# Climax has arrived



## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Got my live steam Climax yesterday - it is beautiful, a big step up in detail and finish form the Mich Cal Shay.

Question (not covered in direction booklet). There is a manual water pump in the tender. I take it you put distilled water in here to pump into the boiler at intervals, like you would a Goodall-valve equipped engine?


----------



## steamtom1 (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes.

And pictures; we need pictures. And videos!


----------



## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the confirmation.

Let's see if this works:


----------



## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi Chris, 
I guess it didn't work (the photo that is). 
DISTILLED water? 
Well that really depends on your local water source. 
Where I live, the tap water is basically rainwater coming from reservoirs, so is quite soft and clean enough to use as is. 
I have been using it for some 37 years and no problems to date. 
If your tap water is 'hard', do NOT use it in your boiler. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


----------



## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Chris, 
I should have added, when running, it is better to pump a little water into the boiler at frequent intervals, rather than let the water go down too far, and then have to pump a lot in. 
This way the water level and the pressure will be maintained while you are running. 
If you pump a bunch of colder water into the boiler, the pressure will drop and then you will have to wait while it comes back up depending how much it drops. 
Enjoy, 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

a


----------



## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks all for the advise.

I got the picture to work I thought (I could see it in my post), but now I see the red x is back.

You can see the image here:

http://www.7-8ths.info/gallery/2/537-240211111823.jpeg


----------



## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

Change the extension to the picture from .jpeg to .jpg and I bet it will work. This forum has some very weird parsing issues with its editor (and its not just chrome, I just tried Firefox and IE)
I did this exact change and uploaded to my server to show that is the problem (Ill take it down if you want me to lol)


----------



## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Distilled water is $0.78 per gallon at Wal Mart. Bro, I'll mail some to you if we can see pics and vids of that sweety.


----------



## craig0127 (May 20, 2008)

Got mine too. Cant stop looking at it. I steamed it up on blocks yesterday and ran a tank of water through it. seems to run great. the throttle knob gets real hot on this one. Im gonna have to get gloves. Superheater and tender pump are great features. cant wait to steam it up in front of some cars. 

Craig


----------



## zubi (May 14, 2009)

Craig, do I see it right - the smokebox does not open? Best, Zubi


----------



## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

WE NEED MOVIES! 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration fund


----------



## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks beautiful. Can't wait to see one runnning in good light conditions. 

But, of course, I'll have to. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


----------



## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

It's a woodburner? 

Robert


----------



## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Wood burner? Good one! Accucraft was nice enough to include a load of fire wood, just one of the many nice details.

Of course it started raining at 4PM yesterday, so running after work was scratched. May have to wait till Sunday - arrrgh.

The smoke box door is hinged and opens for lighting up. I wonder if the fine mesh screen on the diamond stack will get gunked up with oil - we'll see.

Andrew, thanks for fixing my photo url; image posting on MLS is a bit of a hassle if you're not a 1st class member.


----------



## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By David Leech on 24 Feb 2011 11:41 AM 
Hi Chris, 
I guess it didn't work (the photo that is). 
DISTILLED water? 
Well that really depends on your local water source. 
Where I live, the tap water is basically rainwater coming from reservoirs, so is quite soft and clean enough to use as is. 
I have been using it for some 37 years and no problems to date. 
If your tap water is 'hard', do NOT use it in your boiler. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada Dear Mr Leech - there are many parts of the world not as blessed as Canada with a handy range of 10,000 foot high mountains and glaciers to deliver pure water out of the sky every now and then. Here in yUK, our rain produces a film of white circles overy any exposed surfaces that needs polishing off if left for a few days, and the water is so hard that the usual Brita filters, said to last an average of a month, in fact last less than six or seven days. Without using such a device, the average water kettle is completely useless inside two months.

Add to that that distilled water here in UK is classed as a pharmaceutical good, and costs accordingly. A five litre bottle of distilled water costs around $30.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


----------



## chama (Jan 2, 2008)

I’ve received my straight stack, unlettered version which will become Pagosa Lumber Company #7. PGL had Climax #7 briefly in the 1920's so that justifies (as much as we need to justify these things!) adding it to my PGL roster (with a Shay) that feeds my D&RGW Alamosa Branch.

This brings me to a long-shot query: is there anyone who acquired the Mich-Cal version, not because they are faithful to that prototype, but rather because they just wanted a wood-burner, diamond stack version? The reason I ask is that the two models seem to be a hodge-podge of eras. The unlettered version I have is set up as an oil burner, but has an old-style oil or acetylene headlight. The Mich-Cal version was a wood-burner with a generator and arc headlight (correct, I assume). So, is anyone interested in swapping headlights? I’d also need the generator which would suggest a balance of payment from me to you if you are interested. Just send me a PM and we can work out the details.
The swap would work with an electric Climax, as well.

Scott


----------



## craig0127 (May 20, 2008)

Chama, 

I also got the unlettered version because it is the closest model to a real one out in the northeast (still running) Its the (White mountain central RR) in Woodstock N.H.. Straight stack, and its a WOOD BURNER. same headlight . the only difference between the real one and ours is a steel cab and tapered boiler.


----------



## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

I had time for the first run today, so-so for a few reasons. First was limited gas flow and insufficient boiler pressure for a good run. I think this was caused by either a blocked jet or the factory setting for the collar that slides over ther air holes in the body the jet fits into. I pulled the jet and cleared it (no easy feat - the plumbing in the cab is tight!) and moved the collar so the holes are uncovered - this time got a healthy blue flame and good pressure on the work bench.

The other issue is some apparent binding of the drive train in turns that I think will resolve itself as the engine breaks in. I'm off for a business trip this week, so will have to wait till next weekend for more runs.


----------

