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New LS 3 cylinder Shay


Screwy Nick
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Just received the new Accucraft 3 cylinder Shay, and what a beauty it is.

    I did the usual checking of all the visible bolts and screws, then the usual prep for steam up, and off it was on rollers.  

Very smooth running locomotive, much lower geared than the 2 cylinder ones, the burner is much quieter than the factory ones on the 2 cylinder (i've since modified both of them) and the fuel tank is now in the fuel bunker.   I also noticed very little 'crackling' when the unit was warming up, but when fully warm, none at all and that is a nice improvement.

   My only MINOR complaint is the pressure gauge is facing the PLAIN side of the loco, but that can easily be adjusted to face and even be closer to the PRETTY side.    I have also blackened some of the brass and copper things showing through the windows to hide them a bit.  Now to paint the wood grained areas a brown to show them off a bit.      

    Thank you Accucraft and Mark of Silver State Trains.      LG 

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I installed the Chuffer and re-positioned the pressure gauge so it can be seen from the PRETTY side of the loco.     

    Outside temp was 55'F with a slight breeze.     From stone cold it got to full pressure in just under 10 min.  

  Throttle just cracked it walked off at the slowest pace I have ever seen, and the pistons were moving very smoothly.

At half throttle it was barely at a slow paced walk.  At full throttle the pistons were almost 'changing holes' and the pace wasn't much faster than half throttle.

    My outside track is about 250' in total length, and I only got twice around in 15 minutes.    I then put in REV and it performed just fine.  

    I would be remiss if I didn't mention,  the pistons are moving at such a high rate of speed that the chuffs are only discernible at the very slowest pace, but I intend to keep it as it does keep the loco clean of the exhaust.   LG

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Today I removed the cab and elevated the bunker.  I did this so as to paint the wood grained etched planking.  Also to darken the copper in cab piping to hide it some what.  Pic is after the initial disassembly, LG  

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I think all came out IMHO very good.  I haven't re-installed the cab as I have minor issues with the fuel tank valve assembly, and may need to do some more work that the absence of the cab will make easier, (I think there's crap in the tank).  Nothing I haven't run into before, just need a good flushing.    

   pics attached.  BTW the boiler and associated high heat parts have been painted with Engine Enamel.  If any one is interested I can go further into that.  

    As an after thought,  I will install the glass in the windows before I replace the cab.      

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    Gave the tank a good flushing and don't know if the particulate came from the manufacture of the tank or the fuel I used.  This and blocked jets are a common problem with LS locomotives,  just adds to the HANDS ON maintenance needed to run them.    (I'd really have it no other way)

I installed glass in the cab windows while it was off the locomotive.   I haven't cleaned them yet so they are still visible.  

    Yard work today, so installing the cab will have to wait till tomorrow.    

                          HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL,    nick jr                           LG 

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This morning I did install the cab and the small bag of parts, whistle, bell and whistle ropes and pop valve.   I had to drill holes for the ropes, minor inconvenience compared to the better look of the locomotive.   

    It is one handsome model and the actual live steam power of it is amazing.     Enjoy, I know I do.      LG  

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I don't know if this locomotive had wood planking to extend the fuel bunker,  but I do like the look.  Still in progress and it also needs to be stained to match the deck planking.   Suggestions appreciated.     

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thought I was about finished.  I then decided to modify factory supplied poker burner to a Radiant Burner. The bunker wasn't the easiest to remove, but as you can see, do-able.

I assembled the burner and tested it.   Decided since it is such a beautiful day, I'd rather go out side and run trains.  Re-assemble tomorrow. 

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Nice  :)

 

Live steamers are a completely different world. I know 1:1 steamers, so I guess it's not that different, but still ... changing the burner. Cool.

What's the difference between the two types of burners you mention?

 

Jens

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The standard 'poker' burner has slots that run down the shaft, like in pic 1.   A piece of Stainless Steel screen then covers those slots so the flame is now broken up into very small squares with a heat point in each square.    Then a tent of Nickel Chromium screen is put over that.  The NiCr screen glows red hot,  hotter than the poker burner can produce.  The heat is then 'radiated' to the boiler.   This type of burner is more efficient, using less gas and as an added benefit it is almost totally silent.

    1:1 steamers are very different I'm sure, much more complicated.  

 

EDIT:  I had the burner back in the locomotive and was ready to install the bunker. Then the realization::::    I haven't widened the holes in the gas mixing area to allow more air, as it is necessary.    I now have to start all over as I destroyed the NiCr tent upon removal.  

     Do it right, or don't do it at all.           

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 Jens,  here it is.  Complete, installed and tested on rollers.   I unfortunately have other things that need to be tended to, so I'm done for today.

  I don't expect the locomotive to be more powerful, but it will be more fuel efficient, and more quite.       Enjoy,  I know I have.     LG

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Very nice.

 

Fuel efficiency is a noble goal in itself.

A friend at the museum spent a lot of time adjusting the valve gear on S class #736.

At one excursion run he ended up having it running 80 km/h on only 5% valve opening ... but that was 1:1 scale of course.

 

Jens

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Jens, I'm not so nobel,  just having fun.  Unfortunately on this scale the limit of valve adjustment is usually wonder full running in one direction, and a lack of running at all in the other.     Although some one recently posted an enlargement of ports on a piston valve locomotive, which I find very interesting.  

      Before you ask, I seriously doubt I have the ability to it correctly, so rather than ruin a perfectly good running locomotive, best to leave well enough alone, as I've already had my share of failures.      Stay Well.  

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     Before you ask, I seriously doubt I have the ability to it correctly, so rather than ruin a perfectly good running locomotive, best to leave well enough alone, as I've already had my share of failures.      Stay Well.  

 

Great !!

Now get back to building that rotary snow plow!!

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... best to leave well enough alone ...  

 

Absolutely. I didn't mean you should do anything to the valve gear.

First of all, I don't think you can do much in small scale - second, I certainly agree - a live steamer that runs well is by all accounts good enough.

I'm not a live steam person myself (not yet anyway), but I've heard horror stories about expensive models that were impossible to get running decently. The Märklin BR44 for example. For most people, I think that would spoil the fun.

 

Jens

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Jens, get into it, you won't regret it.  You will get frustrated at times, but the rewards are great.

 

  Sean,  I haven't forgot the rotary plow,  In fact since my last posting I have down loaded and have pasted all over the walls what the blades look like in the real ones, so I can get closer to reality, THANK YOU for remembering.      Hope to post something soon.      Thank Youi.  

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Final comment on the Radiant Burner:  The difference is amazing.   As I had posted previously the THREE CYLINDER SHAY could pull all of those cars weighted down, and it was able to do it with only 20lbs boiler pressure, and that in itself is very good.  I was a little disappointed that nothing I could would raise the pressure while running even without a load.   

    With the new Radiant Burner I can easily maintain 50+ lbs pressure under load or free running with less throttle and less fuel expended, (not that I'd want to keep it that high all the time).    The boiler got so hot that it melted one of the solder joints on a handrail stansion bars from the smoke box,  and before you ask,  no the fire was still contained back at the burner.  I need to learn how to contain the heat with less fuel and less air.   

    Over all I think the conversion was a great success.     LG

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Wow.

 

Perhaps even less fuel would do the trick.

Does the fuel/air mixture matter here? I'd think if you reduced the fuel flow it wouldn't matter to the burner as long as it has enough air for a clean burn, but it may reduce the exhaust temperature. Of course, with small regulators it could be difficult to adjust.

 

A stray thought: Are the cylinders lubricated like they'd be in 1:1 scale? If so, remember to use steam oil that is rated for the higher temperature. On the steamers at the railway museum we used special steam oil for all steam cylinders. It was so thick and gunky we kept it in canisters on a shelf over the firebox door, so it would be more viscous when we needed to top up.

 

Jens

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Jens, not impossible to adjust, burner jets can be changed and the collar around the burner allowing air mixing can somewhat  adjust the flame.  

   Cylinder lubrication::::     I have used a mixture that had Tallow just like 1:1 used, and I had to warm it up each time to put the tallow back into solution as you described.  

It led to a lot of crackling in the smoke box when the animal fat was expelled and exposed to flame.   it was designed for a larger locomotive than I run.

    If you want to see feathers fly,  go to MLS or LSC (if I am allowed to mention other sites) and just bring up the subject of Steam Oil, Lubricating Oil or Boiler Water.    That will keep you amused for the remainder of the century.       

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:D  :D  :D

 

Thanks, but I'll pass.

I've seen my share of flame wars in various forums. 

 

I guess the smaller pipes and ducts on a scale model makes for very different conditions than on the full scale models. I was just asking out of curiosity.

 

Jens

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Jens,  I have tried several Steam Oils, to name a few:  Roundhouse,  Aristocraft, Greenvelvet and Regner.  I PERSONALLY like Roundhouse oil the best.  

Not too many Live Steamers on this forum, so I don't expect to be stoned TOO MUCH.     Stay Well and Keep Steamin'  

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Jens, and possibly others that are interested, the attached pic is the fully adjusted and refined Radiant Burner in action.  All of the heat is generated at the poker and absorbed by the surrounding flue.    Can't tell you how happy I am with the conversation.     LG

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