Well, on the 463...I hope it runs again, a broken main rod is very bad, can easily, by todays standards put a good running engine out of service for good.
I know that would probably be the case for the 100 year old krauss engine at the Zoo here in Omaha. Although the gear is not walscherts, it is called Helmholts, Helmholts is made so that it is easy to machine or, if needed, make new side rods for the locomotive. Although helmholts is the same motion of walscherts, it still is unique. The only difference with helmholts is that when the gear is at the bottom of the link, the crank pin is leaning towards the back of the engine instead of toward the cylinders, can that be called indirect gear?
The 463 is one of if not my favorite engine on the C&TS today. I also like the 497 very much. If I run there, well, when I run there, if the 497 and the 463 aren't running I am going to work very hard to get them back to operating condition.
The 463 is so neat in one way because it has to work harder to get up the grade so then it barks louder!! I am very big into noise, im all about noise!! The Krauss 0-6-2t barks pretty good for its size. Its 30" gauge and is also very powerful!! It walks 8 cars up a 6% grade!! Of course that after building up some momentum. I ran the thing the other day, about 5 times!! I found that if I slowed it down enough and then hit the throttle right before the S curve and knock the gear down a notch or two that the exhaust is very loud!!
Sorry for getting off the subject of the 463 and the mudhens. If anyone has any questions about the Krauss Austrian Narrow Gauge 0-6-2t named Riva, go ahead and ask, im rarely asked questions about steam, im always doing the asking!
Kevin Bush
