Hi,
As many of you know, I have been chasing after manufacturing turntables and early D&RG rolling stock since before my Mom died in 2012. One problem I had with the 4-wheel car design was that I could not seem to get the pedistals to work right so that either HOn3 or HOn30 wheel sets could be popped in. After many attempts, I found the solution today!!! It was looking at the problem from the correct angle to see what is now obvious.
Thanks to Mal Ferrel, PSC wants to talk about my frame design for the class 25 and class 35 locomotives. I do not know how it will turn out, but there is hope.
The three 4-wheel passenger cars that the "eureka!" solution came to me are the 1871 4 wheel baggage car and the 1871 4 wheel smoker. Two of each were built. Numbers 1 and 2 were baggage cars and numbers 3 and 4 were smokers. They were pulled by the class 25 2-4-0s in passenger service. All four were rebuilt into way cars (cabooses). The underframe for all three versions are the same so altering the one part gives me the ability to proceed with all three into hopefully a final product.
Personally, I have almost always been intrigued by the early small D&RG equipment and wanted a set for myself.
As for the 240cl25 and 260cl35, many of the parts (domes, cyclinders, cab, tenders and so forth) are the same. So both are being worked upon. With a motor in the tender, weight in the locomotive over the drivers will work good I hope. Being so small, I doubt they will be able to run well - just like the prototypes were less than stellar. I am planning on using a small coreless rare earth motor to power them. For those old enough or informed enough, the basic concept of the frame for these two locomotives came from the 1970 era Far East Distributor's Spartan line of HO and HOn3 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s.
Does anyone know of an HO model (static or powered) for either the class 25 or 35?
While waiting on ideas or solutions, I turned to the class 42 D&RG 4-4-0. I have it set up like the Spartan locomotive frame. The two are very similar. This will have the motor in the tender also. It will have a larger coreless motor. Weight in the old Spartan over the drivers was a problem and the Spartan 4-4-0s (I had two) wanted to tilt forward and place its cyclinders on the ties. Springing the front truck to the frame had the desired effect of holding the loco level but it took enough weight off the drivers that it could not pull a car. The Spartans were a great idea but the 4-4-0 was less than successful for me. I still have parts from both locos. One I took a cab and tender off an NCNG 2-8-0 brass I picked up and put it on the Spartan 4-4-0 to make room for more weight. Unfortunately, I messed up the soldering job and so it became a lost cause.
The F&CC/RGS 4-6-0s that I have no plans for, has a mock up of the loco outline in CAD. I think this could take the same coreless motor from the class 42 and put it in the boiler. It would run well. I just need to find plans. All I could find about RGS 4-6-0s (I do not know if either is the ex-F&CC locos):
Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette
Plans, Drawings, and Construction Articles
1983 Nov/Dec P p50 RGS 4-6-0 First #25
1986 Sep/Oct P p50 RGS 4-6-0 #23
Ideally, I'd like to find plans for the heavier class 40 or class 45 2-6-0 that would be roughly equal in size to the class 42 4-4-0. I could always imagineer and alter the class 42 into a nice 2-6-0 but right now I want to wait to see if there are plans out there for the D&RG.
As an aside, the second run of class 35 were not near the same as the first four were. However, I loved the odd 3-axle tender (one truck and one pedistal) so I went on and made a CAD plans for the 3-axle version that may be substituted for the original 4-wheel tender.
I examined the the class 56 and the C16. About the only differences I could find was that the boiler on the class 56 is/was 1" smaller in diameter and the the locomotive was slightly longer than the C16 - there is an extra 3" between the cylinders on a class 56 and its first driver. 39" for the class 56 and 36" for the C16. Use a C16 and number it a class 56. Avoid the hassle.
Right now, I'm looking for a source of 40" divers for the class 25 and class 35 locos. Anyone have any ideas. I have a book from about 1950 that shows how to make a metal locomotive and how to make your own spoked drivers. Gad no!
The class 42 4-4-0 needs 45" drives. anyone know a source?
Thanks for letting me bend your ear. I wish I was near the C&TS - I'd love to volunteer.
Doug vV
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Carrie Fisher quotes:
Instant gratification takes too long.
I was street smart, but unfortunately the street was Rodeo Drive.
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Luna Lovelace (Harry Potter):
I sleepwalk you know that's why I wear shoes to bed.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2017 02:10AM by dougvv.
