Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Discuss park gauge trains and large scale miniature railways having track gauges from 8" to 24" gauge and designed at scales of 2" to the foot or greater - whether modeled for personal use, or purpose built for amusement park operation or private railroading.

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Topics may include: antique park gauge train restoration, preservation, and history; building new grand scale equipment from scratch; large scale miniature railway construction, maintenance, and safe operation; fallen flags; track, gauge, and equipment standards; grand scale vendor offerings; and, compiling an on-line motive power roster.
DanS
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Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 3:28 pm

Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by DanS »

From a bystander.... that wouldn't be in a position to get into this sort of thing for a couple years at least.... I'm interested. I want to read as much of this as I can, but I'm not (and won't be) on facebook. So the more you post here, the better.

Seems to me that the biggest impediment to me diving into building a 3" scale pike is a "common" brake system. I'd have significant grades (no matter what scale I build in--and that's honestly a lot of the draw for me). But it wouldn't be much fun to build something and keep it to myself, and real narrow gauge grades wouldn't be very safe without good train brakes.

Like I said, I personally won't be able to do anything for a couple years (I'm finishing building my house currently) but I bought the property with an eye towards putting in a live steam line. I've read a few of your posts on 3" gauge, and it's compelling generally (and I'm only interested in 3' narrow gauge stuff--so more compelling).

So while I'm generally lurking.... I'm listening. I think it's on the right track. And a couple more tracks built to the standard would really open it up as a viable thing to do.

Dan
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Harlock
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Harlock »

DanS wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 3:40 pm Seems to me that the biggest impediment to me diving into building a 3" scale pike is a "common" brake system. I'd have significant grades (no matter what scale I build in--and that's honestly a lot of the draw for me). But it wouldn't be much fun to build something and keep it to myself, and real narrow gauge grades wouldn't be very safe without good train brakes.
We have a lot of 3 - 4% grades on the Mesa, and in one spot it's 6.5% (We're going to eliminate that bit this fall as part of the reconstruction project...it's really hard on the engines) and we basically don't have brakes beyond a simple tender handbrake. When we descend from the top of the railroad we open the cylinder clocks and use the reverse lever to slow the train via back pressure in the cylinders. The only place where sometimes both the handbrake wheel and the reverse are required is the last grade into the station in the bottom, which is a steep down grade on unidrectional track.

there were originally airbrakes planned, and there is a spot for steam air pumps on the engine, but at some point the project was abandoned and not revisited. For now there are so many other things to do that it's very low on the list, as the railroad has survived without them over 50 years.

On the other hand, my personal 3" scale train in 7.5" gauge is fully airbraked on the engine and all but two cars. It has an electric compressor hidden in the boxcar, and I am having Brian Keim build a westinghouse steam pump to augment that. (I like the way they sound.) With the steam pump I don't need the boxcar to have engine and riding tender brakes.

Brakes are one of many components needed and they are not especially difficult, but they do add complexity to the trucks. Clippard cylinders and air fittings are used to keep a leak free setup. Barry Hague of Superscale made brake parts for the 2.5" scale steve easlon trucks that I use on the 7.5" gauge train, and that's what I have on all the cars. Unfortunately Barry is gone but all the parts can be fabricated.

Here is a video outlining the brake setup on my 7.5" trucks:


You don't need to brake every car, usually just every second or third car will suffice unless you have an extreme situation. Braking the heaviest cars is best as they can provide the weight for stopping power without locking up and sliding.

Also if you are running electric, the regenerative braking in the motor controller is typically all you need, and then you have a hand brake for parking.
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