Weekend Update 1/8/17

[randgust]

My prototype had a 47-tonner as well and I've spent decades studying the problem.   It's as 'average' a Heisler as their is.  Bluestone 1 is the only operational 47-tonner left and it has classic lines and proportions.

I've come....so.....close.....   And I built a "Heisler" years ago with a 9' truck wheelbase.

Part of the 'problem' is the 'perfect is the enemy of good' issue.   What is it worth to an N scaler to have the crankshaft spinning around under there?   Now I'll give you the Shay is a must-have for a spinning driveshaft, and I even figured out how to do the jackshafts for a Climax, but that Heisler presents its own issues.  It can be done, but is it actually worth it?    The Rivarossi HO Heisler is way, way, way off the way it is done - shaft is much too fast.  It's a relatively low-RPM movement in comparison to wheel RPM, which is why Heislers were faster.

If you eliminate that crank as an issue it's not that hard, really, it's just a diesel drive with siderods, albeit 33-42" wheels and a 42-48" wheelbase, depending on tonnage.   The truck dimensions aren't far from an existing Atlas Shay.

But, the other 'gotcha' here is that Atlas 65-ton Shay has a significantly longer truck-to-truck wheelbase and frame than any Heisler ever built.  The Atlas Pacific Coast oil-fired Shay is by far the biggest two-trucker done by Lima and by no means 'average'.   A similar-era 60-ton Heisler is about five feet shorter as a 2-trucker, and when they got long, they get kind of ugly looking as a 2-truck design.  A 3-truck configuration looks a lot more normal when they get longer.

I've spent the last year or so trying to figure out how to modify a Shay drive and haven't succeeded..yet... haven't given up either.    There's no doubt you can RP it as a display model, but you need the weight of cast metal on any small steam locomotive wherever you can get it.

I've got a lifetime library of information now, so if anybody want to work with me on developing one, I'm all ears.   The biggest advantage is that you can actually go out and touch Bluestone 1, but I've talked to Chris Baldo, he doesn't have drawings either.  So, bring your tape measure.  I've at least seen it in person pre-restoration.     

[Rich_S]

More on my GP59. It'll be NS 4611.

Reese, Numbered it 4610 and paint it Green and Cream, that was a classy looking locomotive 

[peteski]

Well, the gyralight effect I have programmed to an output on the drop-in Digitrax decoder for the Atlas MP15DC works quite well. Plenty of difference between the bright and dim phases of the effect much like my Zimo's. There even seems to be a slight reflector flash effect upon every other bright phase. Could the resistors being used have an affect on the quality of the effect?

Russ, I'm mainly interested in the alternating ditch lights and rotary beacon simulation and I was not impressed with either one.  When the ditch lights dim, they seem to stay on too bright to me. The rotary beacon also doesn't seem to be quite convincing.  But they look good when using incandescent light bulbs.

The resistors just limit the maximum brightness so I don't see how that would make a difference. But maybe you do have point.  If the maximum brightness is set to be dimmer (using higher value resistor) then they will appear to be darker when dimmed by the function output.

[SkipGear]

Replacing the bus station seen in the background of this shot....



With this scratch bash based on the windows and base plate from the same kit. Everything else is sheet styrene scratch build.





This is the look I am going for....

https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-waymarking-images/1440d64b-cc28-4b28-8e09-756ecb922511.jpg

[robert3985]

Replacing the bus station seen in the background of this shot....



With this scratch bash based on the windows and base plate from the same kit. Everything else is sheet styrene scratch build.





This is the look I am going for....

https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-waymarking-images/1440d64b-cc28-4b28-8e09-756ecb922511.jpg

Cool build Tony!  Mo' progress shots please!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[nkalanaga]

Operationally, the Heisler did have advantages over the Shay.  Part of the reason for the Shay's success was that it was marketed to loggers, who liked to fix things on the spot.  The Heisler's mechanicals are hard to get to, being under the locomotive.  The Shay's are all hung on the side, out in the open, and easy to work on.  It looks fragile, but loggers could easily fix a Shay in the woods, with the same tools they used for their other machinery.  The Heisler was faster than a Shay, but loggers didn't want speed, because their often temporary track was lousy to start with.

[wm3798]

Looks like Edna Turnblad is doing some shopping down on the Avenue, Hon.

Lee

[bnsfdash8]

Reese, Numbered it 4610 and paint it Green and Cream, that was a classy looking locomotive 

Tempting, maybe the next one. 

[VonRyan]

Very interesting... any details??

I put a TCS Z2 in the boiler, sitting on top of the first gear tower after the motor. Added that phosphor-bronze wires to the drawbar for better continuity while still allowing the tender to be wire-free. The engine has a forward headlight, which I just used the original grain-of-wheat bulb that was in there as I didn't have my lighting supplies in my tool-chest, and I was doing it at a Greenberg show. Was pretty straightforward, just took me some time since I wanted to be sure it was all going together correctly as the engine itself needed some repairs to the siderods and such before I could install the decoder.

[Mike Madonna]

I put a TCS Z2 in the boiler, sitting on top of the first gear tower after the motor. Added that phosphor-bronze wires to the drawbar for better continuity while still allowing the tender to be wire-free. The engine has a forward headlight, which I just used the original grain-of-wheat bulb that was in there as I didn't have my lighting supplies in my tool-chest, and I was doing it at a Greenberg show. Was pretty straightforward, just took me some time since I wanted to be sure it was all going together correctly as the engine itself needed some repairs to the siderods and such before I could install the decoder.

Good to know... thanks Cody