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[JoeMalinchak]

I started working on my Big Boy. I am very fortunate to have a real Big Boy # 4012 at the Steam Town museum that is around a 40 minute drive from my home. I went and took lots of photos for reference, and I know that I will be taking many more. It will be a very challenging, but fun model to design. I made a four wheel chassis to test, and see how it runs. I only used one bogie for power pick up, so it is running sporadically right now. I am going to test it with the tender I am making for my new 4-6-2 locomotive. I am hoping it will run on the 120mm radius track.

Joe.

[Switcher102]

Good luck with this Joe. It would be great to see a T gauge Big Boy. There is someone on the T gauge Facebook page who has done the outside wheel motion for a Big Boy. Don't know what has happened about that, it's sometime since I looked at it, and this forum actually.

Rich

[Switcher102]

Here's a link:- https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

[MMBUFBerlin]

Hello Joe,
how is the state of work with your Big Boy? 8 steam wheels cope with the 120mm radius, so much I can tell you.
Kind regards
Uwe

[MMBUFBerlin]

Addendum to the power pick up: why do you not lead the current over the steam wheels? They are magnetic, so that steel wires must only to be slightly spring-mounted. They do not even have to have mechanical pressure as they are attracted to the wheels by the magnetic force. Applying power through non-driven wheels only causes additional friction or unreasonable distance between the locomotive and the tender.

Kind regards
Uwe

[rail450]

Hi Joe,

to get current you are contacting the tracks via your bogie over a lenght of approx. 5mm.

You Big Boy will not pass over a point.

Getting current via bogie and via tender will be great and will work perfect!

BR,

Siegfried

[MMBUFBerlin]

[MODERATOR EDIT]Comment removed [?MODERATOR EDIT]

Pictures:

MALLARD Current Pick Up

MALLARD_CurrentPickUp.jpg (130.15 KiB) Viewed 948 times

Current Pick Up

CurrentPickUp.jpg (77.31 KiB) Viewed 948 times

[rail450]

Hi Joe,

regarding pass over electrical points, pls notice these facts:

> the distance of isolated tracks in the middle of the electrial ponit is about 18mm

> the overall distance between Big Boy´s 4 axles is about 3 X 5,26mm = 15,78mm

If your 4 driving wheels are contacted only, your Big Boy will not pass over electrilcal ponits.

BR,

Siegfried

[MMBUFBerlin]

{MODEERATOR EDIT]Comment removed [/MODERATOR EDIT]

in Joe's Steamtown there are no isolated tracks!

[MODERATOR EDIT]COmment removed[/MODERATOR EDIT]

[dkightley]

Gentlemen

I've removed couple of unfriendly comments in this thread...and I intend not taking any further action.

This is a family-friendly forum where everyone is expected to be polite and friendly to everybody else. Please don't persuade me to place anyone on moderated posting.