You think I'd know better - Trix 2-10-0 rebuild

[keeper]

... Wonder what the driver diameter is.

The driver diameter of the prototype is 1400 mm which is 55.11811 inch.
So the drivers should be 8.75 mm.

That means they are a bit over 1 mm too small in diameter.

[mike_lawyer]

Reworking those Arnold cylinders will be a PITA as the upper plastic supports are part of them it appears to me, but thr rest of the model looks nice. Wonder what the driver diameter is.

Randy -

Funny you mentioned the cylinders and the plastic supports, I noticed that too last night.  It will take some work, but it shouldn't be a deal breaker.  The prototype had a driver diameter of 55 inches, so the drivers are slightly smaller than the I1, but you are looking at maybe 1 mm in N scale, so it should be close enough. 

[mike_lawyer]

I might have to splurge for one of those Arnold chassis and try it out.  Of course, my dream would be to have a shop fabricate two frame pieces out of brass or some other material with a 5th driver axle that would perfectly fit the Kato Mikado drivers to be able to create all different types of 2-10-x locomotives.  I have no idea how to actually do that as it is way beyond my expertise. 

[dem34]

Not terribly difficult, but is labor intensive and hard to scale, very similar to how Bowser Kits were set up.

Basically just get 2 brass sheets with cutouts that accept each axle and bearing then joining them with a strip soldered between. But easier said then done since any slop will noticeably degrade performance.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

My dad found it!

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Randy, you want it?

[mmagliaro]

The driver diameter of the prototype is 1400 mm which is 55.11811 inch.
So the drivers should be 8.75 mm.

That means they are a bit over 1 mm too small in diameter.

So they are .039" too small.  Allowing for .020" flanges, and you have a perfectly sized driver when you count the flange size.
The reality is that in N Scale, any steam driver has to be a little undersized to allow for the big flanges (because even our "fine" flanges are way too big compared to a prototype).  It's either that or you have to open up the driverspacing.  I'd rather have close spacing.  Therefore, those Arnold drivers are perfect for this.  The only catch is... are they spaced correctly for the i1?

[mmagliaro]

Not terribly difficult, but is labor intensive and hard to scale, very similar to how Bowser Kits were set up.

Basically just get 2 brass sheets with cutouts that accept each axle and bearing then joining them with a strip soldered between. But easier said then done since any slop will noticeably degrade performance.

You put two brass sheets together with the spacer in between them, drill and tap 3-4 holes through them, and put the sandwich together with screws.  Then you mill out the 5 slots across both pieces in one step.  They will be guaranteed to line up perfectly.  That's how I did the 0-6-0.  The much harder part was cutting out all the funky angles and openings in the those frame halves so they looked like the real frame and not just like two klunky rectangles.
If somebody wanted to do this for real, they would make up a CNC program so they could just let it run and kick out one frame after another.  No, they couldn't do "hundreds" in a day, but they could do more than anybody is ever going to buy in about a week.  There aren't going to be thousands of N scale modelers lining up for a 2-10-x brass frame that they can use to scratchbuild an engine.
That's the real reason nobody does it.  There's no money in it.

[mike_lawyer]

So they are .039" too small.  Allowing for .020" flanges, and you have a perfectly sized driver when you count the flange size.
The reality is that in N Scale, any steam driver has to be a little undersized to allow for the big flanges (because even our "fine" flanges are way too big compared to a prototype).  It's either that or you have to open up the driverspacing.  I'd rather have close spacing.  Therefore, those Arnold drivers are perfect for this.  The only catch is... are they spaced correctly for the i1?

Good question.  I don't have a drawing of a BR 42 to compare with the I1 for purposes of comparing the center to center of the drivers.  Randy was saying the old Minitrix chassis based on the same prototype had perfectly matched drivers to the I1, so I would think the Arnold chassis should be roughly the same.

[peteski]

Here is a drawing of the BR-42.  Not sure if the model is accurately scaled though.

[mike_lawyer]

Here is a drawing of the BR-42.  Not sure if the model is accurately scaled though.

The prototype BR 42 drawing indicates 1650mm from the center to the center of each driver, which converts to 64.96 inches.  The I1 drawing shows 67.5 inches between drivers.  That is pretty darn close in N scale.

[keeper]

The spacing from center to center is 1700 mm for a class 043 (the Roco one) which is 66.92 inch. That is even closer.
I could measure it if it is of interest as I have the class 043 loco.

[randgust]

I'm glad you're all having fun with this.   As for me, I'm rather content with my two almost-free Trix drive chassis here, and I just sent Ed a confirm on that boiler, what the heck.

I had a mental unlimited construction budget in pulling off the 4-4-0 1046, that was fun, and intended to be the 'perfect' D16, with very limited use.  This is intended to be a show runner with compromises, and also cheap, to be blunt.   If I hadn't scored that deal on a Trix pair in Altoona I wouldn't bother.   (So far my out-of-pocket, not out of junk drawer, is $25.00 on the pair).    Last time I had this much fun with what's considered to be a hopeless basket case was $50.00 for the brass Jamco 4-6-2 that took a dive onto a concrete floor.   It's a sweet running loco now.

The only other 'perfect' steam build I've got left in my bucket list is a 47-ton Heisler, and that's proven to be extraordinarily difficult.   I've already got a runner, my ancient Roco chassis, that works well in shows, but I really would like to do one visually right.

[mike_lawyer]

I bought one of the Arnold BR 42s from a US retailer for $210 plus shipping, which seems like a good deal.  Bought it as an early Christmas present.  I will post pictures and measurements when I receive it to see how closely matches an I1.

[peteski]

I bought one of the Arnold BR 42s from a US retailer for $210 plus shipping, which seems like a good deal.  Bought it as an early Christmas present.  I will post pictures and measurements when I receive it to see how closely matches an I1.

That is a good deal!  Nice find.  Which vendor did you get it from (Railwire moderators do not object to  posting specific vendor/dealer info or even eBay links on the forum.)

My US based retailers of European trains are Reynaulds and Eurolokshop (Tee-Usa).  But neither has real time inventory (or even something somewhat close to that), so you put bunch of things in the shopping cart and place the order, and half ends up being backordered. I still have some backorders going back few years!  I much prefer DM-Toys' real-time inventory.

Looks like (in typical TRW fashion) we have totally hijacked what was supposed to be Randy's 2-10-0 build thread.  Maybe we could ask the moderators to split off our musings from Randy's stuff?

[mike_lawyer]

That is a good deal!  Nice find.  Which vendor did you get it from (Railwire moderators do not object to  posting specific vendor/dealer info or even eBay links on the forum.)

My US based retailers of European trains are Reynaulds and Eurolokshop (Tee-Usa).  But neither has real time inventory (or even something somewhat close to that), so you put bunch of things in the shopping cart and place the order, and half ends up being backordered. I still have some backorders going back few years!  I much prefer DM-Toys' real-time inventory.

Looks like (in typical TRW fashion) we have totally hijacked what was supposed to be Randy's 2-10-0 build thread.  Maybe we could ask the moderators to split off our musings from Randy's stuff?

Pete -

I bought it from Eurolokshop (tee-usa) last night, and it shipped out today, so they must have had them in stock.  I bought the regular DC version (which is cheaper).  I can start a new thread so Randy's thread on the Trix 2-10-0 can continue!

Mike