# Accucraft Forney



## JonScott (May 12, 2010)

Well I just finished my second session of live steaming and the first on my layout with my new Forney. If I could only put into words the size of the grin on my face this is the only way for me :-D 

I do have some questions: 
1) My pressure gauge does not seem to work. Its easy enough to tell when I'm steamed up but should this be a concern? 
2) I have a figure 8 in the center of my layout with 2 8' curves. In order to enter it I need to add some throttle for the lead hill then throttle back for the curves then add more coming out. Since my '8' is in the middle of the garden this is something of a ballet! I would like to add an RC control kit for this and I've seen a kit made for the Ruby has anyone modified it to work? or is there a better way?

3) Every now and again the rear trucks slip out or look like they are hanging on for dear life! Would adding some weight help? If so where is the best placement?



John


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

John, Hmmm.... but I have a solution. Saw off the coal bunker with the rear trucks and you will have a Ruby! They are said to run well. Let us know! Best, Zubi 
PS the pressure gauge is possibly broken, try to steam it up until safety valve pops and if you still see nothing on the gauge, phone [email protected]


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## Wesley Furman (Jan 2, 2008)

I had a new engine with a "Frozen" pressure gauge. Turned out during shipping the needle was bounced/knocked to the wrong side of the stop pin. Check yours out with a magnifing glass, it would be obvious. 
I was able to open the case gently and lift the needle over the pin. Worked every since. 

Good luck. 
Wesley 
SA #212


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## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

Leaving the roof off will help the balance. A little TFE grease on the rear pivots also. Replacing the metal roof with a wooden one also helps. Then adding about 4 oz of brass sheet behind the front coupler should make her run great. Binding on curves will get better as she breaks in. More power too.


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## Shay Gear Head (Jan 3, 2008)

I removed all the springs on the trailing truck of my Forney and have had no derailment problems running in either direction.


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## JonScott (May 12, 2010)

Thanks guys, I've been running without the roof and added just a hair under 4oz to the front and shes holding pretty good! If I need to I will explore the spring removal. 
Looks like the gauge is bad I checked for the behind the pin needle but its in front of the pin and flat out frozen. I have no trouble telling when steam is up just wanted to make sure its not a sign of something more serious. 

A couple of other questions, what couplers will work best? I plan on pulling 1 or 2 Bachman J&S coaches and will be adding more PNG cars with kadee 835's as time goes on. I have a make shift pin coupler ATM, it works ok just looks real bad! 
Also what is the best type of paint for the boiler, will Floquil work or do I need something that is more heat resistant? 

Sorry for all the new guy questions, I promise I will get out this weekend and start bugging people in person ;-p 

John


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I would like to add an RC control kit for 

John, 
There have been lots of articles and threads on adding r/c to a Ruby - they probably apply to the Forney too. I squeezed a Spektrum receiver and two servos into my FWRR which is probably about the same size as your Forney. The article was published in Steam in the Garden magazine (highly recommend that you get a subscription, http://www.steamup.info/) with the title "A Tale of Two Servos". 

There's one theory that you don't need much more than throttle control for a small steamer. You can set the direction manually then control the speed via the r/c. 

Try this article: http://archive.mylargescale.com/articles/articles/ruby/ruby01.asp 


what is the best type of paint for the boiler 

Your local auto parts store has engine block paint designed to handle high temperatures. Barbeque paint also works, but I think some folk have tried ordinary spray paint without any problems. There is lagging under the boiler so it doesn't get very hot. The smokebox and front end takes most of the heat!


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## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

It's possible that your derailment/rear truck problems are because the engine's wheelbase is too long for the (presumably tight) radii of your track. Does this sound familiar?


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## Kurt Sykes (Feb 28, 2008)

Hi John, 
First, I have the Black Forney, 
My dad and I fitted a setup from RC-Steamers on the Forney. 
It worked out very good. 
Here is the link to them. 
http://www.rc-steamers.com/rubykit.htm 

Good luck. 
Kurt


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## JonScott (May 12, 2010)

Posted By FH&PB on 07 Jul 2010 12:30 PM 
It's possible that your derailment/rear truck problems are because the engine's wheelbase is too long for the (presumably tight) radii of your track. Does this sound familiar? 

Well the main problem was the 8' curve is on a grade that was climbing up to 8" so it could form a figure 8, going up was okay but coming down well.... I have regraded the turn and added 2x 10' curve sections in with the 8' sections stretching it out a bit. This soloution along with the added front weight works well! But I decided to go one better, I redesigned the whole area making the figure 8 optional or even just for looks, the main lines are now all at the same grade and I find this works best.
I'm still new at this so this was a pretty good lesson that I had to learn the hard way


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## JonScott (May 12, 2010)

Posted By Kurt Sykes on 07 Jul 2010 04:56 PM 
Hi John, 
First, I have the Black Forney, 
My dad and I fitted a setup from RC-Steamers on the Forney. 
It worked out very good. 
Here is the link to them. 
http://www.rc-steamers.com/rubykit.htm 

Good luck. 
Kurt 
This is the kit I came across, did you guys have to do much modifying?


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## jmvedrine (May 28, 2010)

Posted By Kurt Sykes on 07 Jul 2010 04:56 PM 
Hi John, 
First, I have the Black Forney, 
My dad and I fitted a setup from RC-Steamers on the Forney. 
It worked out very good. 
Here is the link to them. 
http://www.rc-steamers.com/rubykit.htm 

Good luck. 
Kurt 
Hello, 
I too have a black Forney and a RC-Steamers kit that I plan to use. Have you any picture of how you did it ? Thanks.
Jean-Michel


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## jmvedrine (May 28, 2010)

Hello, 
My Forney is good runner, but I have a few problems so far : 
- on mine I have no problem with the rear truck but the front one (it's a 2-4-4 black unlettered) slip out of track on some curves ( with a 6' radius). Has anybody with the same problem tried to add some weight on the front truck ? Does it helps ? 
As I said I have a RC-Steaimers kit and plan to add R/C to the Forney. But the space between the back of the burner (the boiler is bigger than the Ruby's one and extend in the cab) and the rear bunker is too small for the servo bracket to fit. 
Kurt, can I ask how you and your father did succeed in installing R/C ? Did you remove or modify the rear bunker ? 
Thanks a lot for your help. 
Jean-Michel - St Etienne (France)


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## Kurt Sykes (Feb 28, 2008)

Hello Jean-Michel, 
We took the bunker off to make it easyer to mount the bracket on the loco.
You have to turn the throttle servo around for it to fit right,
then we put the bunker back on.
It's like a rubics cube,you have to play with it.
sorry,no pics right now. 

Kurt


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## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

Both Forneys should go through 2ft radius curves. They do have to work at it, but it works. Mine routinely navigate 2.5 ft radius curves. The 2-4-4 is stock, the 0-4-4 has a wooden cab roof and about 4 oz of brass at the front buffer for tracking. A little TFE grease on the truck pivots helps a lot. They derail only at switch frogs at certain speeds - they appear to hit a resonance with the suspension system.


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