# STEAMIN AT STEVE'S IN THE RAIN



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

I called Steve at about 7:30AM to see if we were still going to have a Steamup and I believe because it had been so long ,he said, what the heck,we can always sit in the house and B.S.
Got to his house around 8 and it was still raining. Bill Courtwright showed up and had his umbrella handy. 
I put the Challenger on the track, did all the set up for her and waited and waited trying to get a good head of steam, Finally, Steve put his suction fan on her with fresh batteries and away she goes.
I had drained the batteries last week at Zube trying to get her up to steam.
Okay, during the video, your assignment is to determine what the noise is and what I am to do to rectify it. Bill and Steve found it after about 30 mins. The UP aux water cars worked great as they were
designed to do. I tried to get some video of them while in motion. Also the video as shown on Youtube is in reverse order as to how I shot it.

http://youtu.be/kxyewEv1Yw4


BTW. We had no troulble wit the couplers today. I had used the Kadee tester and reworked most of the couplers. We had one that gave us problems and just took it off the track.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

I thought we decided it was the axle pump that was squeaking? If it is a dry piston, then it is only squeaking on one way stroke and not the other which would seem odd. So I vote for the axle pump.


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## GaugeOneLines (Feb 23, 2008)

Looks and sounds like drain cocks open......just look at the steam coming out each side. 
David M-K 
Ottawa


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By GaugeOneLines on 31 Oct 2013 03:49 PM 
Looks and sounds like drain cocks open......just look at the steam coming out each side. 
David M-K 
Ottawa 
DMK

So noted in email to Art...seems to go away when the cocks are closed (or as best that they can be).


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## pogsteam (May 23, 2013)

The drain cock linkages are problematic..... Interesting you should say "cocks are closed (or as best they can be)" 
It took me a long time to get them working correctly, partly because the joints in the front drain cock coupler are sited near the pivot of the engines where a lot of stuff is going on. 
Even when closed< a sharpish radius, like you are running on can cause the linkage to snag and open a bit> I have put RC on throttle, blower, reverser (and whistle!), and my solution is to get rid of the long drain cock linkages and put servos close to the front and rear draincocks> Plenty of channels on DX8. 
Glad you are happy with aux tenders 

Mike


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By GaugeOneLines on 31 Oct 2013 03:49 PM 
Looks and sounds like drain cocks open......just look at the steam coming out each side. 
David M-K 
Ottawa 

As long as no damage being done, I will not do anything. We thought that the drain cocks might m\be stoped up and it was causing the steam to escape from some other part. Thanks for your comments.
She does run nice when you have proper source of battery power to get suction fan to operate the way they should.


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## steamtom1 (Jan 2, 2008)

About a year ago we steamed up here in Michigan on a rainy day. Besides the rain, we also had an air temperature of 41 degrees. The combination of cool and damp sure made for some good plumes, as you can see here...

http://youtu.be/x-RmN8mVfVs 

I'm having trouble with the imbed function. In the edit mode, the video shows, but when I go to this mode I get a this error. Any help here? I do not check the "use old embed code" box. When I do that, I get nothing.


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom, those plumes are great. That sure is a nice place to have a track set up at. Especially when the trees are going into their colors like in the video.


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## redbeard (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Tom,



I wanted to be sure this worked before commenting! This is from a post from SteveC (http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/4/aft/129571/afv/topic/Default.aspx) and it seems to have worked!

Larry

" Embed works fine as long as you manually edit the src=[/b] attribute (see arrow #1) and put the http:[/b] (see arrow #2) back in the URL address that YouTube decided to leave out of the code they now provide.







"


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By GaugeOneLines on 31 Oct 2013 03:49 PM 
Looks and sounds like drain cocks open......just look at the steam coming out each side. 
David M-K 
Ottawa It seems to be the left rear cylinder drain cocks. Nothing was coming out of those and you can see that the steam / oil is being forced around the cylinder between it and it's cover. Freeze the video at 13:48 and you will see a blob of saturated steam oil collecting at the front of this cylinder and it's cover. This oil should have been blown out through the drain cocks. This still might not be what is causing the noise though....................... any other suggestions ??

John, we discovered this after you left. Up until then we all thought it was a coming from the axle pump like you said.


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## GaugeOneLines (Feb 23, 2008)

Posted By gibs035 on 31 Oct 2013 10:57 PM 
Posted By GaugeOneLines on 31 Oct 2013 03:49 PM 
Looks and sounds like drain cocks open......just look at the steam coming out each side. 
David M-K 
Ottawa 

As long as no damage being done, I will not do anything. We thought that the drain cocks might m\be stoped up and it was causing the steam to escape from some other part. Thanks for your comments.
She does run nice when you have proper source of battery power to get suction fan to operate the way they should. 



For goodness sake don't just leave it, it shouldn't be major work to make the drain cocks close properly. I suspect that yours is a 'factory built' model and these are basically just put together but not fine tuned. All engines need some fine tuning, don't be afraid, do it in small steps one area at a time. After all, this is how you learn about your engine and when you have improved the performance then the feeling of satisfaction is worthwhile. You have to be VERY hamfisted to screw up these things and you sound like a bright man.......get to it! David M-K
Ottawa


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## steamtom1 (Jan 2, 2008)

Larry,

Thanks for the help. These YouTube guys must be the same ones working on the Obamacare website.

See you @DH,

Tom


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By GaugeOneLines on 01 Nov 2013 07:31 AM 
Posted By gibs035 on 31 Oct 2013 10:57 PM 
Posted By GaugeOneLines on 31 Oct 2013 03:49 PM 
Looks and sounds like drain cocks open......just look at the steam coming out each side. 
David M-K 
Ottawa 

As long as no damage being done, I will not do anything. We thought that the drain cocks might m\be stoped up and it was causing the steam to escape from some other part. Thanks for your comments.
She does run nice when you have proper source of battery power to get suction fan to operate the way they should. 



For goodness sake don't just leave it, it shouldn't be major work to make the drain cocks close properly. I suspect that yours is a 'factory built' model and these are basically just put together but not fine tuned. All engines need some fine tuning, don't be afraid, do it in small steps one area at a time. After all, this is how you learn about your engine and when you have improved the performance then the feeling of satisfaction is worthwhile. You have to be VERY hamfisted to screw up these things and you sound like a bright man.......get to it! David M-K
Ottawa 

I just remembered something that happened early on witht the Challenger at zube. She jumo off ne of the tracks and there is some scratches underneath this draincock location. Could that be what is causing the difference in the rear draincock and the front one.
David I can do some things without screwing them up. I did have to do some fine tuning with the Big Boy I ran for a while.
I really do not mind the draincocks being open but will try to some things.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Art

Given that there is a decorative drain cock panel (simulation of real setup) I do not think the derailment would have impacted the cocks (cocks will poke out beyond the cylinders if completely closed) without having destroyed that cover. Secondly, I believe if were to be the case the derailment would of been quite violent. Getting to the cock and the lever system will entail some major steps if it needs to be realigned. BTW- steam can escape if the screw into the decorative black plate over the cylinder block (around the piston and cylinder cover was not inserted with some caulking. I am assuming that the very, very small plugs on the inside bottom of the cylinders are not leaking.


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By gibs035 on 01 Nov 2013 09:04 AM 
I just remembered something that happened early on witht the Challenger at zube. She jumo off ne of the tracks and there is some scratches underneath this draincock location. Could that be what is causing the difference in the rear draincock and the front one.
David I can do some things without screwing them up. I did have to do some fine tuning with the Big Boy I ran for a while.
I really do not mind the draincocks being open but will try to some things.

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*Art, I think you have just nailed it on the head*. While the engine was running you could see that pressure was building up at the drain cocks. It was like the oil was being forced at them but was not being released. It was bubbling and spitting and then collecting and dripping from the front between cylinder and decorative cylinder cover like at 13:48 in the video and you can see it real good from 12:14 through 12:25.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Charles on 01 Nov 2013 10:41 AM 
Art

Given that there is a decorative drain cock panel (simulation of real setup) I do not think the derailment would have impacted the cocks (cocks will poke out beyond the cylinders if completely closed) without having destroyed that cover. Secondly, I believe if were to be the case the derailment would of been quite violent. Getting to the cock and the lever system will entail some major steps if it needs to be realigned. BTW- steam can escape if the screw into the decorative black plate over the cylinder block (around the piston and cylinder cover was not inserted with some caulking. I am assuming that the very, very small plugs on the inside bottom of the cylinders are not leaking. 

I am going to go check it now. Check the screws for tightness etc.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By gibs035 on 01 Nov 2013 09:04 AM 
I just remembered something that happened early on witht the Challenger at zube. She jumo off ne of the tracks and there is some scratches underneath this draincock location. Could that be what is causing the difference in the rear draincock and the front one.




So you are the one that broke the ties around the switch throw out there. Ahah. I had to repair that switch a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't fun. Next time you break something, at least let someone know.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By jfrank on 01 Nov 2013 10:52 AM 
Posted By gibs035 on 01 Nov 2013 09:04 AM 
I just remembered something that happened early on witht the Challenger at zube. She jumo off ne of the tracks and there is some scratches underneath this draincock location. Could that be what is causing the difference in the rear draincock and the front one.




So you are the one that broke the ties around the switch throw out there. Ahah. I had to repair that switch a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't fun. Next time you break something, at least let someone know.


I did not break any switch throw John. The derail;ment was way downthe line about three months ago. If I break it I fix it.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Art

Check this screw as to having be set in place with proper caulking. Otherwise there could be a steam link. I am not sure if this was a problem early on....or just recently. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8390181271/in/set-72157632193146418


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Charles on 01 Nov 2013 12:31 PM 
Art

Check this screw as to having be set in place with proper caulking. Otherwise there could be a steam link. I am not sure if this was a problem early on....or just recently. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8390181271/in/set-72157632193146418 


Will do Charles.I have started three times to go out to check the engine and spouse has ask me to do three different things. Will get to it.
Thanks for all the help.
Remember I am 78 plus years old and have lost the use of two fingers on right hand, so I am slow upstairs and with the hands.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Charles
I checked that screw aand I see no caulking at all. I plan on putting her on test stand as soon as I can and check it all out. This noise we hear just started as far as I can tell. Had not noticed it before.
While I am at it will try to something better with the drain cock controls if you have any suggestions.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Art

Here is confirmation of a sounds from the drain cock (seem to be what I heard from your engine) open then silence once closed. We will email you about steps on checking the drain cocks

Drain cock check


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Charles hope to get to run on test track tomorrow.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Well I set the Challenger up on test track and thought I was getting video of the action of the drain cocks but after running the engine for about 20mins and put her up I find that I did not have video.
Good news though I think. While letting her run on stand I was able to keep opening and closing drain cocks until all of them were functioning. At least it looked that way and there was no noise as there was at Steve's./
Got email from Steve this morning and baring any rain we are to steam again tomorrow. He says we are behind on our steamups. Sounds good to me and another chance to run the Challenger.
ay have been one of those times when yyour vehicle in for checkup and the noise you heard before somehow is gone.
We shall see.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Charles on 02 Nov 2013 05:35 PM 
Art

Here is confirmation of a sounds from the drain cock (seem to be what I heard from your engine) open then silence once closed. We will email you about steps on checking the drain cocks

Drain cock check 
The more I listen and watch the video, the sound is nothing more than the drain being open and doing what it is designed to do, Just had not paid that close attention to the sound.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Art

The video does not really give a true sound with the other sounds ongoing but listening "live" it was actually the noise of your locomotive. The only difference is whether or not the cocks on your engine close completely.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Charles on 03 Nov 2013 07:29 PM 
Art

The video does not really give a true sound with the other sounds ongoing but listening "live" it was actually the noise of your locomotive. The only difference is whether or not the cocks on your engine close completely. 


When I had it on the test stand today, I do believe I was able to get the drain cocks completely closed. Will get to run again tomorrow.


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