Frank the Tank
Zbigniew, On the Franks S. thread, have you seen Jim Hadden's rebuilds? At the risk of covering what may be well known ground, Jim created a short run of beautiful 2-6-2 tank engines that he nicknamed "Frank the Tank". Have a look (not a great photo) at: http://www.steamup.com/temp/tank.jpg Regards! -Richard == Richard Finlayson Check out: http://www.steamup.com/legend"Legend Steam Locomotives" Check out: http://www.steamup.com/trailcreek "Trail Creek Models" Check out: http://www.steamup.com "Steam In The Garden Online"
Re: Ruby cab -- semi-commercial survey
Hmmm... A "Super Ruby" kit. Interesting concept. While my "Ruby" is still somewhere in the Pacific, I have been doing some thinking about just what I want to do with it. I can't wait to get to DHY2K and see what everybody else has done. We have seen quite a bit of customizing with the Roundhouse boiler/chassis kits in the past few years, and the Ruby should prove to be just as "dangerous" in that department. While I am planning on doing all of the mods myself, a kit certainly would hold a bit of appeal for those who are a little less secure around sharp objects. Some thoughts: * If you are going to do more than one type of loco, keep as many of the parts the same. (ie. the cab, end beams, domes, firebox detail..) * Make it close to a "screw together" kit, but keep things still unfinished enough so that the builder can deviate from the plan if so desired, and more importantly, learn how to finish parts, drill, cut, and sand along the way. * Any castings or etchings (rivet detail, etc.) should be ready to go. This should include rolling a boiler jacket or tank, or perhaps folding side tanks, etc. * Modifications to the locomotive should be limited to removal of what's already there, minor cuts, and perhaps a bit of drilling and tapping, if needed. I would shy away from having the builder do any soldering if at all possible. (I've been building models for half my life, and I _still_ don't enjoy soldering. Okay, I haven't built a resistance unit yet...) If there is some soldering needed, make sure it can be done with soft solder and either a 250 watt gun, or a small Bernz-o-matic torch. NOTE: Make sure there is no modification to the essential operative parts of the locomotive. Given the low cost of the "Ruby," I can't help but to think that a well thought out aftermarket kit would be a hit. There are a lot of modellers who don't get into steam because of the cost involved in getting a locomotive that they like to look at. If you could market a conversion kit for between $100 and $200, then you can give folks the chance to have something that they like to look at, can customize as they go, and something that reflects their own personal contribution to the model - all for under $600! Can't complain too much about that. Later, K
Re: Wheelsets
In a message dated 99-12-02 20:23:15 EST, you write: << The flanges aren't scale, but they are in gauge, round, and cheap. That's all I need. >> Kevin, I agree. Thank you to all those listmembers who gave me such good leads. The RUBY forney conversion can now push forward. Mike McCormack [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Frank S (was Axle pumps and such )
> Date: Thu, 02 Dec 1999 10:33:05 + > From: Sam Evans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > I believe Frank S was of a class of loco produced for Heersfeld(SP/)bahn? > German Military Railways in WWII. Though many lines in occupied territory > tended to be 750/760mm ga it is my understanding that these locos were run > on metre ga lines. Whether they were readily convertible or turned out of Sam, the very prototype of the Heeresfeldbahn Frank S by Henschel run on the Rugen Island (which was not an occupied territory, at least was not perceived as such). And the Rugen line is 750mm gauge. I still haven't located this loco type in Poland but I guess there must have been a few. I wonder what gauge they used. In Austria they used 760mm mainly if not exclusively. > the works to a specific gauge I don't know. I will have to get Mary to do > some translation for me; I will dig my German language book in the subject > out tonight to clarify the issue. I will be really interested to know! > > >Actually the whole issue of scale/gauge correctness is not quite well > >applicable to European engines. There are examples of locomotives > >which ran on several different gauges, either they were produced that > >way or regauged when moved from one line to another. > > I'm not entirely in agreement here. I think this is an over generalisation > and not typical. I said there are examples. I did not say they all were produced for various gauges. Some were and some were not. > The locos produced in WWII and some industrial designs were by their nature > intended to be turned out in different gauges. Designs where a single loco > could have its gauge readily converted I think were fairly rare. The Take the quite famous Px48 Polish narrow gauge loco. Produced after the war in thousands I think, exported around the place, and run in Poland on a multitude of gauges from 750 to meter gauge. I would be happy to provide you with many examples of locomotives which were regauged in Poland, and I can give you examples of quite interesting gauges used. Still I have little data (due to little interest) on German or French or Italian narrow gauge, in that sense my statement possibly is an over generalisation. On the other hand, just yesterday I localised some info on the Puffing Billy Baldwins and you can check yourself the different gauges listed which this standard design happily shared. What a beautiful loco by the way!!! http://www.pbr.org.au/heritage/baldwin.htm Happy steaming! Zbigniew
puffing billy Rlwy and Zbigniew,
Zbigniew, I was glad to see your final infection with steam took place on our Railway.. If you can remeber the trip,after the first station[Menzies Creek] the train ran down hill with long views out to the right hand side over farmland and forest and then crossed a road and along alevel stretch fairly straight.if you had looked to the right hand side you would have seen our home and Argyles Shed! We built a run of NA class locos as our first commercial model about 10 years ago, they are a big..loco in this size,about the size of this keyboard,and had springing on all axles, axle pumps, working side tanks and baldwin 4 bar crossheads[ which are a B to fit up!each one took 150 hours too build and where sold for about half thier true value..a good first lesson in this business. gordon Watson.
