Steam Locomotive, Page 2

3/26/2

The next thing to do is to get some practice on machining parts. Let's start with the main driving wheels, also known as "drivers"

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Image 3. Turning the Driving Wheels

Wheels are round, and must be turned on a lathe to precise tolerances. Driving wheels also have a huge counterbalance, which tends to make the machine shake. One solution is to prop the machine up with a large stick

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Image 4. Starting to Machine Counterbalance

The engine I am building is a "Mikado", the name given to a locomotive with a wheel configuration of 2-8-2. (2 pilot wheels, 8 drivers, and 2 trailing wheels.) So there are a total of 12 wheels to machine

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Image 5: Four of the 8 Drivers Completed

Now see, if I had decided to build a 0-4-0, I would be done with the wheels. But, finally I get all 8 drivers machined. Then it's on to the 4 main axles, and the 8 bearing blocks. The axles are not part of the "kit". You have to make them from steel rod. The drawings call for 1.25" diameter axles, but these are only 1.0"

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Image 6: Drivers, Axles and Bearings

The bearing blocks ordinarily come with the kit unmachined and are made of cast iron. Those that you see here are alloy 954 aluminum-bronze, an excellent bearing material. These were cut from a pair of solid ingots. These actually cost less than the stock bearing blocks. The bearings themselves are not visible in the photo, but are a stock ball bearing purchased from an industrial supply house