I have this unmouted set of10 steam engine wheels w/ a 1.737" tread diameter. Six of the wheels are loose and have 17 spokes.
The four blind wheels have 11 oval slotted disk centers mounted on axels with square keyed mounting blocks and 25+/- slightly angled teeth on both blind wheel axels. One pair of the driving wheels have a slotted crank pin, the other pair of geared driving wheels have a pressed in threaded steel insert. (Maybe due to missing crank pins??)
Any idea of the application?
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Walthers Polydrive? Just a guess. How about a pic?
You will have to get photos. I did not follow much of that. You said "spokes" then described Boxpok?
Without seeing, sounds like early 726 wheelsets.
They're not Lionel 726 wheels. I'll stick with my original guess.
A mixed bag of wheels, spoke and Boxpok,. Judging from the almost non-existence of flanges, they came from a scale engine. Not Lionel or MTH. I don't recognize them.
Looks like Sunset 3rd Rail. The geared ones for sure.
Jay
Why would a designer make 17 spokes when 18 would have been an even division of 360 degrees?
(17 equals a spoke center of 21.17647058823530 degrees vs 18 spokes at 20 degrees.)
Just curious.
Because 17 spokes are correct for certain prototypes. Tom Mix would solder 17 individual spokes together over an aluminum jig when the job called for it.
He probably saw the post in that list on the right. An easy assumption is that most O Gauge is Lionel.
Two different sets. I would say the spokes are Sunset. The other two pairs are Baldwin Disc, set up for an import like USH or Sunset. They could be Sunset as well - few steamers ever mixed the Baldwins with spokes (the K4 did). A lot mixed Box Pok or Scullin Disc.
Bob,
I stand by what I said. The Baldwin Disks are Sunset. Look at the gearbox bearings and gear...Sunset. Aww, the heck with it what do I know.
Jay
Oh - the diameter is close to 80", so they could well be leftover K4 parts. The counterweights are "straight", which is a PRR exclusive, almost. Tread width might be a giveaway - Sunset stuck with .158 for a long time.
and spokes? A question for Hot. I bet it has to do with dynamic balance and rail pounding.
@Tom Tee posted:Because 17 spokes are correct for certain prototypes. Tom Mix would solder 17 individual spokes together over an aluminum jig when the job called for it.
I was referring to the prototype when I asked why would a designer would use 17 spokes.
15 spokes equals 24 degree--16 spokes equals 22.5 degrees -- 18 spokes equals 20 degrees---all easy measures.
17 spokes is not an easy measure of 360 degrees---so I was asking why choose that?
and spokes? A question for Hot. I bet it has to do with dynamic balance and rail pounding.
It isn't as simple as dividing the number of spokes desired into 360 Deg's.
The number of needed spooks is also governed by the dia of hub, dia of wheel, Material and spokes width.
The material (compressive strength) and diameter of the spokes need to be known.
The total wheel weight should be less than the total compressive strength of the spokes.
@GVDobler posted:I was referring to the prototype when I asked why would a designer would use 17 spokes.
15 spokes equals 24 degree--16 spokes equals 22.5 degrees -- 18 spokes equals 20 degrees---all easy measures.
17 spokes is not an easy measure of 360 degrees---so I was asking why choose that?
To save weight. And to avoid a very short spoke directly on top of the side rod bearing. I would suggest that they found out some day about a tendency of stress breaks . All these parts are super heavy and hammer around a lot at higher speeds.
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