# [Achievement Unlocked: Aster Berkshire - NKP 779]



## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

After months of hard work and a month of despair and setback, I finally had the resources to purchase my dream live steam engine, my father and I spoke very highly of this engine ever since we saw it in person at diamondhead, so I sold some of his old zscale and nscale stuff, took money I had set aside for a lathe (doh lol - I guess my tired and worn eccentrics on the shay and C-19 will have to wait lol) and some other rainy day accounts and put a slight hint out on mylargescale for an Aster Berkshire. I shortly was contacted and the deal was made. It was excellently packed, and arrivied here with no issues whatsoever, so I quickly took pictures and gave her a shakedown run on rollers after oiling her up and checking her out. She really runs strong (stronger than my other engines), I am very impressed and it is everything I ever thought it was. I was looking for a kit, but people selling aster berkshires are starting to get rare, so I am grateful for the luck bestowed on me!

So, if you save your money and work hard, you can acquire what you want with careful planning (and a bit of Irish luck doesn't hurt







)!
If you ever wanted to take a good look at her and I am around, come on over! I might even give you a whole tutorial on how to run her!

Now I am starting to think about the other things, rolling stock, upgraded whistle, but I will be broke for a while hehehe (Peanut butter and jelly for the month, haha (j//k))

Here are some pictures, including one of me in my undershirt lol (I just got a new job recently too, It was also a dreamjob! - 2 dreams 1 day!!)

























And the picture you have all been waiting for hehe









Cant wait to run her at Tradewinds!!

Videos to come!


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Congratulations Andrew. 
Just shows that where there is a will, there IS a way. 
How come you aren't smiling in the photo??? 
You sound very happy. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada 
p.s. Here's a movie of the smaller S-2 real Berkshire.


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

I was very tired after a first day on the job(I actually thought I was smiling too lol) and unpacking the crazy amount of foam that was around the engine. (I think someone raided a skater punks trick dumpster of foam lol) 

But I am very happy (to the point its hard to sleep, been a while since I have been like that!)

Thanks dave for the link!!, I have been facebook friends with the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society - They post really nice pictures and videos all the time!!


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Congrats again!!


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Congratulations on acquiring a great engine. From the dust in the photos it looks to have been a shelf queen?


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## Police1987 (Jun 16, 2012)

Wow very nice, now are you going to run it before the trade winds? How long did it take to get it and where did you purchase it from???


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good Andrew! Hope to see it @ Diamondhead 2013 (as long as the 14th B'ak'tun arrives on December 22)!


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

*Very happy for you.*


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's a movie of the smaller S-2 real Berkshire. 
David, great video. 
I wish my 'chuffers' sounded as good as that! And let's talk about that low whistle - how do we get that low in F scale.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Awesome. Congrats Andrew. Looking forward to seeing it run.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Seadawg

I do not think there is an issue with DH 2013. Here is my position


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Back on topic, 
Andrew, I notice some dust from it being a self queen. You'll have some fun cleaning that I'll bet. It's the first thing I notice when taking my Mikado down from the shelf for a run. Looks like it was well kept by the previous owner though.


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By JEFF RUNGE on 23 Aug 2012 05:19 AM 
Congratulations on acquiring a great engine. From the dust in the photos it looks to have been a shelf queen?Yep, a pristine, factory built shelf queen, waiting to be run! She needs to be dusted off and cleaned up. I will get some really soft brushes and use my microfiber cloths that I use for my DSLR, the air compressor can only blow off so much. If I had a long and straight enough track (a mile long of flat track), I could just open her throttle up, full steam ahead in a rainstorm







(I can picture it, lol - would never do it hehe)

I always wanted at least one member of TARR to bring out the Asters, I guess it is going to be me! :-D

Pete,
A huge airtank with a 1:1 whistle underneath the track, and a trigger for the whistle on the engine(rc)  (WHOOOOOOOO WHOOOOOOOO, (blows the hats off of everyone)).


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Andrew, you are having way too much fun already with that engine. Congratulations! 

After DH, we are heading for FL, so I will get to see you and the guys again at the TARR track. 

Larry


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By afinegan on 23 Aug 2012 08:53 AM 
Posted By JEFF RUNGE on 23 Aug 2012 05:19 AM 
Congratulations on acquiring a great engine. From the dust in the photos it looks to have been a shelf queen? Yep, a pristine, factory built shelf queen, waiting to be run! She needs to be dusted off and cleaned up. I will get some really soft brushes and use my microfiber cloths that I use for my DSLR, the air compressor can only blow off so much. If I had a long and straight enough track (a mile long of flat track), I could just open her throttle up, full steam ahead in a rainstorm







(I can picture it, lol - would never do it hehe)

I always wanted at least one member of TARR to bring out the Asters, I guess it is going to be me! :-D

Pete,
A huge airtank with a 1:1 whistle underneath the track, and a trigger for the whistle on the engine(rc)  (WHOOOOOOOO WHOOOOOOOO, (blows the hats off of everyone)).



DUST??? Hmmmm... I thought it had been "weathered". 
Oh well... I am jealous anyway!

I would have one too, but it won't make it around my curves and I didn't want to use is just as a switch engine running back and forth in a straight line.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Andrew
Since you are probably do an initial fire up just to check all the fittings and general operational status...attach a hole to the blow down and do a "Stanley steamer" cleaning. Nothing better that steam to get rid of the accumulation of idleness. 

Enjoy one of the icons of the steam era.



Posted By afinegan on 23 Aug 2012 08:53 AM 
Posted By JEFF RUNGE on 23 Aug 2012 05:19 AM 
Congratulations on acquiring a great engine. From the dust in the photos it looks to have been a shelf queen?Yep, a pristine, factory built shelf queen, waiting to be run! She needs to be dusted off and cleaned up. I will get some really soft brushes and use my microfiber cloths that I use for my DSLR, the air compressor can only blow off so much. If I had a long and straight enough track (a mile long of flat track), I could just open her throttle up, full steam ahead in a rainstorm







(I can picture it, lol - would never do it hehe)

I always wanted at least one member of TARR to bring out the Asters, I guess it is going to be me! :-D

Pete,
A huge airtank with a 1:1 whistle underneath the track, and a trigger for the whistle on the engine(rc)  (WHOOOOOOOO WHOOOOOOOO, (blows the hats off of everyone)).


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Charles on 23 Aug 2012 09:44 AM 

Andrew
Since you are probably do an initial fire up just to check all the fittings and general operational status...attach a hole to the blow down and do a "Stanley steamer" cleaning. Nothing better that steam to get rid of the accumulation of idleness. 

Enjoy one of the icons of the steam era.



Heh, we do that at TARR on the 7.5" gauge engines, those guys would flip to see me steam cleaning a Gauge 1 engine hahaha. 
Thanks for the idea, I didn't even think about that. 

I already had that operational setting, checks all the fittings, bolts, oiled her up real good, steam and regular. Put her on rollers and let her go. 

What was funny is I didn't have any instructions so I didn't know what was open throttle, blower closed. I figured it all out pretty quickly (running my coal fired ruby prepared me for anything really), dirtied my workbench up real good, those draincocks work very nicely! 

I have to run her at Tradewinds on the 20' diameter outer track, my backyard track is 16' maximum diameter, not enough (I think, i might push her around and see for myself, I wont run unless I am certain!! - this engine has to stay prestine)


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## Police1987 (Jun 16, 2012)

How about putting it on blocks? I'd be very excited, are you running another engines today?


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Dr Rivet on 23 Aug 2012 07:46 AM 
Seadawg

I do not think there is an issue with DH 2013. Here is my position











*AWESOME!*
I was literally laughing out loud, loudly!


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## aopagary (Jun 30, 2008)

if you get a chance to post an odd photo request, i'm curious what the inside of a factory built tender tank looks like. sealing the tank seams is perhaps my least favorite part of the construction and in two attempts the best i can say is they're functional, but not very pretty.

i've never run my locomotive under load, but shortly after the time i built mine, there was a 3rd party upgraded axle pump available. i have that pump though i haven't installed it. i would watch the glass closely especially if you plan on pulling a good size consist.

do you plan on adding r/c?

add my congratulations.
cheers...gary


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary, is said 3rd party axle pump still available? From which 3rd party? (I'm in need of a couple.)


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## Bob in Mich (Mar 8, 2008)

Bob has Dick Abbott pumps.The best ones that You can get for the Brook. 

The Oldest Aster Dealer in America 



NORTH JERSEY GAUGE ONE CO 

8 Spring Valley Rd., Park Ridge, NJ 07656 

Bob Moser 

201-391-1493 

e-mail: [email protected]


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## Police1987 (Jun 16, 2012)

Bob. You have a website???


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## Bob in Mich (Mar 8, 2008)

Yes I do. www.weltykswhistles.com


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## Police1987 (Jun 16, 2012)

Thank you. So you carry engines and stuff? Kind of like southern steam trains


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## cocobear1313 (Apr 27, 2012)

Andrew, it is so cool to see the joy in your posts. A very cool engine. Congrats!


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## StevenJ (Apr 24, 2009)

I don't know if you'll be able to run it full speed around your home layout. I think it may be too much locomotive for those curves! Good thing you got plenty of 1/29th cars! Should be very interesting. Glad it made it without shipping damage.


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## aopagary (Jun 30, 2008)

Posted By seadawg on 23 Aug 2012 12:12 PM 
Gary, is said 3rd party axle pump still available? From which 3rd party? (I'm in need of a couple.) 

From Bob Moser earlier today...
"Yes Gary, the revised axle pump for the Berkshire by Dick Abbott is still available."

i sent an email to Bob this morning and he confirmed the axle pumps are still in stock.
you'll have to check the price with him. if i recall, they are fairly reasonable.
cheers...gary


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## ChaoticRambo (Nov 20, 2010)

Very nice looking locomotive!

Be sure to post some videos of it running.


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## Police1987 (Jun 16, 2012)

I want to run it now, Is that thing this weekend so you can take it out? Take pics also it's such a nice engine


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## John Allman (Jan 2, 2008)

instead of using the bathroom caulk on the tender, breakdown and by windshield sealant. Its clear, flows better and completely invisible when dry. You can also use it (teeny tiny amount) to attach any and all locomotive plates to the engine. That way you can also get them off if you need to in the future. 
Great stuff. I have built plenty of engines, and not a single one ever leaked. 

John


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## steveciambrone (Jan 2, 2008)

The one thing I have found to apply adhesives and thick bodied sealants neatly is to load the adhesive into a syringe then apply it. Works far better than a little stick or even the tips on the tubes. I have found inexpensive syringes on the net. To get around the "Nanny State" rules, I was able to order them from a Horse supply company. Industrial needles that are not sharp and are intended for applying glue or sealants can be purchased at McMaster Carr. 
Thanks 
Steve


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## aopagary (Jun 30, 2008)

Posted By steveciambrone on 24 Aug 2012 10:07 AM 
The one thing I have found to apply adhesives and thick bodied sealants neatly is to load the adhesive into a syringe then apply it. ...that was my thought for the next time; to make up something that looks/works similar to a caulking gun.


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## steveciambrone (Jan 2, 2008)

You will be surprised how much neater your work will be using a syringe. 
Thanks 
Steve


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

*I made a goofie 30 min video of steaming the berk up during tropical storm Isaac (yes I was bored). Its put together pretty quickly, with no polish*
*The audio isnt the greatest because I used the onboard GoPro Hero2 microphone. *



*It should be somewhat educational.*


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Andy did you let Youtube correct your video. It is a good video but seems to be curved or something. I like to lite my wicks before I turn on fan so I can hear the wicks when they lite.
Congrats again on your new Engine.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Good job Andrew. Enjoyed watching.


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By gibs035 on 28 Aug 2012 10:58 AM 
Andy did you let Youtube correct your video. It is a good video but seems to be curved or something. I like to lite my wicks before I turn on fan so I can hear the wicks when they lite.
Congrats again on your new Engine.



I didn't let youtube correct the video, the grain is because I was recording in low light, and the GoPro Hero2 has a very wide angle lens, the lens almost acts like a fisheye, but it lets me get in real close to the action and bring in more of it.

I am use to lighting the wicks after because on the Aster Lion, the fire will hunt around the sides without a draft, as long as the wicks get lit and your not spilling alcohol, it should be a good method.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By afinegan on 28 Aug 2012 12:08 PM 
Posted By gibs035 on 28 Aug 2012 10:58 AM 
Andy did you let Youtube correct your video. It is a good video but seems to be curved or something. I like to lite my wicks before I turn on fan so I can hear the wicks when they lite.
Congrats again on your new Engine.



I didn't let youtube correct the video, the grain is because I was recording in low light, and the GoPro Hero2 has a very wide angle lens, the lens almost acts like a fisheye, but it lets me get in real close to the action and bring in more of it.

I am use to lighting the wicks after because on the Aster Lion, the fire will hunt around the sides without a draft, as long as the wicks get lit and your not spilling alcohol, it should be a good method. 

I can see you get a lot more detail with your camera. Have not seen anyone get in that close and particularly under neath near the wicks.
I know you are experienced, the onlyyy reason I mentioned lighting the wicks before draft is I cannot hear them lighting with my suction fan going full blast.
Each of us have our own way of doing things I guess.


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## aopagary (Jun 30, 2008)

i use a CO2 keyboard duster to extinguish the flame before it runs dry. one 1/2 second burst down the stack and it's out (like a light?).

i hate to be the one to mention this, but the cab roof on yours is removable by sliding it back and off, right?

i tried the barbeque lighter for a while, but i think you'll find that when the locomotive is at track level vs on rollers, that method increases in difficulty somewhat. what i've put together is a small wad of wick clippings twisted into the end of a ~22 or 24g solid copper wire that i can shape and slide into the open firebox door itself. wet it with alcohol, light er up and shove it in. as was mentioned earlier you should hear that "pop" of the burners igniting and then i turn on the fan. of course see the comment about removing the cab roof to make this process even possible.

wow, your tender water tank makes my waterproofing job(s) look embarrassing. good thing they're covered most of the time.

i've never seen anyone use the blowdown steam to clean-up, but great idea!
i'll have to get a piece of tubing (and a nice thick glove).

cheers...gary


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By aopagary on 28 Aug 2012 02:00 PM 
i use a CO2 keyboard duster to extinguish the flame before it runs dry. one 1/2 second burst down the stack and it's out (like a light?).

i hate to be the one to mention this, but the cab roof on yours is removable by sliding it back and off, right?

i tried the barbeque lighter for a while, but i think you'll find that when the locomotive is at track level vs on rollers, that method increases in difficulty somewhat. what i've put together is a small wad of wick clippings twisted into the end of a ~22 or 24g solid copper wire that i can shape and slide into the open firebox door itself. wet it with alcohol, light er up and shove it in. as was mentioned earlier you should hear that "pop" of the burners igniting and then i turn on the fan. of course see the comment about removing the cab roof to make this process even possible.

wow, your tender water tank makes my waterproofing job(s) look embarrassing. good thing they're covered most of the time.

i've never seen anyone use the blowdown steam to clean-up, but great idea!
i'll have to get a piece of tubing (and a nice thick glove).

cheers...gary


Just a warning about "keyboard dusters"... some are NOT "CO2"... before you use one to attempt to put out a fire, BE SURE it is a NON-flamable product. I have seen some that use a propane, butane or some other flammable propellant, which will become a "flame thrower" instead of a fire extinguisher! 
Another thing to think about is the thermal shock of a minus 200 degree gas blasting against plus 400 degree metal. A very short blast of CO2 does not have much thermal effect, but a longer blast could cause cracks in seams or stress points.

I find that if I put the auxillary blower in the stack and turn it on before I attempt to light the wicks, the flame of the BBQ lighter will be pulled into the firebox to ignite the alcohol very easily. And I have never heard a POP when the fire lights. I used to always look with a mirror to verify it lit, but now I can tell by the wet feel of the exhaust out the stack. Also, when the weather is cool and humid, as soon as the alcohol is burning there will be a lot of visible vapor out the stack/aux blower.

Lighting a butane fueled engine can produce a loud pop.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 28 Aug 2012 07:31 PM 
Posted By aopagary on 28 Aug 2012 02:00 PM 
i use a CO2 keyboard duster to extinguish the flame before it runs dry. one 1/2 second burst down the stack and it's out (like a light?).

i hate to be the one to mention this, but the cab roof on yours is removable by sliding it back and off, right?

i tried the barbeque lighter for a while, but i think you'll find that when the locomotive is at track level vs on rollers, that method increases in difficulty somewhat. what i've put together is a small wad of wick clippings twisted into the end of a ~22 or 24g solid copper wire that i can shape and slide into the open firebox door itself. wet it with alcohol, light er up and shove it in. as was mentioned earlier you should hear that "pop" of the burners igniting and then i turn on the fan. of course see the comment about removing the cab roof to make this process even possible.

wow, your tender water tank makes my waterproofing job(s) look embarrassing. good thing they're covered most of the time.

i've never seen anyone use the blowdown steam to clean-up, but great idea!
i'll have to get a piece of tubing (and a nice thick glove).

cheers...gary


Just a warning about "keyboard dusters"... some are NOT "CO2"... before you use one to attempt to put out a fire, BE SURE it is a NON-flamable product. I have seen some that use a propane, butane or some other flammable propellant, which will become a "flame thrower" instead of a fire extinguisher! 
Another thing to think about is the thermal shock of a minus 200 degree gas blasting against plus 400 degree metal. A very short blast of CO2 does not have much thermal effect, but a longer blast could cause cracks in seams or stress points.

I find that if I put the auxillary blower in the stack and turn it on before I attempt to light the wicks, the flame of the BBQ lighter will be pulled into the firebox to ignite the alcohol very easily. And I have never heard a POP when the fire lights. I used to always look with a mirror to verify it lit, but now I can tell by the wet feel of the exhaust out the stack. Also, when the weather is cool and humid, as soon as the alcohol is burning there will be a lot of visible vapor out the stack/aux blower.

Lighting a butane fueled engine can produce a loud pop.

I have heard a pop when I lite the wicks.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

I have used a hand held bicycle tire inflater that uses the standard Crossman CO2 cartridge for a pellet gun. Works pretty good. Usually I just plan my run so that I cut the fuel off and let the loco run dry and the fire dies. Use the CO2 in an emergency.


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## aopagary (Jun 30, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 28 Aug 2012 07:31 PM 


Just a warning about "keyboard dusters"... some are NOT "CO2"... before you use one to attempt to put out a fire, BE SURE it is a NON-flamable product. I have seen some that use a propane, butane or some other flammable propellant, which will become a "flame thrower" instead of a fire extinguisher! 
Another thing to think about is the thermal shock of a minus 200 degree gas blasting against plus 400 degree metal. A very short blast of CO2 does not have much thermal effect, but a longer blast could cause cracks in seams or stress points.

I find that if I put the auxillary blower in the stack and turn it on before I attempt to light the wicks, the flame of the BBQ lighter will be pulled into the firebox to ignite the alcohol very easily. And I have never heard a POP when the fire lights. I used to always look with a mirror to verify it lit, but now I can tell by the wet feel of the exhaust out the stack. Also, when the weather is cool and humid, as soon as the alcohol is burning there will be a lot of visible vapor out the stack/aux blower.



i thought people would be intelligent enough to pick up on the CO2 part. mine uses a standard CO2 cartridge. i mention the duster because it has a long, small aperture tip that is easy to handle. again, i indicated to use a 1/2 second blast. anything longer is a waste. a quick shot like that will have no harmful thermal effect and i still submit that a CO2 doused flame is much better for the wicks than to let them burn dry.

i guess the lighter has a little more positive pressure going for it. if i put the blower on before i put the passive flame i use into the firebox, the draft will often suck the flame out before it hits the burners. believe me, you will hear the alcohol wicks ignite. another downside to turning on the fan first, before i adapted this method, i used to have some onlookers from time to time complain about the alcohol fumes that get sucked out before igniting the burners.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

From day one, I have always turned on my fan before igniting wicks. Never once had an issue with difficulty in lighting wicks. I then pull the fan out of the stack and allow the flame to wander a bit to ensure all wicks are lit and put fan back on stack. Sometimes I just check with a mirror though. 

This was how I was taught and so far it works for me. I am a pretty anal person. Always go through a mental checklist just like in my flying days. To each their own.


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## RP3 (Jan 5, 2008)

I must encourage folks to stop using the CO2 canisters to put out the fires in their alkie fired locos. During and immediately after a run, under the heat of the fire, the wicks are very brittle and delicate. Even a short blast from a CO2 canister will be enough to damage or possibly destroy the wicks. It is much better to cut off the fuel a few minutes before you intend to end a run, and let the remaining alkie burn off. I even sometimes put the external blower on the loco In the pits at the end of a run to insure that any remaining flame stays in the firebox -- rather than letting it sneak out of the firebox in search of oxygen and risk damage to paint and the RC gear in the cab.

A little planning to protect the wicks and RC gear will result in extended life for the wicks and many more satisfactory runs with your alkie-fired locomotive.

Ross Schlabach


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Convert it to gas. So much easier.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By aopagary on 29 Aug 2012 12:12 AM 
Posted By Semper Vaporo on 28 Aug 2012 07:31 PM 


Just a warning about "keyboard dusters"... some are NOT "CO2"... before you use one to attempt to put out a fire, BE SURE it is a NON-flamable product. I have seen some that use a propane, butane or some other flammable propellant, which will become a "flame thrower" instead of a fire extinguisher! 
Another thing to think about is the thermal shock of a minus 200 degree gas blasting against plus 400 degree metal. A very short blast of CO2 does not have much thermal effect, but a longer blast could cause cracks in seams or stress points.

I find that if I put the auxillary blower in the stack and turn it on before I attempt to light the wicks, the flame of the BBQ lighter will be pulled into the firebox to ignite the alcohol very easily. And I have never heard a POP when the fire lights. I used to always look with a mirror to verify it lit, but now I can tell by the wet feel of the exhaust out the stack. Also, when the weather is cool and humid, as soon as the alcohol is burning there will be a lot of visible vapor out the stack/aux blower.



i thought people would be intelligent enough to pick up on the CO2 part. mine uses a standard CO2 cartridge. i mention the duster because it has a long, small aperture tip that is easy to handle. again, i indicated to use a 1/2 second blast. anything longer is a waste. a quick shot like that will have no harmful thermal effect and i still submit that a CO2 doused flame is much better for the wicks than to let them burn dry.

i guess the lighter has a little more positive pressure going for it. if i put the blower on before i put the passive flame i use into the firebox, the draft will often suck the flame out before it hits the burners. believe me, you will hear the alcohol wicks ignite. another downside to turning on the fan first, before i adapted this method, i used to have some onlookers from time to time complain about the alcohol fumes that get sucked out before igniting the burners.


Yeah, we WISH people would be intelligent enough to pick up on the CO2 part... I should have included a comment crediting and emphasizing your use of the term.

But just the other day on the news was a story of someone at a birthday party that used a can of "compressed air" to blow out the candles on a birthday cake and set fire to the tablecloth when the PROPANE in the can sprayed flame all over. The man said (as best as I can remember his words in the video portion of the story) that he "thought compressed air would blow the candles out, just like it does from a CO2 fire extinguisher... Who knew this stuff would do that!". The news commentator said at the end of the story that the man had also stated that he didn't know there was a difference between CO2 and Propane!

Then there are the YouTube video of the wedding party being engulfed in flames when being sprayed by "Silly String" while they carried a burning candle. The people said they had checked the can and it stated the product was "inflammable" and they didn't know that means the same thing as "flammable" and not the opposite. In reality, the manufacturer used a word that is actually associated with emotions and not burnability. ("Flammable" means easily ignited and burning with extreme rapidity; "Inflammable" means easily inflamed, excited or angered.) So, although I think the people involved were actually pretty stupid, I can't blame them completely. But either way, there was no intelligence involved.


I have run my two Mikes hundreds of times (well... One of them only about 4 or 5 times) and I have never heard even a "whoosh" when lighting the burners. I find it interesting that you hear a pop. And I have never had anybody complain about the raw alcohol fumes (which is annoying to me), but I have had complaints (primarily from ME!) about the fumes of the burning alcohol, depending on the brand being burnt. I used to use a match to light the burners but burnt my fingers if I tried holding the match itself with my fingers and tended to break the match when I tried to hold it with needle nose pliers while striking it, so the BBQ lighter is much nicer to use. I do have the flame adjuster set to max flame.

The only time I ever had trouble lighting all three burners was when I had the engine on a slight slope and the alcohol would not run all the way to the end of the pipe! Otherwise, alcohol is so "flammable" that the flame has spread across all the burners just fine. (I was visiting a grandscale live steamers place and there was no No.1 gauge track available so I was going to run my engine on my test stand rollers. The only place I could set up was on a makeshift table of a door on two sawhorses in the yard and it was at an angle. I could not figure out why the engine would not build pressure, so I took the burners out and got all kinds of comments about being 1- a "watchmaker" for having such a small engine and 2- foolhardy to attempt repairs in the field. I found no problems and then the reason for the problem came to me and I just turned the engine around so the pipe flow was downhill and it ran just fine.)


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

We utilize the CO2 bike infiltrator for years without any ill side effect on our wicks nor concern for temperature variant effecting the boiler or fittings. When we apply the CO2 it is down the stack, not at the fire door.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

"Convert it to gas. So much easier.," Scott, If you want "easy" go back to sparky's, and leave the fires to those of us who enjoy them.


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

I have 5 gas burning engines, 2 alkys and 1 coal there all good in their own right (all have different levels of fun!) hehe (alkys are great for the fact all you hear is steam, and you get that blower function that adds a lot to the run experience!). 

I wil have to make a lighting apparatus to light the engine though the firebox door, I can see that is probably an easier way (especially on the track). 

I even pull the sparkys out at Tradewinds park if I feel a little burn't out from programming too much at my job lol (that day, a 7.5" guy cheered my up and let me run his 7.5" coal fired 2-8-0! - we have such a great group of people in our club!)


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## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

Andrew time you update your sig banner with the finished track.(with this beauty running on it) 

I think this month I will finally be able to make it back to the club. 
Although I doubt I'll bring anything with me ruby got boring. Keep starting project and run out of funds or time and scrap them. 

Hopefully you or Steve are there next time love watching you guys run your stuff.


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