> So, if anyone has anything to add, please do. I'm still looking for a > good way to attach running boards to a boiler. Kevin, not much to add to that -- your comments echo what I have found most effective, and added some nice new twists. Thanks! Regarding securing running boards: the prototypes did it with brackets which were riveted to the boiler shell, under the lagging and jacket. This is probably not entirely practical for us, but there are a couple of ways to simulate that: the most straightforward would be to bend up a saddle shaped like the Greek letter "omega" which just lies across the boiler. You'll need to cut some sort of opening or notch for the brackets to protrude through, so the notched jacket and boiler bands should hold it well in place. Whether that would permit lifing the engine by the running boards probably depends on the thickness of the jacket you used. But you could make your brackets in two pieces, the aforementioned saddle and another similar one which would go under the boiler. They could be screwed together to give a really secure bracket. But a lot of people just screw L brackets onto the frames -- it doesn't show on most engines, anyway. regards, -vance- Vance Bass Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Small-scale live steam resources: http://www.nmia.com/~vrbass
