# Accucraft Mogul (Know your engine)



## main131 (Jan 3, 2008)

'Indian Summer' here in the UK today so out on the track with the Mogul.
A touch of experience is required with starting proceedure with what is basically a very simple little engine. Your fire is always going to be OK with the gas tank in the cab rather than the tender, so a warm temperature keeps the gas flowing and with 'a nip' in the air, the exhaust is looking good.
Before lighting, I usually run the gas for a few seconds to get rid of any air and liquid pockets. This Mogul prefers to be lit through an open smoke box rather than down the chimney but still takes 3/4 seconds to light the burner. At this stage you could be forgiven for thinking that it was an oil burner. This may alarm first time drivers but it soon settles with a good pressure in as little as 4/5 mins.
Now for the fun with those big cylinders trying to saturate your fire with lots of condensate. If you just move the lever into forward gear and open the steam valve be prepared to relight the fire.
You can move off however without this bother, but tiny movements forward and back are necsessarly. Once she is going she is smooth and a good hauler.
This Mogul has no water sight glass so Rod Blakeman installed a water sensor probe down the water filler tube with an LED on the footplate which glows green or red accordingly.
So there you have it. A nice, relatively inexpesive model which is easy to top up with the usual plastic feed bottle after every 10 mins. or so. Do the gas at the same time remembering to turn the gas off whilst you replenish. Dont take too long however. Those large cylinders will be gathering condensate..and no drain cocks. What are they??


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## ETSRRCo (Aug 19, 2008)

I own one of these lil tea kettles. It is a sweet engine and its a joy to run. Mine has all the same quirks as yours.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Now for the fun with those big cylinders trying to saturate your fire with lots of condensate


It sounds as if you have the same problem as my FWRR 'Ruby' and other similar locos. We found that the bore of the stack was critical. One of our burned-finger brethren drilled out a standard 'Ruby' stack and found it improved the fire situation. Using that info, I replaced mine (long tall FWRR stack, 1/4" ID - a bit tough to bore out.) with a 7/16th" ID stack from Trackside Details. It solved the problem. 

The issue seems to be that the fire needs a through-flow of air. When a big glob of condensate comes out of the chuff pipe in the stack, it blocks the flow and the fire goes out. A wider stack enables it to breath around the blobs. [Maybe the locos need a good hearty st4eam blower under the stack to disperse the blobs!] 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/11/tpage/1/view/topic/postid/12583/Default.aspx#12583


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## main131 (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Pete.
Like most topics. a lot has previously been discussed.
I think I am going to have to look at the drafting or maybe fit some draincocks.
Like I said, the engine needs to be driven with a little background knowlege but would benefit for a smoother start when in front of the 'raised eyebrow brigade'!


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

I run my two 2-6-0s and FWRR engine in the same way when starting up. Warm them up, open the smokebox door and open the throttle for the engine to begin its run with the door open, clearing the condensate, once its run a few feet, close the door and you have no issues with burners going out. The moguls are a really steady lil loco, which I've found to be perfect for my RR. I have 4% grades and some sharper curves, yet I can run these without RC and still set the throttle and let them run, loads of power at slow speed. I think they're superb for the $$. 

Sometme next year we should see the first D&RG version and RGS #11 paint jobs for the mogul. The D&RG version 'Poncha' is very decorative, much like their Col. Boone 4-4-0, while the RGS #11 is plain black with Russia Iron boiler and a big '11' on the tender. Both with Diamond stacks. I dont need another mogul, but boy I like these! Ordered the D&RG version! I believe these new ones have some upgrades including water glass. 

David.


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## johnsteam (Feb 16, 2008)

Who is Rod Blakeman? The water sensing probe is great. Could use one in my Ruby 
John


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## rodblakeman (Jan 2, 2008)

John, 
I fitted a WLDS supplied by Bill Ford down in Florida, he is packing in the business so now only has a very few items left in stock to sell. If interested you should give him a call asap. 

[email protected] 

or 

[email protected] 

See also this thread. 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/view/topic/postid/50480/Default.aspx


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## main131 (Jan 3, 2008)

I run my two 2-6-0s and FWRR engine in the same way when starting up.

Re. David Fletchers posting above

David, I will give the 'open door' method a try when I can get the engine back on to the track in the next few days. I am sure I have tried this however in the past but I will have another go.
I am still looking at the draincock option.
Incidently your photos are excellent. 
Also the size makes good viewing. I can't get mine any larger than the picture on my first posting otherwise it is blocked.
May I trouble you to email me via the forum with a few tips here. This would be appreciated.
Thanks Trevor


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Trevor 

You can download Microsoft Picture Resizer...Then you just right click on the photo on your PC click on resize photo and choose 640x480 other options are Photoshop or any decent photo tool.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I can't get mine any larger than the picture on my first posting otherwise it is blocked

Trevor, 

It looks as if you are adding pictures via the editor using the 3 boxes at the bottom of the 'compose post' screen. Yes, they are very restrictive, and the size limit is a bit arbitrary - it wouldn't accept my pic that my computer says is only 80K. 

The solution is to find somewhere to up-load them first - and then post the link to the pic, like this: 

[*img]http://gold.mylargescale.com/petethornton/photos/Misc2008/1102452064871.jpg[*/img] 

Without the "*", we get this: (your pic, 'save'-d and doubled in size, then uploaded to my MLS Gold space.)










"Somewhere" might be the storage space that your internet provider offers as part of your access deal - comcast.net gives me about 3GB and I put temporary web pages there; e.g. 'for sale' items. Other places include the free photo sites, such as google/picasa, which let you save a photo and then link to it. 

Of course, the *BEST* place to upload your photos is the MyLargeScale.com Gold member space. Someone has to pay Shad to keep this site going... 

*And try this MLS Thread on Posting Pictures**.*

Finally, if you want to post a really gorgeous pict and don't want to be limited to 640x480 (forum limit) then you post the URL of the stored pic, like this:

[*url]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jl-RFo6VUnk/SO44X4-UDfI/AAAAAAAABN4/zAA4_fQcoj0/s1600-h/AL87-119B+DSP%26P+%2351+LIVE+STEAM.jpg[*/url]

or, without the "*" so the link works: *Accucraft DSP&P 2-8-0.*


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