Subject:
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Re: New MOC: 4-4-4 Steam Engine
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Fri, 15 Nov 2002 20:33:47 GMT
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Viewed:
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703 times
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Hey Shaun-
Good idea, and nice MOC! It is a rare engine indeed that can both look the
most detailed it can AND be highly functional as well. I am going to ask Ross
to take on your challenge of modifying your design and see what he comes up
with-- I like the idea of a Sullivan-Neal collaboration:-) Actually, it would
be fun to see many people's mods of your design-- a kind of variation thing
HoMa is doing for set 1592 would be cool:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=15676
Personally, I am hoping that one day TLC will make efforts like yours and Ross'
moot and fit for the history books by creating specialized parts that enable
such detailing (driver rods, etc) possible without sacrificing functionality.
You guys (and I'd stick James M. in there, too) are true pioneers, and you have
train modeling in LEGO to an art form.
Thanks for sharing.
-John
In lugnet.announce.moc, Shaun Sullivan writes:
>
> Hi All,
>
> In a massive departure from my usual modus operandi, I finished up my latest
> project last night; a 4-4-4 steam engine. The uncharted territory (for me at
> least) comes from the fact that (a) the steam engine is *6-wide*, and (b) it is
> not based on a real-life design.
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=28425
>
> James Mathis, during some conversations this past summer at Brickfest, inspired
> me to try my hand at an original train design. So I went about this project
> with a completely new outlook, from the very beginning.
>
> Secondly, I also decided that I had to have an engine that was
> trainshow-friendly. Some of my other engines are too large to run on any
> normal-sized layout (the Hudson 4-6-4, for example), or too temperamental to
> run without continuous supervision (the BR52 and BR18). They all run okay, but
> they aren't ... exactly ... conducive to the train show environment. So a
> paramount goal in this effort was to make a steam engine that was!
>
> Additional inspiration came, again, from Ross Neal's gorgeous 4-6-2. After
> trials and trials with different types of wheel designs, I settled on the
> technic hub with the thin pulley-wheel for traction. Then, in looking back, I
> realized that this is the same design Ross used in his engine; undoubtedly my
> subconscious kept the idea in storage until it was needed.
>
> The pistons do indeed work on the straightaways, and they are actually my
> smoothest-running piston design to date. On the curves, the drive wheels
> (which are affixed to the chassis) shift off the rails slightly, so there is
> not enough contact to run them. This is probably for the best, though, as
> opposing drive wheels share an axle, and the different radii would cause
> binding anyway.
>
> Other points of interest:
> (1) The engine has a firebox that can be opened from the cockpit (?), with
> flames visible inside
> (2) I was able to use the Hudson's cowcatcher design again ? one thing I really
> like about this design is that it can be customized to any size
> (3) It is made using only standard, contemporary parts. I wanted to make a
> design that anybody else could build, once I finish the instructions, so I
> constrained myself to readily-available pieces. Even the one part number 44,
> the smooth-bushinged axle connector, is available in '02.
> (4) The wheels are geared together to assure that they move together; I've
> found that this is absolutely necessary in steam engines, since the pistons
> will bind otherwise.
> (5) The engine is technically 6-wide! The widest part, the cylinders, are
> about 8-wide, but other than that it's all in LEGO scale. It definitely felt
> very different from building 8-wide or 10-wide, particularly in that it seems
> so thin, narrow, and high
>
> Some of the items I'd like to improve on (or have somebody else improve on!):
> (1) The drive pistons are not collinear with the centerline of the drive
> wheels. For the time being, this is because the 2x3 modified plates used as
> cylinders interfered with the leading wheelset when the pistons were correctly
> lined up. It might be possible to rotate the cylinders 90 degrees, though I
> didn't have time to try it out before the show this weekend. In forward
> operation, this doesn't have any real effect. However, the pistons do bind
> when the train is run in reverse, which would not be the case if they were
> properly aligned.
> (2) No lights! The body has plenty of space to house a light and wire, but I
> didn't have time to incorporate it this time around. I originally had an a
> larger main body cylinder, with an integral light just above the 4x4 radar dish
> on the nose; the body looked oversized, though, so I removed it and placed the
> "light" on top instead. I'd like to somehow figure out a lighting scheme, for
> at least the headlight, and maybe even the firebox.
> (3) I was just looking over the pictures, and I realized that the front wheel
> (the leading 4) look too widely spaced. That will be corrected by about 6:30
> this evening ;)
>
> Other than those two items, I'm very happy with the result! A special thanks
> go out to Mark Pappenfuss (Land of Bricks) and Paul Jansenn (Missing Brick),
> who both graciously accommodated one of those
> frantic-last-minute-express-delivery Brickshelf orders, and sent my pieces in
> plenty of time for the show this weekend.
>
> Anyway, let me know what you think. An Ldraw model will be forthcoming
> shortly, since sharing the design was a major element of my outlook on this
> project. Look for it soon ?
>
> Thanks,
> -s
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: New MOC: 4-4-4 Steam Engine
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| (...) running on it! Seriously, tell Ross not to try anything *too* spectacular ... I'm running out of black bricks, plates, and slopes, and I'm not sure I can keep up anymore. Every time he posts a new design, I run off with a dozen different (...) (22 years ago, 16-Nov-02, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | New MOC: 4-4-4 Steam Engine
|
| Hi All, In a massive departure from my usual modus operandi, I finished up my latest project last night; a 4-4-4 steam engine. The uncharted territory (for me at least) comes from the fact that (a) the steam engine is *6-wide*, and (b) it is not (...) (22 years ago, 15-Nov-02, to lugnet.announce.moc, lugnet.trains) !
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