2 Foot gauge tractor loco in 1/16th scale

[Chuck Doan]

I have been listless lately in regards to modeling, so I started looking around for a new future unfinished project and I came across some old pictures in my reference files. Down in Australia there are 2 old Fordson tractor locos at the Australian Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Society (ANGRMS) in Woodford Queensland. They were used by the by the Caledonian Colliery for many years, up until 1965 in fact. The first was built in 1928, and a second in 1938. Both were built using the running gear from a 4-6-0 steam loco pilot truck (bogey), and topped off with a Fordson tractor. I liked the long sporty wheelbase, and of course the use of a Fordson was certainly appreciated since I have come to own another Danbury Mint diecast that has nothing to do. My model is based on the 1928 version.

I used the many photos on the ANGRMS website to make a 3D model in Solidworks. It is mostly finished; I just need to figure out the steering-wheel-operated brakes and then I should be able to start getting some parts printed.  Although the design is heavily based on the prototype, I will be doing a free-lanced version. I have found that trying to be utterly faithful to a prototype can be a real inspiration killer, so we'll have none of that here. I also have a Fordson F and these used Fordson N units. They are nearly identical, but there are enough detail differences to be noticeable. It will also be un-powered; I have no desire to engineer a hidden drive train nor sculpt and paint a driver. I will need to find someone to turn the tires, but I already have some awesome scale roller chain from Kyosho that Hauk had recommended a few years back when I was planning my monorail model.

So, I guess time will tell if this becomes anything more, but I did enjoy getting it this far.

The prototype:
http://www.zelmeroz.com/album_rail/qld/lrrsa/jk_lrrsa170-25.jpg

[Ray Dunakin]

First off, this looks like it'll be a terrific project!

Second, your CAD drawings are amazing!

[1-32]

hi chuck
look at the Illawara Light Railway museum south of sydney they have another one that is a bit different
regards kim

[finescalerr]

Chuck, I'm trying to get your graphics to load at midnight Pacific time and can't. There's nothing at all visible below your text, not even an icon, but when I right clicked on the vast blank space I found an option to open the image in a new tab; it lined to Fotki. And then Fotki failed to open. My guess is their server is down but, for the tenth or eleventh time, I urge everyone to upload their actual images here, not links.

Considering your reputation, and if I'm not the only person to experience frustration, I predict Fotki will be stormed en masse and obliterated. Or at least chastised.

Russ

[Bill Gill]

Same here at 6:50 am EST...interesting text - no photos

[lab-dad]

I will be watching this as I plan on building some sort of tractor loco someday.
I too love the Fordsons so between you and Gordon I should be able to cobble something together.

Marty

[mad gerald]

Chuck,

Words like "1/16", "rail tractor", "2 foot (600 mm)" always attract my attention ... will follow this thread (and your progress) frequently and with interest - even I don't have a diecast Fordson on any shelf ...  

What a pity, that wheelbase would not match my purposes, apart from the fact it appears a bit rustic and would be far too loud serving at a hospital supply railway ...  

BTW: How do you like these?

http://forum.e-train.fr/trains/download/file.php?id=333882

http://forum.e-train.fr/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=77949 (scroll down)

They seem to be the only diesel powered rail tractors/locomotives running on 400 mm track ever.

Chuck, I'm trying to get your graphics to load at midnight Pacific time and can't. There's nothing at all visible below your text, not even an icon, but when I right clicked on the vast blank space I found an option to open the image in a new tab; it lined to Fotki. And then Fotki failed to open. My guess is their server is down but, for the tenth or eleventh time, I urge everyone to upload their actual images here, not links.

Russ, no problem at all over here!

Cheers

[billmart]

Chuck - Thanks for the wonderful drawings!!! 

I have been intrigued by these two Fordson-powered locos for a couple of years at least.  I want to build one of them in 1:13.7 scale so I'll be watching your build with great interest.

Bill Martinsen

[Chuck Doan]

Hmm looks like the pictures are back for now. Fotki is so behind the times, I don't know how much longer they will last. I think they were down for maintenance.

Thanks Ray! Thanks Gerald and Kim for the additional loco information. I think one could spend several lifetimes modeling only industrial railroad stuff.

Bill, M., when I get the design finalized I can scale them up for you. I am basing them off of photos and a couple of pics with someone holding a tape measure. Should be very close, but not likely exact.

Marty, if I finish this you will need to add a third rail in you enginehouse for some posing!

[finescalerr]

Yep, the drawings and photos are visible now. Wonderful little critter. The steering wheel must be very useful. I like the chain drive on the side. That's not an easy thing to draw in 3-D although, with your experience and expertise, you probably cranked it out in a few hours.

Gerald, I like those rusty (rustic?) critters you linked to. If you or anyone else wants, I have a variety photos of small Plymouths and a collection of critter photos. When I finished the final NG Annual I finally dumped my 20 year old scanner. My all-in-one printer/scanner prints well but scans badly so any photo scans I might do would be mediocre at best.

Russ

[Chuck Doan]

Supposedly they operated the brakes with the steering wheel. But I can't find any pictures that show any brakes at all. The chain was easy in Solidworks. I just made the inner link and the outer link and then patterned them in a line or around the sprockets. Pretty cool because I can predict the exact number required.

[billmart]

Bill, M., when I get the design finalized I can scale them up for you. I am basing them off of photos and a couple of pics with someone holding a tape measure. Should be very close, but not likely exact.

Thanks, Chuck.  You are indeed a gentleman.

I think I probably have the same set of photos you have and, like you, I see no evidence of brakes on the wheels.

Bill Martinsen

[danpickard]

Hi Chuck,
Glad to see this model covered on the forum.  As for the steering wheel brake thing, I'm not sure of the exact method of the mechanism, but somewhere in the engineering of the bash process, the steering link must have been diverted to convert the steering arms as brake levers instead.  I believe they operated in much the same way as a brake wheel would on a common piece of rolling stock.  Always thought it looked weird having a steering wheel on a piece of machinery that you technically can't steer, until I was told that it was something like turning left applies the brakes. 

Given that most of these styles of loco's were cobbled and bashed units, it would be quite reasonable to do some of your own creative engineering on the underside and essentially design your own brake mechanism.  I imagine it would have been driven as unwinding the brakes and then just let the clutch out to engage the chain drive.

Cheers,
Dan

[Hydrostat]

Chuck,

that's an interesting prototype! I'm looking so much forward to see this come alive. The axle bearings seem to be completely open: I'm asking myself how they'd grease them?

Sure you've seen this one, too:
http://www.zelmeroz.com/album_rail/qld/jf-hr/caledonian/fordson-rev.pdf

About the brakes: Where have the brakes been positioned at the rubber-tired Fordsons? If it is included to the gearbox there would be no need for additional brakes. If so maybe they simply left the steering wheel to give the driver something to hold on to?

Volker

[NORCALLOGGER]

Great project Chuck.

On the brake thing,  Given that the hubs on the rear axle have brake shoes and drums with a brake pedal one would think that they would be used.
However those brakes may have been a little to "light duty" for full safety so perhaps they added a drive line brake drum assembly, or in this case maybe an axle assembly,  operated by pressure using the steering wheel.

The old drive line brakes on trucks weren't that great but would probably be more positive than the drum brakes relaying through all that chain link slop on this drive system.

Will follow along once again

Rick