Best Of The Stephenson Rocket

[John]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

I really need to find a "standing ovation" emoji.

[Pomperaugrr]

That is an amazing model.  Wow!

[mmagliaro]

We saw it could run slow, but just getting it to pick-up power and keep doing it going smoothly is the impressive part.

Indeed.  That was a hard part, as was getting enough weight and balance on it so it could pull those two little cars up the hills AND have enough weight on the big driver so it could free-wheel and still have enough "push" to move the valve slider without getting stuck.  It really cannot pull much more.  It can barely manage those two cars.

Of course, I scrupulously cleaned the track and the wheels before doing this demo, which is a must for this thing.

[randgust]

I'm reminded that while I've been in the absurd tiny critter business now for about 15 years, and have chopped up more little chassis that I care to admit, it was Max's photo-clear assembly article in the Keystone that ever gave me enough courage to take on my GHQ L1 2-8-2 kit a LONG time ago, and served as the model for every instruction set I've written since.   Up until then I was too scared of a kit that complex to try it, let alone develop my own.   And whenever I've run into some rather absurd mechanism and scratchbuilding challenges without an obvious solution, Max's approach is often the best.   So attaboy Max, you still set the bar.

The genius in that thing (to me) is the spring wire pickups to the Kato wheels bearings.   Zero friction on an interior bearing with 4x4 pickup without wipers or a riding surface like Tomytec.

[MK]

Speechless!

(Now can you do it in Z?        )

[mmagliaro]

Speechless!

(Now can you do it in Z?        )

I think I just did!   

Seriously, in the opening scene of the video, the engine backs up and right behind it is the SP&S 0-6-0, which was already a very small engine, yet it looks positively gigantic compared to Rocket.  It really shows you how locomotive building progressed from the early 1800s though the end of steam.

Randy, THANK YOU, for such kind words.   There were several mental break-throughs to this thing, and the phosphor bronze wires sprung against those bearings were one of them.  I knew right from the start that the tender wheels would have to work Kato-style with the axle point cups.  And although the engine bearings could have been in some sort of metal carrier, that would never be sure-enough contact for an engine this light.  The sprung wires push UP on the bearings and the axles (and whatever small weight is on top of them) push down, so it's about the best you can do.  The sprung wires soldered to the PC board all come out as a unit with one screw, so the drivers and bearings can be dropped in and out for repairs and testing.

[Jim Starbuck]

Truly outstanding and inspirational work Max! Thank you for sharing it with us. Congratulations on the Best Of.
I appreciate how you demonstrated that the engine and tender are in fact powering the train and not vice versa. I imagine some would insist there’s a mechanism in the coach and it makes it that much more impressive to prove there isn’t.

Jim

[Cajonpassfan]

Gives the term "rocket science" a whole another meaning
Fabulous!
Otto

[peteski]

Indeed.  That was a hard part, as was getting enough weight and balance on it so it could pull those two little cars up the hills AND have enough weight on the big driver so it could free-wheel and still have enough "push" to move the valve slider without getting stuck.  It really cannot pull much more.  It can barely manage those two cars.

Of course, I scrupulously cleaned the track and the wheels before doing this demo, which is a must for this thing.

I've been thinking on how the model could have been made heavier.  If it was possible to have the tender and loco 3D printed in wax, then use lost-wax casting process to make them out of brass instead of resin.  That would have added a good amount of heft to it.  I think Shapeways does that.
But at this juncture it is a moot point.  The model  looks  and works great.  The very low gearing of that tiny motor is one of the keys to its success.

[glakedylan]

Max, your work and skill level are so fantastic.
This build and how well it operates is just a testimony to your craftsmanship
kudos! excellent!

Gary

[nkalanaga]

Otto:  True.  two centuries ago steam railroads were "high tech", and every bit as mysterious to the average person as today's space rockets. 

They also had about the same chance of blowing up!

[muktown128]

Max,

Your skill, craftsmanship, and ingenuity are truly amazing.  Thank you for sharing this in such detail.  You are an inspiration to us all.  You have raised the bar yet again.

Scott

[mmagliaro]

I've been thinking on how the model could have been made heavier.  If it was possible to have the tender and loco 3D printed in wax, then use lost-wax casting process to make them out of brass instead of resin.  That would have added a good amount of heft to it.  I think Shapeways does that.
But at this juncture it is a moot point.  The model  looks  and works great.  The very low gearing of that tiny motor is one of the keys to its success.

Pete,
In fact, this is how Stony Smith made the main driver for me.  He had it available in FUD, then went through the wax -> lost wax to brass route with Shapeways.  (and thanks, man!)

[mmagliaro]

Gives the term "rocket science" a whole another meaning
Fabulous!
Otto

Funny you should mention this, Otto!   I found this drawing of Rocket online, added a little text, and had it printed on a Cafe Press shirt.
(and yes, I wear it).  The joke was just too perfect to pass up.

[u18b]

Max,
would it be possible to add sound?
Like adding a decoder in the passenger car?

I noticed the motor seems to have a slight whine to it.   Of course, I don't know if that's because it really does, or if it's really pretty quiet and I just have my sound turned too high.

This is such a great project.
I'm so amazed.