Does anyone still make a brass kit for the 4-8-8-4 Bigboy ?
I have built smaller engines and tenders from brass kits with 4,6 & 8 drive wheel arrangements and would really like to build a Bigboy kit.
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Did anyone ever?
I thought that Lobaugh made a kit back in the 40's or 50's but don't know if that is correct or not.
If you are really looking for a challenge, you could try to buy an expensive USH model of the Big Boy, remotor it with two motors and super-detail it.
That should keep you busy for months.
Yves
Lobaugh made a Jabelmann Challenger kit in the 1950s, and it can be converted easily. You need two extra drivers, four extra side rods, two sand domes, a new firebox, and a few lost- wax goodies.
I have only seen one "two motor" articulated that did not involve a butchered boiler and front cylinder block. If you cannot do it with concentric drive shafts below the frame top, don't do it. If you like drivers in and out of synch, use Mod O.5 front and Mod O.6 rear.
Opinion, of course.
Originally Posted by bob2:
I have only seen one "two motor" articulated that did not involve a butchered boiler and front cylinder block. If you cannot do it with concentric drive shafts below the frame top, don't do it. If you like drivers in and out of synch, use Mod O.5 front and Mod O.6 rear.
Opinion, of course.
I had a thought that didn't die of loneliness. In looking at the boiler, you could (in theory) locate a belt drive for the front driver set between the rear cylinders with the motor forward of the belt drive; the rear motor would have to be mounted similarly with the belt drive in the firebox. I think the front drive shaft would have to be double set up with the gearbox located on the third axle. The driver set's frame would have to be pretty narrow to allow swing and the shaft would have to be extremely close to the #4 axle. Unfortunately, building one of these is beyond my skill set so I can't implement my theory. Just a thought (maybe I should have let it die of loneliness).
My idea for powering the front driver set is to have the last pair of drive wheels powered.
That gearbox would then have a universal joint directly over the pivot attachment screw.
The motor for the front drivers would be mounted up in the rear of the boiler and have a drive shaft running down to the universal joint on the front gear box.
The front gearbox would be hidden fairly well by the steam tubes running to the rear steam chest.
My thought also was that both the front and rear drivers could be powered by the same drive shaft and this drive shaft could be powered by one larger can motor.
Ray, Here is a chance to get involved in a BigBoy project. Good luck
Bob
I have done quite a few articulateds from scratch. The best way, near as I can figure, is an 8000 - series Pittman motor driving two NWSL gearboxes. I do not use the tower gear style, preferring to have a hidden driveshaft. I couple the motor directly to the worm shaft, and use speedometer cable and a alip joint for the connection between engines. Bulletproof.
But for those who have to have independent motors, my NP Challenger has a two motor solution, with the front worm shaft driven through the rear worm shaft - the rear shaft is hollow; a tube. The motors couple to the worm shafts with Delrin chain. It would have been quieter with tooth belts.
I got the idea from jet engines. The inner shaft is the fan and turbine section, and the outer shaft is the compressor and a couple stages of the turbine. They rotate independently. The Rolls Royce engines on the 757 are triple- spool!
This is the optimum solution - opinion.
