Arizona Gandy Dancers

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.
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NP317
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by NP317 »

'Going to Hurl Bert back to steam operation?
RussN
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ChipsAhoy
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by ChipsAhoy »

No, fraid not. Would be nice tho.
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ChipsAhoy
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by ChipsAhoy »

Got it off display and into the CarBarn. Next step was to remove the trucks and driver and begin reguaging from 14" to 15".
Maybe move each driver outward by 1/2". Drivers have been welded to ths axles. Making it difficult to determine original axle diameter. So as determine what to cut without removing material from the axle.
IMG_0442.jpg
That won't work.
So maybe replace the axle. This requires boring the axle out of the center of the wheel.
IMG_0443.jpg
That won't work either! (Sorry, somehow the pic rotated 90' clockwise and I can't figure how to get it back!!)

Maybe... split the axle and install a slug and sleeve in the middle to widen the whole mess.
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Erskine Tramway
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by Erskine Tramway »

ChipsAhoy wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 7:08 am
Maybe... split the axle and install a slug and sleeve in the middle to widen the whole mess.
That would work, assuming there isn't a gear or something in the middle of the axle that would interfere. I'd mill a groove in the axle to fit a key to keep the quartering correct before I cut it.

Mike
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
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ChipsAhoy
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by ChipsAhoy »

Mike:
We did exactly that! Actually, while I had it in the mill, I chalked up a piece of tool steel and ran the table back and forth to scribe a line for the shop to index it all with.
We ended up taking the axles to a larger professional shop whose specialty is rebuilding heavy equipment rams. They have a method of splicing rams used on Dozers and Excavators. We put the two axles back on the Hurlburt, ran it first on just the rear axle... went fine. Then we reinstalled the drive rods and held our collective breath.... drives perfect, really smooth....lucky us!

Yesterday we finally got our Governmental permits.... Thanks to Glenn Brooks who put the whole permit package together for us. And we began laying track...first permenant panel goes out the car barn.

.
IMG_0545.jpg
Mike is running the Hurlburt in and out, then in and out, and again in and out of the car barn.... we had to shut him down to get back to work!!!

.
IMG_0547.jpg
After we hid the keys to the Hurlburt.....
Three permenant panels are placed in prep for building the crossing!!

.
IMG_0532.jpg
One of the Gandy Dancers, Raquel pulling nails from one the hundreds of 4 x 4s donated to ...
Sahuaro Central Shortline Railroad.
Scotty
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ChipsAhoy
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by ChipsAhoy »

Now, the next challange... pouring concrete for the first road crossing.
Gonna be a long day tomorrow
IMG_0576.jpg
IMG_0575.jpg
Scotty
Matt.Starman
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by Matt.Starman »

Just curious...what on center tie spacing are you guys using?
Matt Starman

Greenleaf Locomotive Works
Greenleaf, Idaho
STRR
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by STRR »

f you need information on Tie Spacing, I have posted a Tie Spacing Chart in the General Discussion - Resource Section / page 2 (at the bottom)

A lot of good information there.

Good Luck,
Terry
Last edited by rmac on Sun Nov 06, 2022 8:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Added link to referenced post
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ChipsAhoy
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by ChipsAhoy »

Finally got our first crossing poured.
So now we are up to 1st of three road crossings complete, 260 feet of track placed of which 200 feet is mainline (not aligned, leveled or ballasted yet). First switch actuall tied in.
Off and Running!!! again
IMG_0582.jpg
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Nice progress. Good to see.
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Matt.Starman wrote: Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:10 am Just curious...what on center tie spacing are you guys using?
Matt, I think they are using 20” centers, with 4”x4” ties. I just use the length of my framing hammer + a bit, if Iam driving spikes…
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Erskine Tramway
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Re: Arizona Gandy Dancers

Post by Erskine Tramway »

When I was asked to specify new ties for the track that washed out at the R&GN several years ago, I specified 4x6x36 ties on 20" centers. That's pretty much what Sir Arthur Heywood used, except his ties were cast Iron.

Mike
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Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
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