@harmonyards posted:Clearly that valve stem is way too short to be any kind of effective …..send the whole locomotive to me, and I’ll rebuild all the linkage …..I have plenty of much longer valve stems, so we can make your existing valve train work like it should, and not fall out,…..this is my realm,….you guys solder wires, and make ‘em’ go choo choo, ….I make the mechanical parts work,….
Pat
It doesn't move much, but the hole is much larger than the valve stem, and I couldn't figure out how it would ever stay in there. Also, the recess that it slides into is way larger than the valve stem. Also, the hole bottoms out 1/4" from the surface, so the rod couldn't be all that long. Truthfully, I don't understand how this was ever supposed to work, although that valve stem doesn't have much travel.
@iguanaman3 posted:It appears that your steam chest is too far forward in the picture by about 1/8 inch. It does not line up with the pipe above the running boards. That would explain your rod slipping out. Perhaps it was a side effect of the destroyed rods.
Actually, in looking closer at it, it's back slightly in regard to the pipe above, so that certainly can't be it. If anything, it's too far back.
Also, it aligns on the frame a locating pin, and two screws. There is no way it goes anywhere else. Finally, this is actually a new one from Lionel, and the old one was in the same position, but it was all beat up, so I replaced it when I was ordering drive rod parts.
