Building a Live Steam Locomotive - the Mikado ProjectStill making Progress! Still Under Construction! Working on boiler plumbing required to fire-up the engine. Construction photos of a 1.6" scale, 7.5" gage live steam USRA Heavy Mikado locomotive, wheel arrangement 2-8-2. Under construction in my basement under the expert tutelage of Bill W., retired master machinist. I have chosen the home road for this locomotive, it will be a Frisco 4100-series engine, number 4166 (a 'ghost' engine, the 4100 series stopped after 4164). Note: Most of the pictures in this album are in reverse order, with the newest developments first.
Assembly
| Total images: 66
In Progress! Although there is no 'Section A' in the prints, I need a place to record the assembling of the locomotive. Recent activity: Boiler Fit, Remove, Fit Remove, Ashpan installation, firedoor, front-end work. Winter 2011. Chassis Timing - December 2009. Started July 2009
Painting
| Total images: 20
Another non-print section, but another milestone event. Parts have been Prepared, Primered and Painted. Now that this big batch is completed, most parts are now painted as they are completed, so you'll find them in their respective sections.
Section 3 - Drive Wheels
| Total images: 74
Completed! Pictures, video and the Saga of the main drive wheels. Started July 2005, finished December 2007 with a break in the middle to find, move and restore a bigger lathe.
Section 4 - Cylinders
| Total images: 16
Completed! The cylinder saddle as machined by master machinist Bill W. Summer 2003
Section 5 - Cylinder group 2
| Total images: 87
Completed! The cylinder parts - covers, piping, jacketing. July 2006-Jan 2007, June 2009-August 2009, finished September 2009
Section 6 - Pilot and Pilot Deck
| Total images: 74
Nearly Complete! The Pilot (front of engine) and Front Truck. Sheetmetal work for the pilot deck and ladder await.
Section 7 - Trailing Truck
| Total images: 43
Completed! The Delta Trailing Truck. May 2005 - Aug 2007
Section 8 - Motion Structure
| Total images: 63
Completed! Guide Yoke, Link Support, Connecting Rods,Water pump. August 2007-Jan 2008
Section 9 - Locomotive Brakes
| Total images: 55
Completed! Locomotive Brakes. Brake cylinder, brake hangers, brake shoes, connecting links and beams. Jan - Feb 2008 The Brake gear was welded in August. I have received three replacement brake hangers and we completed them June 2009.
Section 10 - Drive Rods
| Total images: 55
Completed! Drive Rods. Main, Side and Intermediate rods. Jan-June 2008
Section 11 - Valve Gear
| Total images: 134
Completed! Valve Gear. Lots of little levers: Link Trunion, tumbling shaft lever, eccentric crank, eccentric rod, radius rod, combination lever, union link, lifing link. July 2008-January 2009
Section 12 - Smokebox
| Total images: 164
Finished enough to Run! The 'face' of a locomotive. Front-end work in progress - Throttle, petticoat, blast pipe. Custom smokebox support stays completed (Frisco used 4 stays, not the 2 like the USRA models), throttle modification and installation, a custom flaring tool - Winter 2011. Smokebox front, smokestack, headlight bracket, hinges, bell. February - June 2009. Plumbing May 2011 - finished Nov 2011.
Section 13 - Boiler
| Total images: 34
Completed. The boiler was fabricated by a machine shop in the hobby in 2003 and was part of the castings and prints when I purchased them from an individual.
In Progress. Boiler Accessories. Steam dome cover, sand dome. April 2011 - Fire door completed, installed. Maybe the fire pan is really finished this time! Fire pan modified, completed, for a square burner and damper assembly Feb 2011. Fire pan modified, completed, for a larger atomizer opening in fall 2010. The fire pan was started Jan 2010, completed May 2010.
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Section 15 - Cab
| Total images: 13
The Cab. August 2011 - Right now we are focusing on the minumum needed to get the locomotive running, cab finishing and details will come later. May 2011 - Cab Floor Started. June 2008-Check out the beautiful laser cut parts my friend Tim M. hooked me up with!
Section 16 - Cab Accessories
| Total images: 41
Started! Cab Accessories. The reverse stand is nearly finished (Aug 2011), Johnson bar.
Section 17 - Tender Trucks
| Total images: 1
Tender Trucks. I picked up a set of 3-axle commonwealth trucks in November 2008 which I will use instead of the supplied USRA bettendorfs. One problem: the homemade castings do not have an engineering print with them. We have to figure out how to machine them.
Section 18 - Tender
| Total images: 2
Tender. Fiberglass Tender received 2003. Update: June 2009 - I am thinking of making a tender instead of using the fiberglass one since the 3 axle trucks I have will not fit under the frame.
Section 19 - Misc
| Total images: 7
Misc. Stuff that doesn't have a particular home. Like the Lubricator. And hand rails. And a Bell, and whistle, and lettering, and couplers, and....and...and...
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