I finally got to see one run! I was also involved in the diagnosis of why
it couldn't push itself up a grade. :]
This was a beutiful bumble-bee model and was happily prancing around the
track untill it got to the uphill part of the track. Here it continued to
prance at really close to the same speed but didn't have much forward
movement to show for it. Turned out the pilot trucks bearings were
falling out of their mountings and allowing the pilot wheel to bind up
against the truck's framework.
The engine was plenty strong though! I only saw the drivers slow down
once when the engine started to get some better tracktion on a slight
verticle kink in the track.
Looked like a manufacturing problem, but don't quote me on that. The
pilot trucks fake spring-hangers were about 2mm too narrow to hold the
bearings in the proper orientation. The bearings were designed to ride
loose in the slots, but these were falling out.
Good thing there were plenty of Asters and Ruby's to continue the runs!
;]
Oh, on another note... The valve gear would be better refered to as a
simplified Walchearts than simplifies Stephensons. It uses a pivoting
link and radius rod to adjust forward/reverse. It does apear that there
would be room for a full Stephensons gear in there though (no, I didn't
measure anything.) {:]
Trot, the fox who had a truly enjoyable day yesterday (even without my own
engine!)
/\_/\ TrotFox \ Always remember,
( o o ) AKA Landon Solomon \ "There is a
>\./< [EMAIL PROTECTED] \ third alternative."
