Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

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Benjamin Maggi
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Benjamin Maggi »

Congrats! It was a long journey in the making.
"One cannot learn to swim without getting his feet wet." - Benjamin Maggi
- Building: 7.25" gauge "Sweet Pea" named "Catherine"
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Pipescs
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Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Pipescs »

The second sand dome I ordered from RMI came in today.

It turned out they had made a change to the base casting in the time between my first one and the one I just received.

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This new base will require moving the large ears from the outside and the large additions to the inside. I plan on using this one on the steam dome. I will also turn the outside of the original I had to be slightly smaller in diameter. The top is still the same so I will open up the hole on the new one and add a ring to the opening.

Spent my morning getting it off the trailer and back on the shop stand. In the process of drying it out and getting ready for storage over the winter as I am not sure if it will be going back out this season.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


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Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
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NP317
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by NP317 »

Might it be easier to use the first dome base for the steam dome,
and adopt the new one for the sand dome?
Then you could attache sand lines for "realism."
RussN
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Pipescs
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Pipescs »

I did decide to use the new dome for the sand dome. and move the first one back to the steam dome.

But I also decided to remove the ears for the sand valves, as they are rough. I also turned the diameter
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Pipescs
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Pipescs »

Continuing along with my "Freelance, TLAR" concept I am modifying a set of RMI Sand Domes to be my steam and sand domes.

I machined the sand valve ears off the base today and am playing with where I am going to use the two bases. I am working from photos that show the steam dome higher than the sand dome and have to roll and weld up another tube from 22 gauge steam sheet.

A mock up using a piece of galvanized sheet. I believe the new base will be moved to the rear position as it looks a little heavier.
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The season is over for me and I am drying everything out. Still learning about putting it away for the season. I have blown out all the lines and boiler. Getting ready to remove the steam dome all the plugs and adding heat for a few days. I did fill the steam chest with cylinder oil and run it back and forth to oil the rings.

I know it is not common but when all dry I will fill it with Argon as an inert gas to help with rust. Most of my career we used Nitrogen in Wave guides for this purpose.

Making a To Do List for the winter. Thinking its time to put steam brakes on the drivers along with working on the front end Pilot beam and Pilot.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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NP317
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by NP317 »

Your loco will look good with both domes on the boiler.
Nice progress.
RussN
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bushav
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by bushav »

Big brass headlight for the spring ;)
New to live steam
Building 3/4” 4-8-4 Northern &
1” 4-6-2 Pacific
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Pipescs
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Pipescs »

I did end up machining down the base of the second castings to be the steam dome after all. There was a little more material to use. as it is the steam dome I also had to bore out the opening on the top casting. While it is still freelance I did add a little height to the rear dome tube.

I did roll the steam dome cylinder out of 20 gauge as it was quite a bit stronger and easier to weld the vertical seam.

I have worked out a cross beam for the steam dome top casting that will be used to pull the whole thing down tight, after I weld a couple of nuts to the top of the steam dome.
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Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Pipescs
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Pipescs »

Contrary to some rumors, I am still banging away at the Miss Ann.

After a lot of bumps in the early running season last year the last two times out were pretty much pain free. At the end of the meet I took the engine down to the frame to work on some needed omissions. Primarily adding steam brakes and working on some timing issues.

Amid all this I also had to deal with a number of back procedures, which I am happy to say have been quite successful.

As with everything on the Miss Ann, it is all scratch built from scraps. the brake hangers, brake beams and brake shoes came first, then equalizer rods that had to pas between the eccentrics vertically. Mounting a loaned, Allen Model steam cylinder, showed me my mount was not strong enough to deal with the power. I ended up with a solid mount located on top of the frame under the boiler. There just was not room to mount the bell cranks required to mount the cylinders outside the frame.
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I was at the point of ordering a pair of cylinder casting sets from Allen Models when a club member was kind enough to give me the parts I needed.

I have ordered a large scale steam brake valve from Loco Parts.

I am currently working on machining the two brake cylinder kits. I plan on starting with the one cylinder when I start to run again but have left room to use two cylinders if I should need the power.

After the cylinders were bored I set them up in the mill and laid out the bolt pattern using my DRO. The bolts are 5-40 for the heads
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Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Pipescs
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Pipescs »

The two cylinder castings are completed. I know the plans show the transfer of the bolt pattern to the cylinders after the cylinder heads are machined. Being lucky enough to have a circle bolt pattern function on my Mill I prefer to use it.

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Tapping the holes using the mill to ensure they are tapped vertical.

I have had a number of members send me drawings to machine out the brake valve. But time is short for the upcoming season, so I ordered all the fittings and valves from Jeff at Loco-Parts in North Carolina.


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This morning I realized I need a shut off valve on the turret. This to enable me to close off the steam to the Brake Valve should I need to remove it at the track.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Fender
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Fender »

Pipescs wrote: Tue Feb 14, 2023 10:56 pm After a lot of bumps in the early running season last year the last two times out were pretty much pain free.
Speaking of bumps, Charlie's hefty forney has been very effective in finding and highlighting the spots on the Mid-South trackage requiring attention. Here's the outcome of one of the first trips early in the season. He and his team have since replaced a lot of wood ties with plastic, and that, together with tamping and relining the track has improved it considerably, as testified by the uneventful runs in the Fall.
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Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
Odyknuck
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Re: Converting a Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN to a Baldwin 2-4-4

Post by Odyknuck »

Very nice work.
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