USATC S-160 Consolidation

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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

I've been intrigued by the cooler on the output of the compressor since seeing one on a Knott's Berry Farm locomotive when I was in high school. So I decided to cast a few returns to make one to add to the pile of parts that may someday become a Consolidation. here is mine and the prototype from the builder's photo. It uses 1/4" tubing and the returns have through holes. The assembly will be silver soldered together.
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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

The 1/6 scale U-joints (#00) were OK for some of my 1.5 inch scale needs but the 1/4 scale version (#1) was too big, so I made some at 1/5 scale (#0). That's pretty close to the prototype sized U-joint used on the injectors of ARR #557. Since that's the locomotive I'm working on I did a trial fit of a #0 on a Superscale Chicago Injector and this is how it looks.

While making them for my use I cast a batch for sale. See the Live Steam Marketplace section for details.
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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

It's already been a year since I last posted on this thread!

Phil Davis' Superheater thread prompted me to see if I could draw the one for my model of ARR 557 and print it. The basic plate was easy, the emblem and logo not so much so and I had to develop some new Freecad skills. The smaller letters are .050" high. The camera on my phone doesn't do it justice.

Now to see if I can investment cast one in bronze. I already know the backing needs to be a little thicker for the metal to flow through the entire part. It's possible that this exceeds the capabilities of investment casting and can only be made by laser or photo engraving.
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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

Now I can get back to model building!

For a couple of years I've needed a larger burn out oven. This summer I found a kiln that was *almost* exactly what I wanted. The basic bones were in excellent condition and it was a decent price and local. However, it would take substantial modifications. It came with a cantilever door, which I liked, but also had four more smaller doors for a special purpose (glass work?) which didn't work for me and the small doors had damaged insulation that didn't seal properly.

Modifications included a new, more conventional PID controller, rewiring, circuit breaker, some pilot lights, another switch so I could power the PID without powering the elements, replacement of the contactor, a new door, and modifications to the parallel link for the door to make the larger door open and seal properly. I even 3d printed an angled bracket for the PID that allowed me to see it without getting down on my knees. Still to come when I find them are metal legs that I made a couple of months ago.

In addition to modifying the kiln, I also upgraded a small bead blasting cabinet to add a filtered exhaust and gravity feed with metering valve to improve media pickup and flow per many Youtube videos.
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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

A notable feature of the Alaska Railroad's 550 class was an aluminum plate with the road number mounted at the top of the smoke box. Since I'm modeling the locomotive, I needed the plate.

I drew it and then printed patterns on the 3D printer at both 1/4 and 1/8 scale, 4-3/8" and 2-3/16" long. The patterns were molded using Petrobond and cast in aluminum. The small one was only .160" thick on the rim, about .100" in the recess. The first try of the small one was a failure, but modified gating made it successful. Incised lettering on the back side was also on the pattern and is only .250" high.

The plate comes with a story, told by Jerry, one of the 557 volunteers. He had followed in has father's footsteps by working in the shops of the Alaska Railroad. He retired a number of years ago as the railroad's Master Mechanic.

Around 1950, Jerry's dad made number plates from aluminum plate with cut out number and rim for each of the 12 550 class locomotives. Years later, Jerry noticed 557's plate propped up in the recess of an H beam pillar in the shops and collected it. Many more years later when we first started the overhaul of 557, he brought it into the 557 Engine House and contributed it with the stipulation that it would go onto the operating locomotive.
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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

After doing repairs to my casting equipment I was finally able to do some casting yesterday, including the "wax" for the Elesco patent plate shown a couple of posts up. The plate is 1.960" long and the letters are .050 high.

This was drawn using Freecad using the engineering drawing from Baldwin, so all the numbers are correct for the S-160 locomotives.

This technology continues to amaze me.
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Charles T. McCullough
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Charles T. McCullough »

:!: Nice! :!:
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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

The builder's, owner's, and superheater patent plates on the prototype are attached to the smoke box with 3/8" and 5/16" bolts. I have little faith that I can drill through holes in the 5/16" thick smoke box with a .052" drill.

I'm thinking of drilling holes around .100" in the smoke box and making brass top hat shaped inserts/nuts that are drilled from the back side, leaving only about 1/8" on the outside to be be drilled and threaded #00.

Any other suggestions?
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Harold_V
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Harold_V »

Dick_Morris wrote: Mon Aug 07, 2023 8:43 pm I have little faith that I can drill through holes in the 5/16" thick smoke box with a .052" drill.
Do you own a flex shaft? You can do it easily with one, although I recommend you use a simple guide to do so. It helps keep the drill perpendicular to the hole. The increased speed of a flex shaft (I use a Foredom) makes small hole drilling quite easy.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

I have a Foredom, but it's not as fast as a Dremel and I'm a little disappointed with the speed. I guess I could try the Dremel, I have a chuck for it.
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Harold_V
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Harold_V »

Dick_Morris wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 12:53 pm I have a Foredom, but it's not as fast as a Dremel and I'm a little disappointed with the speed. I guess I could try the Dremel, I have a chuck for it.
Hard to say if the Dremel might be too fast. Don't know how fast they run, but I can overspeed my Foredom when drilling in steel with a large enough drill (well under 1/8"). I have a foot control, which I assume you also have. A .09" diameter drill operating @ 10,000 rpm equates to 235 sfpm.

Key to success is using sharp drills. The slightest dulling results in poor performance.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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Dick_Morris
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Re: USATC S-160 Consolidation

Post by Dick_Morris »

Win some, loose some. I was able to take the plates I cast to visit the pictured prototype from ARR 557 and compare. Although mine faithfully followed the drawing, they are wrong. Elesco supplied the plates for the locomotives. I'm guessing that Baldwin used a generic drawing and it wasn't important to them for the drawing text to be correct.

The plate I cast includes a reference to the Elesco smokebox throttle. That's not what the USATC Consolidations have so the plate that was supplied for 557 only reflects the superheater and its relevant patent for improvements to the process for creating the returns on the superheater elements, not the throttle. It's also possible that some of the other patents on the plate I cast had expired.

Back to the drawing board.
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