# Accucraft EBT 12 questions



## Lorna (Jun 10, 2008)

I might have a lead on one of these locomotives at a good price but need to ask a few questions. (Live Steam)

The Accucraft website says minimum radius of 4ft. I find that doubtful. I know wider is always better but at reasonable running speed with curves and grades what is really practicable for this model?

I found an old thread about a superheater problem, is this common?

Are there any Be Aware of things on this locomotive.

Thank you in advance!


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## steamlogger (Jan 2, 2008)

I have an EBT #12. It is a great loco. Mine does not run excessively fast but it will pull more than 20 free rolling cars.
It runs fine on 60" radius curves but the blind drivers can fall inside the curve. When the track straightens out the loco will bind up and stop.

It is a long loco and will find uneven track and derail too. 

On mine the cross head guide on the fireman's side had excessive slop and the O ring at the back of the piston wore out. I made a new cross head guide, replaced the O ring, and all is well.

It will run for more than 60 minutes on one boiler of water. The butane tank holds about 1 hour 45 min of fuel. I added an axle pump to mine and can run for about 1 hour 30 min after raising steam.


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## Lorna (Jun 10, 2008)

Axle pump? Where did you get that?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Check with *Accucraft *for availability of axle pump. Later RJD


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Lorna, That run very well. Ive not heard about a superheater issue on any? They do run on a 4' radius which is 8' dia but would look tight with a string of cars. 

I don't think a axle pump is needed as its is already a large boiler but Accucraft used to sell a axle pump kit and are sold out now but it was basically a kit for any engine if you make a bracket. I do have 3-4 of those kits here is someone was looking for one. 

I've run on tight curves in the past with blind drivers and always used a temporary shim under the journal to keep the wheel from dropping.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

My engine had the failed superheater, which was repaired promptly by Cliff at AC.

Other than that, I have tightened loose bolts, some critical, such as tender drawbar bolt under cab and numerous pedestal binder screws found loose or missing during servicing. Also, a bronze bearing in the loco trailing truck began wearing excessively, and they were both replaced with ball bearings; did the same on the tender trucks after oiling would not stop a pesky chirping noise.

While these issues seem typical of my Accucraft locos, I consider the EBT 12 a fine engine after tweaking, and can recommend it. By chance, I "brokered" the 
sale/purchase of a #12 at the last DH, and the new owner seemed very happy with it on our ride home together (hello, Kendrick).

Larry


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## Lorna (Jun 10, 2008)

Thank you all again. 

I looked at the track plan and I can just squeeze in 11.5 ft instead of 10 ft diameter curves (switches were planned as #6) as minimum, so hopefully if this works out then the locomotive will be alright on those. I also managed to get the maximum grade down to 2.2% so hopefully that should work as well. Train length is not going to be more than probably five cars.

Lorna


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

As mentioned 8 ft is tight and I would recommend what Larry has done by shimming the drivers to keep them from dropping inside the rail and derailing the loco. I have done mine that way and I even have 10 ft curves and I was having derailments but my RR is ground level also which does make a difference . Now it runs fine. I just remove the shims when I run on larger table top RRs. Later RJD


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## steamlogger (Jan 2, 2008)

I made my own axle pump. Mostly just to see if I could. 
My outside track has 3 and 4% grades and I run a 12 car train of Delton hopper cars. 
I also have R/C installed it makes running on the grades much easier.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Anything to beware of? Besides it fostering a strange urge for you to purchase 15 hoppers to go behind it? I'm nowhere near there yet (I'm up to 7), though transporting 15 hoppers to steam-ups takes up an inordinate amount of room, so I may have reached my limit.

Seriously, it's a great loco. I can't tell you how many hours I've got on mine, but lots. I attached a continuous-rotation servo to the pump in the tender so I can keep pumping water into the boiler while under steam. That and a quick-connect coupling on the water line instead of futzing with Accucraft's screw-on thing. I do have to replace the servo with one that's a high-torque servo, as a standard one just doesn't have enough oomph to push past 60 pounds of pressure in the boiler. 

Mine has the similar loose crosshead on the fireman's side that Robb noted. I haven't yet gotten to fixing it, but it's on "the list." I'll probably attack that when I replace the servo for the tender. 





 
While nowhere near the 15 hoppers I'd love to pull behind it, here's my #12 shortly after its first bout with weathering. It's a big, smooth-running locomotive. If you're used to small Ruby-esque locos, this is a complete departure from that. Big, slower to respond to changes in throttle or fire, and a pure delight to watch trundle around the track at very prototypical speeds.

Later,

K


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

If you look on youtube and search for fred2179 you will find a couple (4 at least) videos of my #12 with 11 hoppers plus. It has pulled more. Great loco and it will go round 5' radius curves. Just.


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