Does any body know ?

[Barney]

Trying to sort a new project out and came across this Keystone Thing - got the book "the Keystone story" plenty on the steam version but not much on the petrol one - Am I wright in thinking its self propelled or is it towed can't find a steering wheel or drivers seat !! and is the front the crane bit or the wheeled bit ?
Barney

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

[Ray Dunakin]

Well, it's got chain drive to the tracks, so it's definitely self-propelled. My guess is that the wheels trail and steering is accomplished via the tracks, like a Cat. Levers would be used to control it, rather than a steering wheel.

[Mr Potato Head]

At the Orange Empire RR museum in Perris CA. there is what I've always called the "Monster" but it's very similar to  your Keystone the pictures aren't to large I'll post a few, I've always wanted to build her she's a beast!
MPH
Barney send me your email address and I send you pictures their to big for this forum

[turtle]

Self-propelled - yes
Wheeled part to the front - yes
Steering via wheels - yes
In the various videos and photo's on taweb you can see the steering linkages on the axle (front), at about mid-point there is a rather large steering wheel which appears to line-up with the linkage.
Doubt if it had a "drivers seat" - you'd be shaken out of it after a few metres  .
HTH.

[Ray Dunakin]

Ah, ok now I see the steering wheel. It was hard to spot in the videos I looked at but here's a photo:



I found the photo here:  http://www.nesys.org/HCEA/BV99/BV99.html

[Barney]

Thanks for all the answers and yes I can see the steering wheel now but how the hell do you get at it to steer the dam thing!!
found the answers to other things like track "they used any ones that fit the job and were avaiable " and the same with the engines
Barney

[5thwheel]

What I see is the wheeled section axle is that of a very heavy wagon or logging wagon. There is a bar running back from the axle to the rear. It gets lost in the dark of the photo but my guess is that it is controlled by a bar that I think I see in the shadow.  This bar would be much like the modern steering linkage of a car and operated from a gear box. At best the steering is minimal as the whole axle has to pivot and is probably fairly rickety. The turning radius must be about a quarter of a mile.

[Ray Dunakin]

The front end is probably similar to that of the Keystone Driller. Here are some pics of those from my website which may be helpful:








The worm gear on the steering column:




Front view:

[granitechops]

Ah, ok now I see the steering wheel. It was hard to spot in the videos I looked at but here's a photo:



I found the photo here:  http://www.nesys.org/HCEA/BV99/BV99.html

As a driver, I would observe that if you were standing at that steering wheel, you would be facing the digging boom end ( track end) and as you maneuvered to work your sand pit, you would be watching where the bucket was going, so it would be more like rear wheel steering, rather than front steering, yes?

which configuration, rear wheel steering, gives best performance in  maneuverability.

[Barney]

Yes I think that must be the answer to the steering - rear wheel steering for manoeuvrability not so much for steering up the road just come up with some new descriptions and some photos show them being towed by using a A frame tow bar (one description states that the steering arm was disconnected when towed ) or driving them onto a low loader type of trailer for transportation to its next job.
So thanks again for the info all it needs for me to do know is collected the bits and pieces together and start to build it.
Barney

[shropshire lad]

Yes I think that must be the answer to the steering - rear wheel steering for manoeuvrability not so much for steering up the road just come up with some new descriptions and some photos show them being towed by using a A frame tow bar (one description states that the steering arm was disconnected when towed ) or driving them onto a low loader type of trailer for transportation to its next job.
So thanks again for the info all it needs for me to do know is collected the bits and pieces together and start to build it.
Barney

So has Our Friend crossed your palm with silver for it yet , even in it's unbuilt state ? Or will it be available on the " open market " ?