Building a Veranda

Where users can chronicle their builds. Start one thread and continue to add on to it.

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Broken Knuckle
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2018 7:57 pm

Re: Building a Veranda

Post by Broken Knuckle »

One of our great members contacted me through a PM, that he had some drawings of a Veranda. He sent them to me with the condition that when I'm done with them that I donate them to a train museum or society. Because it was in a private message I won't give his name but, I would like to put out a big thank you. What he sent was a 1952, line drawing, blue print negatives of the Veranda. Also there was a 1956, line drawing, blue print negatives of a third generation GTEL know as a "Big Blow". Both drawings have many updates up until construction. One of the negatives had some damage to it so I sent it out to be reconditioned. The others I'm having made into a PDF file and printed on paper so I can scale them down to 1.6 scale. There is a lot work to do before I can even start to build this locomotive. First off, I need to design a bolster for this B-B-B-B that will work on 7.5 gauge track. The track may be to scale but, the bumps, dips and dives are not. I'm thinking about point load pivots and floating trucks. This will only work if the coupler pockets don't rub on the main body. I think I can make it look scale and still work on the smaller track. How fun is this?
I'm retired now. If it's not fun, I'm not gonna do it. :mrgreen:
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johnpenn74
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Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 12:54 pm
Location: Waiting for next assignment!

Re: Building a Veranda

Post by johnpenn74 »

Scan and distribute! Let others know how we can help.

JP
John Pennington

Logging meets that actually move logs

Project
2 Mich-Cal Shays
Allen 4-4-0 Narrow Gauge Conversion
Two Reading A5a Camelback 0-4-0
USRA 0-6-0
Clishay
4 Western Wheeled Scraper NG Dump Cars
N&W 4-8-2
ICM 2-10-2
4 Modern Stake Cars
L&N Caboose
4 Big Four Conversion Gondolas

Like I'm actually gonna build all this stuff :-P
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Building a Veranda

Post by rkcarguy »

I was thinking about this build a few days ago(based on the fact I'd be in the same boat if I wanted to build a 6 axle locomotive for my 12" railroad), regarding how to make it able to traverse track variations and turn radius's that are not "scale". My thought is to have the sets of wheels on each end of the trucks heavily sprung, such that they take most of the load. Then lightly spring the two center axles and give them a lot of side to side play so they can "walk" in curves. The coupler pockets seem easy enough, you might end up trimming some couplers and making shallow coupler boxes to allow the trucks more swing.
How are you planning to power this beast?
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Broken Knuckle
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Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2018 7:57 pm

Re: Building a Veranda

Post by Broken Knuckle »

rkcarguy wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 12:43 pm I was thinking about this build a few days ago(based on the fact I'd be in the same boat if I wanted to build a 6 axle locomotive for my 12" railroad), regarding how to make it able to traverse track variations and turn radius's that are not "scale". My thought is to have the sets of wheels on each end of the trucks heavily sprung, such that they take most of the load. Then lightly spring the two center axles and give them a lot of side to side play so they can "walk" in curves. The coupler pockets seem easy enough, you might end up trimming some couplers and making shallow coupler boxes to allow the trucks more swing.
How are you planning to power this beast?
I'm going to power this eight axle beast with a 16hp motor to a hydraulic pump. There will be a Eaton J Motor on each truck and a chain between the two axles. Now the span bolster will not be to scale as far as function. The coupler pocket will stay in plane with the body but, turn with the span bolster so it doesn't rub on the chassis and the truck center plates will be point loaded gimbals. The chassis center plate on the span bolster will also be a point loaded gimbal. The springs in the AAR type "B" trucks are going to be soft so there is down travel in the axles. The axles will have self aligning bearings on each end to help in that travel. This will not be a normal build because there are some many points of contact. Going to build a test track outside my shop that has a tight turn and bad spots in it. Make up some test span bolsters and see how they work. If this engine is just going to be a derail machine, no matter how cool it looks, it won't be any fun to run. I plan on every axle to carry the same weight.
I'm retired now. If it's not fun, I'm not gonna do it. :mrgreen:
rkcarguy
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Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Building a Veranda

Post by rkcarguy »

Oh ok cool, sounds like you've got it figured out at least to start with. I was thinking that the leading wheel in such a long truck might want to try to climb the rail, so increasing the weight on the 1st and last axle might be beneficial even if it's not a huge difference.
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Broken Knuckle
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Re: Building a Veranda

Post by Broken Knuckle »

rkcarguy wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 11:43 pm Oh ok cool, sounds like you've got it figured out at least to start with. I was thinking that the leading wheel in such a long truck might want to try to climb the rail, so increasing the weight on the 1st and last axle might be beneficial even if it's not a huge difference.
I understand what you are saying with loading the front and rear axle. That's what we did on the GP45 and it seemed to work. My thought was to make the span bolster rock forwards and backwards and the trucks being able to do the same. The way I see it in my head is, no matter the ups and downs of the track, all the wheels will align with the track and have equal pressure on each wheel. The side to side motion will still be put on the springs so as to minimize the rocking. All I know is if I build it to stock scale it will derail at every turn or switch. I truly don't know how to make this work. I do know that I'm going to solve the problem of extreme movement over such a long distance between all four trucks before I start on the body of the engine.
I'm retired now. If it's not fun, I'm not gonna do it. :mrgreen:
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Broken Knuckle
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Re: Building a Veranda

Post by Broken Knuckle »

I got all the drawings back. Have the one for the AAR type "B" truck but I can't get it to load as an attachment. Going to start scaling everything, now that I have paper copies. Started building on the new shop. Should have concrete poured in a few weeks. Have all the permits. Ordered a new 14 x 40 lathe and a 9 x 42 mill. They will be here before the shop is done so, I'll store them at the club shop for now. The wife told me I should take up building puzzles as a hobby instead. Has just as many pieces but cost way less.
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I'm retired now. If it's not fun, I'm not gonna do it. :mrgreen:
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Building a Veranda

Post by rkcarguy »

I thought your shop layout was the overall length of the Veranda plus tank lol
The one in the picture posted above has two three axle trucks, you're modeling the older version with the 4 AAR Type B's?
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Broken Knuckle
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Re: Building a Veranda

Post by Broken Knuckle »

The second generation GTEL (Veranda) had four, four wheel trucks under it. They were the bigger 9ft - 4" type "B" trucks. I'm working on the design of the span bolster that goes between them. And you are not far off from the shop being to small for the scale length of this engine. The shop is 20 x 28. Engine plus tank is 17ft long, then put the engineer car behind that if I can't come up with a good way to make the beer can into a engineer car. I took a better picture of the two truck set-up with the span bolster.
20181005_171902(1).jpg
I'm retired now. If it's not fun, I'm not gonna do it. :mrgreen:
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Building a Veranda

Post by rkcarguy »

Oh ok I got it backwards, for some reason I had the 4 truck model as being the older one. 17' long, that's a monster!
I think you could sit inside the "beer can" and just have a portal in the top if you can arrange an easy way to get into it. Maybe have the back of it open between the ladders and you can step up on a flat car behind it then into the "cockpit". You going to buy ready made trucks or make your own?
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Broken Knuckle
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Re: Building a Veranda

Post by Broken Knuckle »

No worries, I'm going to make a lot of mistakes myself on this build. That's why I'm here, maybe head off some of those mistakes. I've talked to others about sitting in the tank. It's such a big part of the engine, I'd hate to cut it up. Going to make my own trucks because there are special needs that have to be built into them.
I'm retired now. If it's not fun, I'm not gonna do it. :mrgreen:
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Broken Knuckle
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Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2018 7:57 pm

Re: Building a Veranda

Post by Broken Knuckle »

Shop is done......kinda. Still need to install the large door and finish the inside. The concrete in front will be poured this fall. Started unpacking the equipment. Because I have to store all the equipment inside the shop now, I'll have to finish half the shop and move everything to that side and finish the rest. Ordered all the mounting plates for the over-head crane, along with the steel, cable chains, cars, wheels and hoist. Heading to Train Mountain for the Operation Meet so this project will have to wait. I'm now looking for good drawings of the Common Wealth three axle trucks.
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I'm retired now. If it's not fun, I'm not gonna do it. :mrgreen:
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