MSS Loco a Good Start?

[doilum]

Doilum

I’ve had a bash at that, and working door hinges, and working brakes, all of which are good fun the first time, but, IMO, pall rather quickly. I’m far too impatient to be a proper model engineer.

Kevin

Entirely agree. Wish I had got into the engineering side about 40 years ago. Perhaps 16mm will never be quite finescale enough. So, whilst I still enjoy firing Kayti up for a few laps of the greenhouse, I have returned to 7mm loco building. 82004 slowly progresses and there is always the threat of another Hunslet.

[sjrixon]

I was very lucky that I've been able to acquire a Mamod...

 

 

She's quite a nice runner, but there are a few things that make it massively frustrating! I used boiled water, so I didn't need to heat up cold water. Even with that I find the tray for the fire blocks is just too small. You have to split one in half, which gets the loco boiling and ready to go, I then needed to put another one in to keep it boiling and actually run a train. We went through a whole box this weekend alone!

 

But it's really good fun.. So I'm looking at upgrades I think a meths burner is a must have.

 

Then I need to look at track. The Mamod track looks ok, I realise the Peco looks better, but the points are nearly twice the price. So I'm not sure at the moment which way I'm going to jump.

Edited June 25, 2018 by sjrixon

[Nearholmer]

It’s all down hill for here: upgrades, then a new loco ‘cos the Mahmoud is still frustrating, then you’ll want a permanent track, then, and, and, and ...... enjoy!

 

(I’m not going to correct autocorrect; I rather like the idea of a loco called Mahmoud.)

[sjrixon]

Mahmoud nice

 

Just looking at a little more Mamod track, maybe the passing loop. Then bury that lot at the bottom of the garden to call it phase 1!

[sjrixon]

Thanks for that Ian.. I've been looking at the kit from Dream Steam, looks like quite a good idea with a meths burner. 

 

I was worried about the Mamod track as I can't find much about it online. But I think for my little project it could be a good start, also I've set fire to the grass a few times, the peco track isn't going to like that!

[Chris M]

You could buy a Roundhouse loco (new or secondhand) and, if it doesn't work out, sell it for not much less than you paid for it. Personally I wouldn't mess about with those suggested (in fact I didn't) I would buy a Roundhouse radio control loco (in fact I did). I follow the simple instructions and it just works perfectly, every time. No hassle and looks great too.

[sjrixon]

Chris.. While I agree, I have a nearly free Mamod that won't cost the earth in upgrades. Roundhouse will be next years project!

[doilum]

You could buy a Roundhouse loco (new or secondhand) and, if it doesn't work out, sell it for not much less than you paid for it. Personally I wouldn't mess about with those suggested (in fact I didn't) I would buy a Roundhouse radio control loco (in fact I did). I follow the simple instructions and it just works perfectly, every time. No hassle and looks great too.

Kayti cost about a grand including radio gear. RtR from roundhouse it would be about 1550. Guess I would recover my money.

[Sturminster_Newton]

Mamod derived locomotives are OK ish.

 

The Regner geared oscillators in ALL forms are a good deal better.

 

Yes they ares entry level models but the gearing controls the runaway nature of oscillator power units that rev to 3000 rpm and beyond in moments.

 

The 4:1 reduction pulls the line speed down and pushes the haulage capacity up.

 

It is feasible to shunt your rolling stock without struggling, try that with any direct powered live steamer.

 

Regner cope with  Mamod track 30" radius corners and depending on the model have bags of character and are easy to operate.

 

For those that like to, Regner models will scale up to 1:12 as well as 16mm/ft and G scale plus they are gauge adjustable between 30, 32 and 45mm gauge track

 

I would suggest that you keep clear of Mamod Track as this will hamper your operations unless you stick with tiny locomotives and rolling stock.

 

The new stuff is not as good as the original Mamod, the joining clips need some fettling to get a reliable connection.

 

That being said, Mamod track does see life on exhibition layouts so it is not all a lost cause.

 

Peco set track SM32 will provide years of trouble free running when laid to a solid un-moving foundation.

 

 

See IP Engineering Ings Farm rolling stock for tiddly rolling stock at a pound stretching price.

 

Roundhouse has two small diesel outline locomotives battery powered locomotives in it's sales listing and are good entry level locomotives.

 

IF you stick with MSS/Mamod track then check carefully that your chosen model motive power will pass through unmodified point-work, otherwise you will need to chop the operating lever off and fit it remote.

 

At the end of the day whatever route you take buy enough track to make a circuit, a loco and stock that'll run on it .

 

Indoors a Mamod circuit of track 7' x 5' will fill a room...

 

Out in the garden the same oval of mamod track will look lost, unless you have a pocket handkerchief back yard.

 

Do Not Scrimp on the foundations as these will show any corners cut. Over time poorly prepared foundations will cause endless problems and trouble.

 

Ultimately enjoy what you do, but invest wisely.

Edited April 21, 2020 by Sturminster_Newton

[Mike Storey]

In case it hasn't already been mentioned and if you are not aware Scott - your comment on using boiling water: make sure you DON'T use tap water. This can cause real problems in your boiler and tubes over a relatively short time.

 

Ideally, use filtered rain water, or filtered condensed water from something like a tumble dryer or dehumidifier. The filter can be a pair of old tights etc. Some people use de-ionised water, but that is mostly regarded as unsuitable too.

 

I am not too sure about the advisability of using boiling water straight into a cold tank. I have no experience of that, and even though it sounds like a good idea, it seems to me that you may be overly stressing the boiler, with such sudden expansion, each time you do it. Others with greater engineering knowledge or experience may know better, but I would suggest meanwhile that just warm water may be a better friend?

[Chris M]

If you live in a soft water area tap water is fine according to Roundhouse.

[Nearholmer]

Usually, I use water from the water butt, filtering it through a few layers of old bed sheet material as it comes from the tap into the clean container, and this seems to have had no deleterious affect over many years on either boilers or, key point coming up ...... safety valves.

 

It is surprising how much gets filtered out of butt water, which looks superficially clean, including little bugs, so don't miss-out the filtering. Some people use coffee filter pads, but to me that seems like an expensive way of doing a simple job.

 

No steam trains at the moment, though. The water butt ran dry weeks ago!

 

Pre-heating the feedwater is OK if the boiler is already warm, and I've seen very experienced operators of antique pot-boiler locos, Bassett Lowke, Bowman etc, do it as a means to extend run-time from a given amount of fuel.

[Mike Storey]

If you live in a soft water area tap water is fine according to Roundhouse.

 

Yes, that is true. But it is not as easy to determine whether your tap water is hard or soft by local geology now, due to the long distance transfer of water across the UK. This site might prove useful: https://www.kinetico.co.uk/hard-and-soft-water-explained/hard-and-soft-water-uk

 

Here, in the sticks of western France, it's easy. Our water comes from our local reservoir and water tower (and it is flipping hard).

[PatB]

I'd be very surprised if a sound boiler suffered any significant deterioration from being filled from cold with boiling water with the sort of frequency likely for any model locomotive. Thermal shock is a significant problem with brittle materials of low thermal conductivity, neither of which properties apply to anything you're likely to find in any model boiler. Yes, over time thermal cycling can, in theory, get you into trouble with many non-ferrous materials which can only withstand a finite number off stress cycles before failure but let's be realistic here. A model live steamer run one day every weekend (and I'd regard that as considerably heavier than average usage; how many of us really get the opportunity to play every week?) sees 52 thermal cycles a year. Fewer than 2500 over a 40 year operating life. Any boiler, soundly built from decent materials and with the generous factors of safety that have been customary in the hobby since Greenly and Lawrence, will absorb this without protest.

[Co-tr-Paul]

Anybody using the 45mm wheel set have a verdict on these locos ?

[Chris M]

Yes, that is true. But it is not as easy to determine whether your tap water is hard or soft by local geology now, due to the long distance transfer of water across the UK. This site might prove useful: https://www.kinetico.co.uk/hard-and-soft-water-explained/hard-and-soft-water-uk

 

Here, in the sticks of western France, it's easy. Our water comes from our local reservoir and water tower (and it is flipping hard).

I used a tester from Calgon which showed mine was very soft. It comes by pipe all the way from Wales.

[rockershovel]

Interesting point about condensed water from the tumble drier. 

[jimmysb]

I use water from the dehumidifier, I filter through a funnel fitted with a paper coffee filter.