2-8-2 Heavy Mikado Construction progress

Status:
 Material on order
 Machining in progress 
  Completed
  Assembled
Date        
Drive wheels
 
        X
12-1-08
Crank pins
               
        X
2-04-09
Drive wheels assembled.

       X
2-25-09
Frames
                 
       X
2-04-09
Frame assembly
             
       X
2-04-09
Springs
            
               
       X
1-15-09
Spring rigging
                             
        X
      
3-1-09
Pilot group
            
                            
       X
        
 3-25-09
Trailing group
           
                              
        X
    
4-23-09
Motion structure
                                
        X
      
4-8-09
Valve Gear
                                 
       X
       
5-16-09
Rods
                                     
        X   
     
5-05-09
Cylinders
            
          Running on Air Chassis completed.
        X
        
 7-01-09
Paint parts
 (on hold due to winter)
        Start to prep. Locomotive for painting.

7-02-09
Boiler
              
                  Boiler tested 300 psi
        X
        
 9-29-09
Cab
                                X
      70%
 7-22-09
Tender
              X
                                 X
      20%
 1-29-10


Photos of construction progress
         
Frames machined from solid steel                                      Final machining pass for main axle box.

            
Full mikado frame clamped in mill for final finish work.                                                                                    Drilled holes and now milling the slot in the right and left rear sides of frame.

   
Drilling holes for brake/equalizer hangers.                                             Drilling holes for front frame spreader and cylinder mounts.                                       Drilling holes for pedestal binders.  


     
Drilling holes for axle pump support bracket.                  Drilling holes for Guide Yoke brackets                     Drilling holes for Pilot truck pivot and Brake Actuator.

           
Tapping pedestal holes.                                                        Tapping Guide yoke bracket holes.                  Completed frame.  Time to deburr and break all sharp edges.     


                             
Drive wheel assembly completed.  Crank pins will be machined and installed.                                       
The rollers on stand is used for testing of moving parts on locomotive.
Open air locomotive stand design allows for easy access of parts installation during construction.

                   
Two Heavy Mikados under construction.  One Mikado is sold and the 2nd is still available for
purchase.  Call for purchase details.


                                      
Spring material cut to length, ready for drilling.           Keeping track of the leaf sizes while machining.           Each leaf spring is held accurately for precise machining.

       
Drilling hole in center to create spring seat    Casting cut in half to create 2 parts             Rough milling for fast material removal at bottom.         Final height milling at base.
          
Part held in vise securely to keep        Drilling holes in fulcrum.                  Hole pattern drilled for middle fulcrum.     Crankpins and caps in rough cut barstock.
 height same on all parts during
machining steps.

                               
Chamfer the edge of cap       Machine step and drill           Part being held for counter bore hole.                 Counter bore step in crankpins            Main crank pin machining in lathe
                                             hole in  crank pin cap  


After machining many parts from various sections, they finally bolt together to create a rolling chassis.  Parts are pre-assembled for test fit and then will be dis-assembled
for painting.  I have to wait for warmer weather before painting can start.  Pilot and trailing truck machining will be next.

   
Spring sets with saddle A-2015, sitting on front driver assembly.                                                                                   View of Rear of chassis          

   
            Mid section of chassis,  Main and Intermediate drivers                                                    New designed lost wax bronze fulcrums, makes machining easy.   

           
View from front, looking down chassis.  Eccentrics on main drive axle for water pump.                 Front of  chassis with bolt hole locations for future Main Cylinder set.

               
       Cut raw stock for pilot journals.                                  Bore starting hole for bearing                                         Machine finish for bearing fit.
                       
    Machining the spring seat.                                                Finished machined spring seat.                           The Heavy Mikado kit is now supplied with semi-finished machined journals.      

         
         Finished pilot journal with bearing installed.                Just finishing up slot width for a completed journal.    

         
  Rough Bar stock for pilot and trailing trucks.              Turning steps for pilot axle.                                                    Finished pilot axle

        
Two finished pilot wheel assemblies with journals and bearings installed.                                                      Pilot frame.  Casting leveled.  Center drilling.

                   
Finished bolt hole drilling.                                          Flip casting over.  Level and square in vise.                Bore holes for spring seat.


             
  Bolt casting on 90 degree plate.    Drill out rocker pin holes.   Flip casting around to drill other side.                   Finished machined pilot frame.         
                                          
Swing bolster machining.  Start by squaring casting edge.                          Use small clean cuts.                                    With width of casting machined, Bore center pivot at top of castings.
                   
         Clamp casting vertical and  finish out holes.                                 Finished swing bolster.                                  Heart link.  Cleanup with very little machining.
       
               Machining frame supports.                                           Pilot Center pin machined parts                       Silver soldered as finished Center pin unit.   
 
Pilot truck parts temporarily assembled for test fit.  Parts will be painted at a later date.                             Drilling holes in pilot beam casting.         

 
Machining #50 drill holes for Bracket installation.                D-2047 Pilot beam temporarily installed along with coupler/coupler pockets.

   
     Side view of pilot beam.  Next is to make the parts to hold the pilot and steps.  

                      
    Milling out inside corner for angle support.                       Use a Rougher to get rid of the casting gates on bottom.          Use solid carbide drill for drilling the thin spots in cast iron.

                                              
The cast iron is hard in the thin spots on this casting, so run tooling slow.                   Pilot fit checks out.  Next is steps and other small details.  
    

     
   Main axle pump body machining           Drilling holes for valve cover            Porting and hole drilling of main body.                       Piston machining while keeping stainless steel under coolant.

          
  Piston slotting completed                                                   Next is machining O-ring groove.                  Finished double ram axle pumps assembled.

      
  Temporarily installed axle pump assembly.  Next is machining the connecting rods                                  Face top and Drill holes in center line of rough casting.

           
   Size up rough casting with small finish cut.                       Drill thru holes for bolting the halfs together.                 Two halfs are bolted together, then bore out the hole diameter.

 
Face the thickness for fit, drill hole for clevis
and remove excess material at end.

                 
    Connecting rods temporarily installed and checked for fit before painting.                    Trailing truck wheels/axles assembled with bearings and journal boxes.

             
          Clean up flashing on casting.                                     Milling Bridges off and removing excess material.              Machine slots and drill out pedestal binder hole pattern.


                   
                    Check fit pedestal binders                               Machine out sides of castings, check fit with 3/4" bar.                    Hole drilling for pivot pins.

                     
   Pivot pin hole pattern for equalization adjustment.                           Machine rocker pin castings.                                      Rear view of trailing truck rocker assembly.


                                         Side view with Delta Trailing truck castings installed.
   

     

         
      Cut to size bar stock pieces for spring section.                        Spring hanger hole drilling completed        
       
     Rounding out corners of spring hangers.                                Spring hangers finished waiting for paint.

                              
 Machining guide yoke flat surface (equal both sides).                   Hole drilling in alignment with center of casting.                         Check fit.  Bolt holes for lower guides will be drilled later.


   Machining Link Trunnion.  Part held in jig for hole drilling.                                  Expansion link parts.                        Use a 3/32" Roll pin or spring pin for hole alignment.  

                                   
 Temporarily install Expansion Link assembly and check fit.               Expansion link assembly should freely rotate without binding.

          
Face bottom of casting by removing 1/16" thickness.  Drill holes.                Drill out oil holes next.                        
                        
   Place casting vertical position for bore.                Final 3/8" ream.  Check fit before removing casting from position.
                    
 Check fit by placing 3/8" rod in holes of C-2068-3 casting and bolt.  Rod should rotate freely.

                                       
Machining eccentric crank pin                                              Bore holes in eccentric crank. Mill a center line for cutting parting slit.                    Drill bolt holes in side of eccentric crank.

                                              
Completed eccentric parts ready for cleaning and press fit.                   Completed Eccentric crank installed for Check fit.  

       
                Bore holes in main rods                                            Drill holes for installation of bolts for detail.

     
Bore holes in Intermediate rods                                       Check fit before pressing bearings.                        Bore holes in side rods

                                     
 Slot end for intermediate rod fit and tap hole for knuckle pin.                  Cut rough material and machine knuckle pins              Machining knuckle pin diameter steps.
                    
Machining the spacer that fits between main and intermediate rods.                                  Assembly of rods for check fit.  Wheels should turn freely by hand.  Rods will be plated with nice finish.

       
Work on cylinders next.  Won't be long before they are running on air.                         Close up of Main rods and intermediate rod connections with Knuckle pins installed

          
      Getting close to good weather for painting the frame work.                                       Machined D-2087 3&4 (R&L sides) with D-2087-10 bolts.


                      Upper valve gear installed for temporary Check fit.

                                                             
Drilling holes in crosshead guides.                                                  Milling ends for bolt supports.                                      Finished guides.  Upper guides have holes for oil lube.

       
       D-2087-5 milled down to size                                    Notching end on D-2087-5.  Next step slot end.              Special quick set-up for Angle drilling oil lube hole.

     
          Next drill and tap 2-56 holes.                                             Finished D-2087-5 ready to install.                    D-2087-6&7 finished with D-2087-12 pins fitted.

         
Valve gear fitted and completed waiting for cylinder section.                              Cylinder saddle check fit over frame.


Bolt together for check fit.  Size up the casting for remaining machining.


 
                                      Drilling hole pattern for front and rear caps.

 
Completed cylinder halfs with tapped holes.  Holes for smokebox mount will be done later.  Next is to make valve and cylinder liners.  

     
Cut to length Valve and main piston rods.        Finished and assembled main rods ready for the rings.


Update drawing number D-2025, item # 12.  This should be changed to a 3/8-24 thread.

                     
             Liners pressed in and honed.                                     Exhaust assembly installed.   View from under block.                       Top view of exhaust assembly.

          
          Valve pistons completed with rods.                                 Check fit front caps and bolt pattern.  Perfect fit.            Machine rear crosshead cap.

                                     
Machine rear valve guide cap.                        Use 1/4" ball endmill for valve pin groove.                               Main and Valve Pistons with rings fitted.

  
  Starting to install all the motion parts.  Parts will be temporarly installed for the test run and
then removed for final cleanup and painting.  


  Locomotive test run on air 7-01-09.   No timing was done since it will be taken apart for painting. Only tested for a minute due to no lubrication being present on parts. Time to take apart locomotive and prep for paint.


 I set the steel cabs on tailpiece to help give beginning appearance of the heavy mikado.  
 Both chassis are under air.  One running on air chassis is still available for purchase for  $35,000.00.  The other chassis is sold.
If you want the entire locomotive completed.  Here are the details of contract for purchaser.

 Payment schedule for completed locomotive:
$35,000.00 down payment for the running on air chassis/boiler.   Customer chooses color/road name.
 $5000.00 payment will be due after boiler installation, plumbing, painting, and overall locomotive detail completion.  
 $7,700.00 payment for tender completion.
Completed locomotive total cost = $47,700.00  

 After contract is signed and intial deposit check sent, Estimated time frame of completion is 10 months.

    This is a good buy since the last Heavy Mikado was sold for $75,000.00 in Florida.  Material prices keep climbing higher along with the machining costs.  A newly built steam locomotive available at this price will be a rare find especially in these Economic times.  
    The castings on this locomotive are 100% American made by local foundries that helpsupport many families.  Help keep the American based foundry manufacturer in business by purchasing this locomotive.  
 
                
Boiler material delivered.  All certified material.  Tubing has been cut to working size for           Drilling out Flu Nest pattern that is matched with the Firebox nest sheet. The Chips fly everywhere.
main boiler and smokebox shell.  

   
Drilling out the stay holes for side sheets of outside firebox of boiler.                                Drilling out stay holes for firedoor sheet.  Large Firedoor opening for shoveling nice size chunks of coal.

     
Drilling out holes for the opposite side of firebox .                                                                You use the stick weld method for the boiler construction.  Sheets are now attached for firebox.

     
            Drilling bolt hole pattern for steam dome top.                                                                                 Steam domes and safety valve bases welded to the top of boiler.

     
   Inside stays welded.  Sheet metal protects the Flu nest from weld spatter.                                             Outside stays welded.

  
   Front flu sheet weled in place.  Triple overlap pass welded.                                            Dry pipes assembled and ready for installation.

   
   Fire door and rear stays welded.                                                                                      The very last Flu fitted in place before welding. 
                                                                                   
                                                                Completed boilers ready for testing.  Install plugs and steam dome cover for hydrostat.      
                         
Boiler #1 Hydrostatic test successful.  Typical boiler test is at least 1 1/2 times working pressure.                          Conducting same test for the second boiler.
Having dual gauges is insurance that the test is accurate.  Ball valve will be shut off and pressure held      
in boiler for at least 24 hours.  That will insure that it is a tight sealed boiler.  

                         
Adding spacer blocks for the raised boiler bands.  This creates the tapered look of the boiler.               The boiler is now completed.  The wrapper and plumbing details will be fitted later.  


   
Install inside ring for alignment and support with smokebox shell.                     Smokbox shell check fit over ring.  The total length is approx. 63".  

                                              
   Tank is set up for nickle plating rods.  As goofy as it looks, there is a lot of prep and math involved..       The green solution is very hot and the bubble action is actually plating the rods.

         
                                       And after an all day event of work and then into the late evening, the results is a set of beautiful nickle plated rods.

Viewers......Don't forget to check out the new Fulton Locomotive casting kit.  Link is on main webpage.

Dated 12-17-09 COMING SOON-  Cylinder and Valve Covers for the Heavy Mikado  Part# C-2034-1,2,3,4  Spun Aluminum made to print specifications.  Small production run.  Should be available in early January.  These have not been available in over 10 years so take advantage and order them when they arrive.

              
Machining the tender axles to length                                             Axles ready for turning ends                                            Turning ends for bearing and press fit steps.

                                               
Rough machining the wheel to remove glaze and excess.          Finished tender wheel sets with wheels pressed on axle.              Welding the Tender frame.  Heavy duty construction.  


  1 1/4" & 1 1/2" channel gives the I beam appearance.  1/4" Thk for structure braces.
   Make sure to drill the holes for water lines and king pins prior to welding.  




      
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