 | (Click to enlarge photos)
Construction got underway with the acquisition of the drives wheels and axles. The original plan called for casting the wheels locally, but a little research revealed that the wheels from a scrapped Vulcan locomotive were available. The salvage was a big job for two people but was accomplished in one day. Purchase of the used wheels reduced our expenses to one third the cost of casting them new. |
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| The salvages parts included wheels, axles, bearings, and springs. The design drawings for the new engine were modified slightly to incorporate the Vulcan parts. (These changes will not affect the new engine's dimensions or appearance.) The bearings were removed and inspected; the Vulcan's gears were cut from the axles and scrapped. |  |
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 | After a thorough inspection, all surfaces were wire-brushed and painted. |
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| The fabrication of the frame. |  |
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 | All hands pitch in to mount the frame to the wheels. |
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| The frame is being lowered onto the modified Vulcan axle bearing block assembly. |  |
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 | This view reveals the completed bearing and suspension system. Five leaves were removed to adjust the spring constant for the lighter engine. |
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| Pre-fitting the drive and connecting rods. The rods were fabricated from 1.0" steel plate using a computer controlled plasma cutter. They still need to be ground and polished. |  |
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 | The crank pin bearings were turned on site from an aluminum-brass alloy. They will be lubricated by wick-fed oil cups. |
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