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7-Plus-NGM Digest March 2009
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Date: Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:19:41 -0000
From: "John Oxlade"
Subject: Thames Small Gauge Railway Society
Does anyone know how to get hold of the Thames Small Gauge Railway Society Inc.? (New Zealand that is). Their website hasn't been updated in over three years and the contact email address is no longer valid.
Failing that, does anyone know when they have their open weekend?
Many thanks,
John
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Date: Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:16:38 -0000
From: "edgarcorny"
Subject: Civil Engineering for Outdoor Railroads Volume 2 Bridges - status update.
Hi,
The second volume in the Civil Engineering series has been submitted to the publisher. It is hoped that it will not take long to have it in print.
EC
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Date: Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:44:12 -0000
From: "Jerry L. Albers"
Subject: This is all new to me....HELP!
Hi guys,
I am new to this forum and just "thinking" about getting into 7.5 gauge. I would like to do something in 2.5 or 3.75 scale. I currently live in AZ and moved from Colorado 71/2 years ago. I am used to the real thing. In 1973 I started buying and restoring full size D&RGW/RGS narrow gauge equipment. Since moving to AZ, I am "trainless". 7.5 seems small to me but I can see the advantages. Yes I have seen some of the web sites for 3.75 scale and that is impressive. My question to you is......what size rail do you folks use? I will probably never run large steam. Just electric motor car and small locomotive....but the bigger the better. Will 1 inch aluminum do the trick? Any info you have would be great. Thanks for your time.
Jerry Albers
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Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:35:58 -0000
From: "William Van Lenten"
Subject: Re: This is all new to me....HELP!
Check out
narrowgaugebuilders@yahoogroups.com
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Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 07:58:38 -0600
From: "Bill Laird"
Subject: Re: This is all new to me....HELP!
Jerry,
I don't know where you live in AZ, but the Maricopa Live Steamers http://www.maricopalivesteamers.com/
are having their annual spring meet the weekend of March 20 - 22. They are located just north of Phoenix off I-17. They are a friendly bunch and would welcome someone looking for information on the hobby. In recent years there has been a fair amount of 2 1/2" and 3 3/4" scale equipment as well as 1 1/2" at their meets. I would suggest you pay them a visit during the meet.
Bill Laird
Canyon Lake, Texas
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Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 16:02:18 +0000
From: Roy Stevens
Subject: RE: This is all new to me....HELP!
Hi Jerry,
Just for comparison, I have a friend that has built a 2.5" scale Uintah Valley Mallet - 2-6-6-2. The thing is HUGE! Biggest loco I've ever seen on 7.5" gauge, makes a 1.6" Big-boy look like a lionel toy. Anyway, he runs it on 1" tall aluminum rail with no trouble, not to mention that it will negotiate an 18' radius curve, which scaled up is larger than the curves that the prototype ran on in Baxter pass. Where he runs it has 3.5" tie spacing which is typical for clubs and well funded private tracks. My track is not so well funded, but 1" tall rails with 6" tie spacing has no trouble supporting my rather heavy 2.5" scale Sumpter Valley davenport.
Roy Stevens
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Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:26:55 -0000
From: "Jerry L. Albers"
Subject: Re: This is all new to me....HELP!
Thanks for your reply guys. I live near Lake Havasu City in the "western" part of the state. I actually live at the base of the mountains, so the summers are not NEAR as hot as Havasu, Phoenix, or Laughlin Nevada. I hope to make it to the Maricopa Steamers and/or the Joshua Tree Southern. Actually both are about a 3 hour drive for me.
Thanks again
Jerry
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Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 11:09:13 -0800 (PST)
From: "L. Kenneth Burns"
Subject: Re: Re: This is all new to me....HELP!
Jerry,
We expect to have 4 C-Class loco's at Joshua Tree for the NG meet next weekend. Hope to see you there.
Ken Burns
www.projectrgs41.org
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Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 14:13:19 EST
From: douglasandcj@aol.com
Subject: Re: Re: This is all new to me....HELP!
Jerry, welcome to the 7-Plus group. I too have made the transition to 7 1/2" gauge and am building a 2 1/2" scale F & CC 20 4-6-0 from Pike Lake. In 2 1/2" scale a 1 " high rail equates to about a prototype 75 lb. A.S.C.E.type of rail. This rail was a commonly rolled rail that was used in the western states. This is actually a pretty hefty rail for the narrow gauge railroads around the early 20 th Century as mamy started up operations with 30 lb rail and heavier gradually working up to 75 to 85 lb rail.
My background is as a rail engineer and spent my career working for the Santa Fe in that capacity. When I got into this hobby and started to really look at the rail that was being offered I found while the rail was relatively
cheap the designs of most were very poor and under heavy traffic wore on the gauge side in curves and was really soft so that you really needed to provide closely spaced tie support to prevent vertical bending and finally I noticed a lot of rail end battering because of loose rail joiner fastenings. I too had the question of what to use to support my 2 1/2" steam loco and any visiting heavy 1 1/2" or 2 1/2" power.
I designed a 1" high aluminum alloy rail with a base width also 1" wide and designed a proper railhead to minimize wear. It's very strong rail both vertically and horizontally as I also worked with my extruder to use the proper alloys along with the aluminum.. What I ended up with is a good prototype 75 lb rail for 2 1/2" scale. I also designed the proper rail joiners that totally support the joint even midway between ties with the capability to allow some expansion and contraction by the rails sliding within the joint bars. In 2 1/2" scale I use 5" tie spacing and this rail will support single axel loads in excess of 750 lbs without any vertical deflection.
You can contact me off list to find out more or ask any questions you may have.
Douglas G. De Berg
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Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:06:16 -0000
From: "Jerry L. Albers"
Subject: Re: This is all new to me....HELP!
Hi again everyone,
My wife, Theresa, and I did get the chance to make it to Joshua Tree this past weekend. It was GREAT and we learned a lot. My wife even made the comment....."we need to do this"!!!!
Thanks to Ken for inviting us. I especially liked the RGS caboose 0400. I did not say anything....but I owned and restored the real thing. It currently is on display at the Colorado Railroad Museum. Thanks again to all of you for your help. I'll keep you posted.
Jerry
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Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:57:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: "L. Kenneth Burns"
Subject: Re: Re: This is all new to me....HELP!
Your welcome Jerry, glad you had a good time. Sorry didn't get to good-bye. The Narrow Guage "circus" moves onto Train Mountian RR May 1,2 & 3. Great time will be had by all. Come up and see many NG locos and trains.
Ken Burns
www.projectrgs41.org
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Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:37:39 +0000
From: Roy Stevens
Subject: Forney planning
Something to help us get back on topic. I'm armchair planning a protolanced 2-4-4T in approx 3" scale to take advantage of some parts I have and was wondering how to mount the rear truck so it will support my weight and still make it around my 21' radius. I'm guessing that some sort of pivoting swing motion would do the trick but why re-invent the wheel, I know there have been a few similar locos built.
Roy
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Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:44:12 -0000
From: "narrowbend"
Subject: West Side caboose #6 [ex #4] interior plan
OK folks, yesterday's paper says the space shuttle is down now so time for another topic!
Though my railroad is 3 3/4 scale, I want to build a 2 1/2" scale West Side caboose to travel with. Although I have an exterior plan of #3, a near duplicate, in the back of Ferrell's book on the West Side, I wonder if anyone can point me to a plan for the interior, or give me some idea what is inside. I understand #6 still exists, but don't know where.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Michael
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Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:33:44 -0400
From: rghtathome@aol.com
Subject: Re: West Side caboose #6 [ex #4] interior plan
You might try looking into those magazines designed for Modelling Narrow Gauge stuff...the name escapes me at this time I will email you later with it....
Regards
Chris
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Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:51:37 -0600
From: Chuck
Subject: off list
Michael,
I have a web site up with the local tractor club that has some of my projects including my Shay, Gary's 1/2 scale
4-4-0 and a link to the "Riverview & Twin Lakes" 3" scale 15" gauge with 1800' of track laid.
http://flywheelers.org/projects/projects.html
What gauge are you running?
Chuck
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