Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Hi Daniel,

Yes, the geared single double acting oscillating cylinder produces more than enough power.

You might be interested, when first made Cracker XL was like the original Cracker and had a geared 2:1 drive to both axles. The original Cracker had a 4:1 gearing but the cylinder was only single acting.
With its original gear train Cracker XL ran well enough even with a reasonable load, but it had to be run quite fast, especially on my portable layout with its tighter curves.
 
I decided to use a lower gear ratio and as I didn’t want to make new frames I came up with what might be called a hinged/ flexible gear box idea with a ratio of just over 5.8:1.  As it wasn’t practical to drive both axles with this new drive; a chain drive was used to connect the axles. The photographs, I hope show how the system works.

When designing Cracker XL I had made a prototype chassis, so along with two other prototypes: a model boat boiler and a simple three cylinder oscillating engine also designed for a boat but not the one the boiler was to be used in I decided to make a locomotive.  The result I call the ‘Three into One Locomotive’ or 3in2.1 for short. It has runs well on air but because of other projects I haven’t done any work on it for some months. I have been out of the UK for a bit but when I return home in a week or so unless something comes up I intend to try and finish it.

Take care Tony.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]