The T1 superseeded the J at sppeds above 75 mph. Especially the N&W reports nothing on "slipping". They did report, that the engineer and tireman hat to learn to work the engine. However, it was a bit more complicated to handle than useal two-cylinder engines.

This is simply due to the task, the T1 was designed for: Haul fast passenger trains on level tracks.

An internal connecting of the due set of drivers could have been successfull. In France, the PLM bullt  in 1932 10 engines of 2-4-6-2 wheel arrangement,. This were - of course - compound engines, the low pressure cylinders drove the first two drivers, the high pressure cylinders the second set of three drivers. These engines might have had - as some sources tell -  internal rods between the two sets of drivers. The 151A of the SNCF are reported to be quite succesful. The engines lasted till the end of the 50s.

The B&O experimented on their Duplex 5600 with different driver diameters. One set was reduced by one inch, the impact on slipping was none.

However, I doubt if connecting rods on a simple Duplex would be really succesfull. The steam connection of o compound would make more sense.

Hope to read more on this,

McS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted by jwhitten on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 6:09 AM

 

I have a question-- did the drivers tend to wear in non-circular patterns? Become slightly elongated or ellipsoid over time? And if so, was there a difference in the wear patterns between drivers in the same set versus drivers in multiple (coupled or tandem) sets? (What I know about any of this would easily fill a thimble-- with ample room to spare :-)

 

John

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
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Posted by Juniatha on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 10:31 PM

Hi Big Jim and Feltonhill ,

 

               Interesting to read the drive sets of A class simple expansion Mallets did synchronize to that extent .   As for ramp work that should indicate the engines were run at high output rate , pretty hard up to adhesion limit – which would correspond with what is known of N&W steam traction .   Pressure waves in the long intake and exhaust pipes may have had an influence , although I think frequency of valve openings were too slow in ramp work at adhesion limit , if there was an influence of proper frequency at some higher speed it would have affected output of the hind drive set more than the front one .  

               Synchronized exhaust beats would be heard at four relative phases front to rear unit – 0 ° – 90 ° – 180 ° –  270 ° of which to my theory 0 ° would be optimum , 180 ° would be worst with 90 ° and 270 ° in between . Since at each quarter there seems to be local optimum , synchronization by micro slip could get ‘trapped’ at 90 ° / 270 ° .

Quarter slip is a slow macro slip that developed at peak torque during wheel turn but was not powerful enough to develop into a full slip before torque entered next low during wheel turn and this was enough to stop that slip .   To do that , the slip factor (travel on wheel rim to travel on rail) must remain below a level where adhesion starts to drop severely .   Modern synchronous motors electrics use increase in adhesion or rather : friction between wheel tire and rail found under condition of controlled increased slip between micro and macro slip to maximize t.e. as motor rpm can be finely controlled and a very small increase  of rpm , indicative of starting full slip , would result in sharp drop of motor turning moment , thus preventing slip to start .  

As for steam , main rods worked at varying angles and had a definite length to piston stroke relation ;  in consequence approaches to front and rear d.c. were not equivalent and mid-stoke position was not at 90 ° to d.c. That caused unequal distribution and values of peak torque points over wheel turn .   Adding up on this were valve timing errors and unequal cut offs / release points .   By quarter slip a synchronization ‘trapped’ at one quarter should have moved on to full synchronization , however if a slip started from that position it might more likely have developed into a full slip because there was no better relative position next quarter that could stop the slip . 

 

 

Hi CSSHEGEWISCH

 The idea of having 1 inch difference in diameter sounds intriguing , right .   However , what was to be gained by it ?   Necessarily the drive sets would periodically go though all relative phases from 0 ° to 360 ° – thus covering all advantageous and adverse relative positions over a relatively short stretch of track .   This effectively would have limited safe power output to a rate transmissible in the most adverse relative phasing of the drive sets – or else there would have been periodically repeated wheel slips as that adverse relative phase was being approached .   Excuse me , but I think the idea bespoke a lack of finer understanding of interactions between drive sets and was a 'shot in the dark' effort at evoking ‘average’ conditions lest there might be one or the other that were adverse .   However , the idea does not answer its consequential effect of all possible relative positions being called up and among these also the worst – no matter which one it was . 

As on the T-1 locomotives front unit was said to have slipped markedly more often , and lively so , than rear unit , the locomotives would likely have acquired unequal driving wheel diameters in front and rear unit after some time in traffic – with tread wear difference could well have surpassed 1 inch diameter difference .   In fact , steam locos tended to wear tires unevenly -a- over circumference of wheel -b- on different axles in a set of coupled axles .   If my theory is correct , such engines with unequal tire wear should have been more prone to slipping than those with freshly turned or new tires as  mechanical inexactitudes forced micro slip even at low t.e. working or coasting .  Among the last of Decapod steam on DR and PKP I had seen examples supporting this consideration : engines with worn down tires seemed to slip more easily , more frequently and more violently than engines with new or turned tires .  

 

 

Hi Jim Valle ,

 

>> The rear set of drivers simply has much more "dig" than the front set which sometimes slips and occasionally just drifts along letting the rear drivers pull the train. <<

 

Now , that’s appalling ! I mean , it’s plain unsocial , drive sets should work together as partners , each taking it’s fair share of the load !   Guess you should have a serious talk to this slothful front set , maybe bring down the message you could as well consider rebuilding the locomotive into a Berkshire , getting rid of that vain front idler altogether if it doesn’t shape up swiftly now !   Or if that rather rude address doesn’t work , there was a book by – I believe her name if I recall correctly was – Dr. psych. esot. Indiramadra Chandrapendivanughanij and the book’s title was , let’s see .. oh :  “Yoga for locomotives with dual drive sets – how to rebalance your flow of energy by realizing and resolving blockades built up in daily working routine” .. or so .   It was more aimed at Beyer-Garratt types , though , but I guess a Yellowstone could also …

Well , you see , I have no explanation for this and couldn’t since I don’t know the model .   Principally , most HO models tend to start up abruptly like your typical rabbit when it sees a fresh carrot – not like big steamers staging a pathetic crescendo of hissing steam and gathering power prior to gravely setting into sedated movement that more than underlines the gorgeous sublimity , grand royalty and bodacious magnificence that is in a steam locomotive (and besides all that grand theatre , mind you , it can do useful work by simply pulling a train , too – now if that isn’t one stupendous mechano-enigmatic wondermarvel then I don’t know what’s in it that intrigues me again and again) .

Seriously , now

Engine mass on front unit in Mallet type articulateds :  yes , I was wondering myself how they could get enough mass on the front engine – until I saw some erecting shop pictures of the front unit frames assembly for UP Challenger :  why , they had used something called a ‘back bone’ installed between frames proper .   It reminded me of a coquille in size and shape or it looked not unlike a piece of lead inserted in a model locomotive to add up mass .   That way , they indeed arrived at practically equal adhesion mass on front drive set as on back drive set .   I guess many Mallets used some sort of ‘artificial’ mass augmentation on the front unit – as these were substantial pieces they presented no small increase of engine mass and certainly this was one reason why Mallet type articulateds were never competitive in power output productivity (kW per ton of engine service mass) to rigid frame engines .   As for real locomotives , the front unit could still be more prone to slipping because in normal forward running it was this unit that hit a low adhesion spot first .   As it started spinning , throttle was usually eased and this way the second unit seemingly never slipped on the same spot although it might have , had throttle and valve gear setting remained unaltered .

As for the T-1 , the class had both drive sets combined in one system of balanced springing while the front bogie was separately sprung – so there should have been no weight transfer from front to back unit by influence of starting t. e. .

 

Regards

         Juniatha

 

Edit :  Remark inserted different tire wear on T-1 having caused difference in actual wheel diameter

 

 

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Posted by JimValle on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 4:57 PM

Hi again Juniatha:  Your discussion on the cause of articulated and duplex drives getting their drive units out of phase with the front unit tending to slip was most fascinating.  I have a viedo tape of the UP Challenger trying to start its train on Altamont Pass while on the way to the Railfair at San Jose some years ago.  As the engineer opened his throttle, the lead unit broke loose and slipped like mad for several seconds until it caught its grip and the train started to gain a little speed.  I always thought it could be because there was more engine weight on the rear set of drivers .  After all, the rear of the engine supports the firebox and many of the other appliances while the front end only supports the front of the boiler and the pilot and perhaps a few appliances.  Strangely enough I operate a heavily built brass 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone ( HO Scale ) on my club layout and the same thing happens.  The rear set of drivers simply has much more "dig" than the front set which sometimes slips and occasionally just drifts along letting the rear drivers pull the train.  I know, I know!  There's a world of difference between HO brass and full scale live steam.  Still.......

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Posted by feltonhill on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 12:22 PM

I'd like to suggest that part of this in-phase/out-of-phase discussion may have something to do with what's called "quarter-slip."  This phenomenon is caused by the uneven 4-pulse torque curve of a steam locomotive over one revolution of the drivers.  One of the peaks is higher than the rest, and if working near the limit of adhesion, the drivers on one engine may slip several degrees in response to this peak.

There are many recordings of the N&W Class A's (2-6-6-4)  in both regular service (O WInston Link and Bud Swearer being the best known) and excursion service (1218, with many videos and recordings made).  Frequently you hear 4 exhaust beats per  revolution, indicating the the two engines are operating in-phase.    Other times, the drivers are slightly out of phase and the peculiar and dramatic "double-licks" are heard. 

During heavy work on a grade, in-phase working can be heard most easily, and an A can sustain an almost metronome-perfect beat for considerable lengths of time.  However, if the quarter-slip phenomenon occurs, the exhaust will drift to an out-of-phase sound (syncopated).  Sometimes the exhaust will stay that way, and sometime the two engines will get back in step.

This opinion only addresses whether the exhausts are in-step or out-of-step relative to each other, not that the crankpin locations of each engine are in exactly the same position.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 10:17 AM

The comment about differing driver diameters was intriguing.  I remember reading that when PRR put out a Request For Proposal for the T-1, Lima suggested differing driver diameters for each set to prevent them from ever getting in phase.

The green on the T-1 looks best when compared to the other colors.  If not a Studebaker Commander, a Greyhound Super Scenicruiser (also a Loewy design) would have looked good on the paralleling highway.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by BigJim on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 9:14 AM

This had been noticed by André Chapelon when he had a ride with #5600 during his 1938 visit to the United States (report on journey in Revue Generale) , in short he noted that drive sets of 5600 – and also those of simple expansion Mallet locomotives where the beats of each the sets could be heard – would turn at any relative phasing they happened to have acquired as long as tractive effort was not high , such as during zigzagging through switches to back up to a train .   However , when tractive effort was high as in starting a heavy train then the sets would tend to settle to nearly in phase running . 

Juniatha,
I find your comments very interesting. This discussion has come up before with some saying that it didn't  and couldn't happen. Listening to hours of tapes of N&W Class A locos pulling hard up the Blue Ridge grade proves the naysayers wrong and that it did happen regularly. Even more moderm videos of the 1218 taken in excursion service show that after starting it didn't take very many rotations for the front and rear engine to sync up.

Not having an engineering background, such as your own, my thought on the cause of this phenomenon was the steam scavenging through the exhaust nozzle or in other words the steam taking the path of least resistance setting up the front and rear engines to run "in sync".

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Thank you all - & - back to track with steam as a theme
Posted by Juniatha on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 5:14 AM

Hello Folks

 

Thank you all for your kind encouragements !

 

 Well , as Firelock wrote – let’s get back to topics steam …

 

Pat mentioning slipping problem of Duplex cured by inner coupling with drive sets in phase

Doña de la tempestad !   I had thought this to be so !

No kidding , see :

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=42536&sid=2a7e2b07633f0a21f71829b129393050

posting of Mon Aug 20 2007; point 4a/b and posting of Mon Sept 03 2007 ; answer to typewriter Q-2 performance , answer to timz - why not 180 °


However , I think crank axles inner coupling only works that well on a model engine since all forces and loads are very much reduced in comparison to surface areas or cross sections since mass is reduced by cube of scale while cross sections only come down by square of scale – i e with a 1:10 model fully true to scale , axle cross sections or bearing surfaces are 1/100 of real engine while mass is but 1/1000  - that is why live steam models can be worked on much lower pressures .   Again , I wonder characteristics had become that prominent in a model .   In real engines the size and mass of a T-1 inner coupling by crank axles would likely cause a number of problems that in my view would clearly outweigh any advantages of such a disposition as compared to a classic arrangement four cylinder engine with but one instead of two crank axles .   

One of the original points promoted by Baldwin with the Duplex concept was reduction of hammer blow and while most of the reduction was to result from partition of cylinder forces , it was also hoped for a lower factor of reciprocating mass balancing necessary when the two drive set would not work in phase .   As one author recently wrote , B&O 5600 was supposed to have been equipped with 1 inch difference in wheel diameter between sets in order to prevent the sets to run in phase so to avoid reciprocating masses to add up .   I have never read about that anywhere else and if so this would have had sets running in and out of phase in regular intervals and this would not have solved anything .  Could anyone shed a light on this odd proposition (if it wasn’t just a tall story by that author) ? Add .:  Clearly different driver diameter have in fact been tried on the early Santa Fe 4-4-6-2 articulated boiler engine(s) .   This appears to have been an effort to 'balance' the differing configurations in front and rear engine .   It can be said in hindsight that the engine(s) were , well , pretty far from succeeding (no matter what driver diameter , yet although it didn't matter much , it didn't help either) .

Even without this strange feature, sets would tend to change relative phases during a start / during a run .   This had been noticed by André Chapelon when he had a ride with #5600 during his 1938 visit to the United States (report on journey in Revue Generale) , in short he noted that drive sets of 5600 – and also those of simple expansion Mallet locomotives where the beats of each the sets could be heard – would turn at any relative phasing they happened to have acquired as long as tractive effort was not high , such as during zigzagging through switches to back up to a train .   However , when tractive effort was high as in starting a heavy train then the sets would tend to settle to nearly in phase running .   To me this seemed curious , at first inexplicable :  how could one set ‘know’ what the other was doing ?   Trying to visualize in mind mechanical action of piston forces on pins , wheels and axles it came to me that axle torsion was a vital factor in two cylinder engines .  

That explained a peculiar behaviour I had noted on (worn out , thus having plenty of play in drives) Decapod engines :  when starting , they went into a proper frequency at a certain medium low speed (around 25 mph in this case) where they started nosing ;  as speed rose this faded out and the engines gained their habitual straight forward running , with vivid longitudinal oscillation due to low balancing factor of reciprocating masses but laterally stable , without twisting or hunting . If tractive effort of one set of drivers would tend to react on frames so as to alternatingly twist longitudinal axis off line with track axis , then two drive sets could interfere with each other if their piston forces would cause contradicting reactions of frames as it was if the sets would be at or near 180 ° phase relative to each other .   This would result in easier slipping as each of the sets could not fully apply adhesion mass without micro slip of one side of wheels – which tends to destroy adhesion (in design of modern high performance electrics great care is being taken to avoid uneven wheel pull per side at any rate) .   If the two sets were in phase , however they would work pretty much like one combined set , thus detrimental effect on adhesion would be minimized .   I figured , this behaviour should have been markedly more prominent with an engine having two drive sets in one rigid frame than in an articulated engine because with separate , although hinged , frames the drive sets have more freedom individually to inscribe in track in reaction to their piston forces .   Still , in some videos of Challenger 3985 running drive sets can be seen to join in phase when running fast or at high output .

What I didn’t have were any reports about how severe this characteristic did make itself noticed in practice .   As I interpreted literature on T-1 slippage issue , it was not so much a matter of these engines showing a definite and permanent reduction of adhesion as compared to engines with one drive set and comparable adhesion mass but rather a degree of unpredictability combining with a general trend of reduced adhesion .   Positioning the two sets in phase would thus have been vital in any application of inner coupling – however , had the Pennsy attempted it I feel  they would rather have chosen an opposed positioning in order to balance out reciprocating masses of each the sets since there was some criticism of the engines oscillating when drive sets were in phase due to low degree balancing of reciprocating masses – consequentially , the Pennsy might have found inner coupling would not help starting while adding more latent causes for damages .

A problem comparable to some extend afflicted three cylinder Pacifics with dual axle drive (inside cylinder worked on first driver) .   Although it was generally believed three cylinder engines had a better starting characteristic because of more uniform torque (theoretically , if considered combined !) , this was obviously not so at least in some classes of such engines , such as the British SR Bulleid Pacifics or the 012 class of DB .   These engines also suffered from micro slip acting on various axles and wheels alternatively during a turn of wheels thus destroying uniform adhesion of all wheels at all times .  

 

Ed , I understand you suggest to drive valves for both drive sets by just valve gear from one set ?

That way , starting considerations with a locomotive rolling fresh from factory everything would be alright as long as sets remained perfectly in relative phase as set up – and I mean perfectly !   As soon as minor influences make themselves noticed such as differences in tracking , differences in micro slip – not even mentioning a real slip – then the cylinders receiving valve gear control from the other set would start to work at haphazard valve events , opening either too late or too early .   Eventually these out of time valve events would probably stop that drive set of further deviation from intended phasing , however only as cylinder work becomes seriously hampered .   Valve events would not have enough influence though to re-establish fully correct relative phasing and thus the cylinders controlled by derived motion would have to run at ill-timed valve events . This would affect power output as well as bear heavily on cylinder efficiency .   

Flexing of derived motion valve gear was often noted when outside alve gear was used to run a four cylinder compound (one drive) with derived motion to inside cylinders .   Valve errors were noticeable to varying degrees in such engines – to disadvantage of power and efficiency .   With three cylinder engines , a basically comparable thing was done to avoid inner valve gear for middle cylinder .   Again , imperfections and valve errors made themselves noticed in traffic , arguably calling the engine in for running repairs more often than with three independent valve gear sets .   

My old saying applies to all these efforts at getting some advantage without paying for it :

Nothin’ gained for free

in design of machinery

And lest we forget about the aesthetic aspects – here’s a painting by Lodlow with colors rearranged by me :  Loewy in a Study “Eet has to look like ze aeroplane” Commander pacing a T-1 .   Now which color do you like best on the locomotive :

 

Black

Steely (bluish grey-metallic)

Green (if not exactly Brunswick)

Copper (at dawn – sorry Raymond some green got on your car)

So , what do you say ? 


Kind regards

Juniatha

 

Edit:

Some missing words inserted, some changed for better fitting ones


 


 

 

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Posted by 7j43k on Sunday, July 3, 2011 2:35 PM

Yardmaster01

 

When the two engine sets were in time, all was well but as soon as they got out of time massive slipping occurred.  His solution was to rebuild the locomotive with the second and third axles cranked and an inside connecting rod between them to keep the engine sets in time.  After this modification the Q2 would pull as much as a scale Big Boy or Alleghany.

 

 

I have wondered for awhile if, on the duplex drive locos (or articulateds, for that matter), it would have been wise to have only one set of valve gear driving both front and rear piston valves.  It would appear impossible for the two engines ever to get significantly out of time, though perhaps the secondary engine would have problems.  Or perhaps not.  I don't recall anyone's trying this as an experiment.

 

Ed

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Posted by Yardmaster01 on Sunday, July 3, 2011 1:19 PM

Juniatha;

My 2 Cents  I post on several forums and belong to a few organizations but I have to say that the railfan community in general seems to have the largest problem of one member having more knowlege on a subject than somebody else.  On most forums if someone is presented with new knowlege on a subject dear to them they will acknowlege it and move on.

For some reason when an "expert" in the railfan community is proven to be not as informed as he thought, many times venality and name calling are the result.  As was said before, don't let the rantings of the few uninformed influence your decision on posting here.   Having said that................

Yeah, I have to agree the Pennsy T1s looked elegant and the Q freighters were hard to beat  for that industrial "muscle" look.  Many of you might find this interesting:  A member of the live steam community built a 1/8 scale Q2 but found that it wouldn't pull a train half the weight that his friends little 2-6-0 would pull.  No matter what he did concerning valve timing and throttle application the Q2 would simply spin it's wheels at start up.

When the two engine sets were in time, all was well but as soon as they got out of time massive slipping occurred.  His solution was to rebuild the locomotive with the second and third axles cranked and an inside connecting rod between them to keep the engine sets in time.  After this modification the Q2 would pull as much as a scale Big Boy or Alleghany.

I read this in an issue of Live Steam about ten years ago and have been wondering if the Ts and Qs were only a connecting rod away from being truly great machines instead of a sad side note to dieselization.  Oh well, coulda woulda shoulda.......................................

                                                                                    Pat.

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Posted by switch7frg on Saturday, July 2, 2011 9:22 PM

Juniatha; your views on the threads here shows quite clearly the great engineering degree you have .   It is hoped that you would stay here, and I believe that some not nice comment   would not drive you away.

                             Respectfully, Jim  ( Cannonball)

Y6bs evergreen in my mind

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Posted by Firelock76 on Saturday, July 2, 2011 8:39 PM

I'm going to say one last thing about "Mental Midgets"  insult to Juniatha, that'll be the end of it and hopefully we can get this thread back to where it's supposed to be, such as who built the best looking and why, and other things.

The thing I love (and I don't use the word loosely) about the Forum is the chance to interact and learn from other railfans from across the country and across the "Pond", and maybe from other parts of the world.  People I'd never get to meet and converse with under other circumstances.  It's a wonderful thing, and thanks to "Trains" magazine to make it  possible.  I've learned here, I've made friends here, maybe even saved a life here.   I've had laughs here too.  And I'm sure there's some lonely ones out there who think of the Forum as a lifeline to others who share the same passions.

That being said, there is no, and there should be no room on this site for the angry little gnomes who hide behind a computer screen and cybernet anonymity to be cruel, insulting and otherwise disgusting.  We want no cyberbullies here.  I'll have no bullies here as much as it's in my power to prevent it.  If you want to bully or insult be man enough to put your own name on it, but as a bully is a coward at heart that's not likely to happen.

So, Mr. Tdmidget, I never want to see you here again.  And may God forgive you for that vile insult you threw at Juniatha, because I never will.

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, July 1, 2011 9:34 PM

Firelock76

And Juniatha, you keep on posting young lady!   Don't let some troglodite scare you off!   I and many others enjoy everything you have to say, you bring a fresh perspective to the site, and every time you post we all learn something, whether some want to admit it or not.  Rally 'round, gentlemen!  Support our local Steam Queen!

Yes, Juniatha, please contnue sharing your knowledge with the rest of us who visit this thread. You certainly have added to the store of knowledge of ateam locomotive operation, and I have difficultycomprehending why any of us would be jealous of what you have acquired and share as the occasion arises; I have understood that we are happy to share our own knowledge and are always willing to fill the gaps in our own knowledge.

In the next forty years (when you will have reached my current age) you will have, I expect, have given much pleasure to the afficionados of steam locomotives as they learn from you.

Johnny

  • Member since
    August 2010
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 8,955 posts
Posted by Firelock76 on Friday, July 1, 2011 7:11 PM

And Juniatha, you keep on posting young lady!   Don't let some troglodite scare you off!   I and many others enjoy everything you have to say, you bring a fresh perspective to the site, and every time you post we all learn something, whether some want to admit it or not.  Rally 'round, gentlemen!  Support our local Steam Queen!

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, July 1, 2011 6:52 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g

jwhitten

 

 

Um.... you might want to reconsider your appeal to logic... look where it got these guys...

CROWD:  A witch!  A witch!  A witch!  We've got a witch!  A witch!
VILLAGER #1:  We have found a witch, might we burn her?
CROWD:  Burn her!  Burn!
BEDEMIR:  How do you know she is a witch?
VILLAGER #2:  She looks like one.
BEDEMIR:  Bring her forward.
WITCH:  I'm not a witch.  I'm not a witch.
BEDEMIR:  But you are dressed as one.
WITCH:  They dressed me up like this.
CROWD:  No, we didn't... no.
WITCH:  And this isn't my nose, it's a false one.
BEDEMIR:  Well?
VILLAGER #1:  Well, we did do the nose.
BEDEMIR:  The nose?
VILLAGER #1:  And the hat -- but she is a witch!
CROWD:  Burn her!  Witch!  Witch!  Burn her!
BEDEMIR:  Did you dress her up like this?
CROWD:  No, no... no ... yes.  Yes, yes, a bit, a bit.
VILLAGER #1:  She has got a wart.
BEDEMIR:  What makes you think she is a witch?
VILLAGER #3:  Well, she turned me into a newt.
BEDEMIR:  A newt?
VILLAGER #3:  I got better.
VILLAGER #2:  Burn her anyway!
CROWD:  Burn!  Burn her!
BEDEMIR:  Quiet, quiet.  Quiet!  There are ways of telling whether
    she is a witch.
CROWD:  Are there?  What are they?
BEDEMIR:  Tell me, what do you do with witches?
VILLAGER #2:  Burn!
CROWD:  Burn, burn them up!
BEDEMIR:  And what do you burn apart from witches?
VILLAGER #1:  More witches!
VILLAGER #2:  Wood!
BEDEMIR:  So, why do witches burn?
    [pause]
VILLAGER #3:  B--... 'cause they're made of wood...?
BEDEMIR:  Good!
CROWD:  Oh yeah, yeah...
BEDEMIR:  So, how do we tell whether she is made of wood?
VILLAGER #1:  Build a bridge out of her.
BEDEMIR:  Aah, but can you not also build bridges out of stone?
VILLAGER #2:  Oh, yeah.
BEDEMIR:  Does wood sink in water?
VILLAGER #1:  No, no.
VILLAGER #2:  It floats!  It floats!
VILLAGER #1:  Throw her into the pond!
CROWD:  The pond!
BEDEMIR:  What also floats in water?
VILLAGER #1:  Bread!
VILLAGER #2:  Apples!
VILLAGER #3:  Very small rocks!
VILLAGER #1:  Cider!
VILLAGER #2:  Great gravy!
VILLAGER #1:  Cherries!
VILLAGER #2:  Mud!
VILLAGER #3:  Churches -- churches!
VILLAGER #2:  Lead -- lead!
ARTHUR:  A duck.
CROWD:  Oooh.
BEDEMIR:  Exactly!  So, logically...,
VILLAGER #1:  If... she.. weighs the same as a duck, she's made of wood.
BEDEMIR:  And therefore--?
VILLAGER #1:  A witch!
CROWD:  A witch!
BEDEMIR:  We shall use my larger scales!

Laugh


John


Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    August 2010
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 8,955 posts
Posted by Firelock76 on Friday, July 1, 2011 6:50 PM

Well, well Mr. Tmidget.  I promised myself I would NEVER hide behind the anonymity that this site provides, viewing it as a priviledge not to be abused, but I feel like abusing it RIGHT NOW!  As a former Marine I posess a quite blistering vocabulary  (think R. Lee Ermey in "Full Metal Jacket") I'd like to turn on you, but I'd get myself banned for life from the site,  and at any rate the only thing that would come through is ******* or ********* or other asterisk laden substitutes.  I suppose TMidget refers to your intelligence, and not your size.   Do us all a favor and grow up a bit before you enter this site again.  There, you just recieved a .75 caliber round ball from the Firelock.  Don't make me fix  the bayonet next time.  If you can't accept the fact a woman has the grasp of engineering that Juniatha has that's YOUR problem.  Wise up and join the 21st Century!

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Northern VA
  • 3,050 posts
Posted by jwhitten on Friday, July 1, 2011 3:20 PM

Juniatha

Ok, everybody

 

First of all, thank you John for applying some good common sense to this non-railway topic.

For all who might have wondered: ok, I'm not so young anymore, my 35th is coming up in these weeks, yet I might be considered born too late for steam in respect of American RRs. However, I have made no bones about my having lived in Germany for most of my life and since re-unification in 1990 there have been a few last chances to see 'live steam' on East German DR and in Poland, and some other countries, besides steam events which were quite frequent in Germany and in Britain during the 1990s. Yet, all that would not have triggered anything if it had not been for my dad's influence, I think I have allowed that to be felt in some remarks. 

I want to ask in reverse: to go posting in what is known to be a 99.9 % men's forum - why on earth should someone take on a female gender and expose oneself to some abusive remarks like this if it wasn't so? [...] This is self-fullfilling closed circle argumentation that doesn't relate to reality and doesn't want to.

 

Um.... you might want to reconsider your appeal to logic... look where it got these guys...

CROWD:  A witch!  A witch!  A witch!  We've got a witch!  A witch!
VILLAGER #1:  We have found a witch, might we burn her?
CROWD:  Burn her!  Burn!
BEDEMIR:  How do you know she is a witch?
VILLAGER #2:  She looks like one.
BEDEMIR:  Bring her forward.
WITCH:  I'm not a witch.  I'm not a witch.
BEDEMIR:  But you are dressed as one.
WITCH:  They dressed me up like this.
CROWD:  No, we didn't... no.
WITCH:  And this isn't my nose, it's a false one.
BEDEMIR:  Well?
VILLAGER #1:  Well, we did do the nose.
BEDEMIR:  The nose?
VILLAGER #1:  And the hat -- but she is a witch!
CROWD:  Burn her!  Witch!  Witch!  Burn her!
BEDEMIR:  Did you dress her up like this?
CROWD:  No, no... no ... yes.  Yes, yes, a bit, a bit.
VILLAGER #1:  She has got a wart.
BEDEMIR:  What makes you think she is a witch?
VILLAGER #3:  Well, she turned me into a newt.
BEDEMIR:  A newt?
VILLAGER #3:  I got better.
VILLAGER #2:  Burn her anyway!
CROWD:  Burn!  Burn her!
BEDEMIR:  Quiet, quiet.  Quiet!  There are ways of telling whether
    she is a witch.
CROWD:  Are there?  What are they?
BEDEMIR:  Tell me, what do you do with witches?
VILLAGER #2:  Burn!
CROWD:  Burn, burn them up!
BEDEMIR:  And what do you burn apart from witches?
VILLAGER #1:  More witches!
VILLAGER #2:  Wood!
BEDEMIR:  So, why do witches burn?
    [pause]
VILLAGER #3:  B--... 'cause they're made of wood...?
BEDEMIR:  Good!
CROWD:  Oh yeah, yeah...
BEDEMIR:  So, how do we tell whether she is made of wood?
VILLAGER #1:  Build a bridge out of her.
BEDEMIR:  Aah, but can you not also build bridges out of stone?
VILLAGER #2:  Oh, yeah.
BEDEMIR:  Does wood sink in water?
VILLAGER #1:  No, no.
VILLAGER #2:  It floats!  It floats!
VILLAGER #1:  Throw her into the pond!
CROWD:  The pond!
BEDEMIR:  What also floats in water?
VILLAGER #1:  Bread!
VILLAGER #2:  Apples!
VILLAGER #3:  Very small rocks!
VILLAGER #1:  Cider!
VILLAGER #2:  Great gravy!
VILLAGER #1:  Cherries!
VILLAGER #2:  Mud!
VILLAGER #3:  Churches -- churches!
VILLAGER #2:  Lead -- lead!
ARTHUR:  A duck.
CROWD:  Oooh.
BEDEMIR:  Exactly!  So, logically...,
VILLAGER #1:  If... she.. weighs the same as a duck, she's made of wood.
BEDEMIR:  And therefore--?
VILLAGER #1:  A witch!
CROWD:  A witch!
BEDEMIR:  We shall use my larger scales!

Laugh


John
Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Friday, July 1, 2011 1:16 PM

Thanks for your feedback about the (now deleted) comment and the apparent cynicism behind it, Juniatha.  You are quite right to expect to be welcomed in this forum as your sex is irrelevant, and so is your age.  I happen to have enjoyed your participation, being able to speak only for myself, and I am grateful you continue to post here, some of the unpleasantness notwithstanding.

I ask you to continue to be courageous and determined if only so that I can continue to benefit from those qualities as they allow you to provide your insights about steam locomotives.

Smile

Crandell

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 755 posts
I changed this headline since this is not about thoughts on tender trucks and water tank valves
Posted by Juniatha on Friday, July 1, 2011 1:04 PM

Ok, everybody

 

First of all, thank you John for applying some good common sense to this non-railway topic.

For all who might have wondered: ok, I'm not so young anymore, my 35th is coming up in these weeks, yet I might be considered born too late for steam in respect of American RRs. However, I have made no bones about my having lived in Germany for most of my life and since re-unification in 1990 there have been a few last chances to see 'live steam' on East German DR and in Poland, and some other countries, besides steam events which were quite frequent in Germany and in Britain during the 1990s. Yet, all that would not have triggered anything if it had not been for my dad's influence, I think I have allowed that to be felt in some remarks. 

I want to ask in reverse: to go posting in what is known to be a 99.9 % men's forum - why on earth should someone take on a female gender and expose oneself to some abusive remarks like this if it wasn't so? If I was intending to lead on I would find more peace and ease by taking on an alleged male user name - right? Speaking of it: what makes you so sure about all participants using a male first name, let alone those who use a railroading term or a locomotive number, really are men? However – as for me it would be a bit stark to ask me to hide my sex, an integral part of my personality, mind it, only to avoid disturbing those who have opted for themselves to keep an old point of view like "What she posts must be wrong by default because women don't know anything about technical stuff  /  if it's not wrong then this user cannot be a woman because we believe women don’t know anything about technical stuff!" This is self-fulfilling closed circle argumentation that doesn't relate to reality and doesn't want to.

Folks, first of all, cool down, women do not intend to threaten any 'last men-only stands' or the like. All I do is to offer my 50 c to some talk about steam - all by itself a topic we don't have to struggle nor fight about since it's past technology anyways. All we want to do is exchange a few ideas. I'm not intending to disturb anyone nor impose my views on people who have some of their own - why, they may have their reasons and I respect that.

Second: It appears some of you may only recently have discovered my avatar picture is that of Xena. For good reasons of self-protection I had long since withdrawn a real portrait of mine - blame those - few - who remain 13 years heads, including all the nasty aspects of that age. I believe this portrait of Xena is a fair offer as it comes quite near to me in looks. 

All I am asking is to respect – although the majority of women in fact care less about technical things than men do in general – there are some exceptions, in both ways, that is: there are men who don’t care about inner technical secrets of their car and why should they if they chose to become base ball player, artist, musician, medical doctor or psychiatrist. On the other hand, is Danica Patrick a threat to Indy Car Racing? What about female astronauts? NASA had no problem. 

So, take it easy, I'm just another steam locomotive fan - that's all, the world will continue to turn same as ever.

Regards 

Juniatha

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Friday, July 1, 2011 12:23 PM

BaltACD

Why does the chicken cross the road?

Because it can (if it doesn't become road kill).

 tdmidget:

[Edited by selector to remove offensive comment.]

Why has this thread changed it's name 17 times?  [Because each person who responds can alter the title.  This is done on many forums, not so often here.]

Why does the admin allow it?  [ It is not against the rules.]

 

I had wondered about the changes, and now I know.

Johnny

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, July 1, 2011 10:20 AM

Why does the chicken cross the road?

Because it can (if it doesn't become road kill).

tdmidget

[Edited by selector to remove offensive comment.]

Why has this thread changed it's name 17 times?  [Because each person who responds can alter the title.  This is done on many forums, not so often here.]

Why does the admin allow it?  [ It is not against the rules.]

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Northern VA
  • 3,050 posts
Posted by jwhitten on Friday, July 1, 2011 10:14 AM

tdmidget

What makes you think that Juniatha is a young lady? Probably a 60 year old fat guy sitting there in his dirty drawers leading you on.

Why has this thread changed it's name 17 times?

Why does the admin allow it?

 

So what if she is? She still writes and expresses herself far more eloquently than all of us lugs put together with a two-hour head start! Here on the Internet and in the MR forums, she is simply a "kindred spirit", inexorably drawn, as are we all, to the trains and the prospect of railroading! So why else does it matter? Unless you were perhaps thinking about a marriage proposal or something.... (I know the thought has crossed *my* mind a few times... but perhaps I should keep that to myself.... not to mention that my actual wife might have a thing or two to say about it Laugh)

So Juniatha-- whoever you are-- you go girl! I love your name, your thoughts, and your elegant prose!!! I am in awe every time I read one of your posts, and all the more so in that you are nearly always on target to boot.

 

John

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • 707 posts
Posted by tdmidget on Thursday, June 30, 2011 11:19 PM

[Edited by selector to remove offensive comment.]

Why has this thread changed it's name 17 times?  [Because each person who responds can alter the title.  This is done on many forums, not so often here.]

Why does the admin allow it?  [ It is not against the rules.]

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