Atomic Systems

A small update showing the loco painted in grey gloss paintwork!.
Had a few problems with the animation of the loco in MSTS (the animation locked up after running 30m in reverse). I've just redone it in 8 frame animation (originally in 16) and it seems ok, now (fingers crossed)

Cheers,

Kevin

all i can say is wow, that is a really good piece of modelling and its noit even finished yet

When you released the last model I tohught that surely Kevin cannot better that, but somehow I think you may with this model. IMHO from what I've seen of commercial work, your models are at even a higher level than that.

Thanks for the comments,

I'm not sure it's as good as that, William, but I do try to improve, somewhat, on each model I make.

Cheers,
Kevin

Get the expansion link set up right on the models, ie, when in forwards the thingy is at the top of the expansion link.

Actually, I've already been reliably informed that the thingy should be at the bottom of the expansion link, for forward gear on this loco.

At the moment it's not in steam and in neutral.

Cheers,
kevin

Frsimplex1993 wrote:Get the expansion link set up right on the models, ie, when in forwards the thingy is at the top of the expansion link.

Hi William,

Just been discussing this with Kevin as it happens . I'm pretty sure that Gowrie should have the die block in the bottom half of the expansion link for going forwards. You're right for Mountaineer though . I believe Mountaineer's valve gear is unusual (for the UK anyway) and is 'upside down', i.e. has the die block in the top of the link for fore gear. Valve gears can be lots of fun, have you come across the valve gear modelling software here?:

http://www.tcsn.net/charlied/

Lots of weird and wonderful varieties in addition to the usual suspects .

One day we may even get a sim that can change the valve gear to suit the direction of travel...

Cheers

Rich

EDIT: Kevin beat me to it

Outside admission (slide valves) with the return crank in the usual alignment (as on Gowrie) means that the die block needs to be at the bottom of the expansion link to go forwards (unless some evilly minded person has crossed the steam ports)

If the die block is in the middle of the link (mid-gear), and the crank at the lowest point, then the valve will not admit steam to either side of the piston and the engne will go nowhere (not even 30m backwards!). To move Gowrie forwards from the position in Kevin's screenshot, the piston on the side we can see has to move backwards, so it needs steam in front of it. That means that the slide valve has to move backwards, which will happen if the die block moves down, as the bottom end of the die block is further back than the top.

The opposite is true for piston valves (so long as they are inside admission, which is the norm)

People who model big mainline tender engines don't have a problem as they are normally turned to run chimney first, but it always niggles on a tank engine, which on most railways will spend half its life running backwards,, that MSTS doesn't allow variable positions of the valve gear for forward and backward running (and mid-gear for stationary of course). I console myself with the thought that I don't have to do 3 lots of animation, and the suspicion that many users only run forwards.

EDIT (and me too!)

p.s. Baldwin appear to have done their Walschaerts gear that way on many of their engines, I have just checked the Sandy River locos and they are all like that

Small update showing Gowrie running in MSTS. Still in "works grey" which does makes some of the detail hard to see.
Still more detailing to add, but slowly getting there

Cheers,
Kevin

Lovely work Kevin.

Any chance of completing that V2 Double Fairlie?

Thanks, John.

The new fairlie model is defintely on it's way. It's certainly needed, as my original Fairlie models will be 6 years old in a few weeks time!

Cheers,
Kevin

Thanks, after a week on the FR I can't wait

Blimey - and they're still well up there in terms of quality of model.

Absolubtely stunning! Very well done indeed.

And I'd also like to add my name to the list of those who look forward to the V2 double fairlie

Thanks Murray

I'll restart work on the Fairlie once this model is complete. (however long that is!!)

Another render of the model. I've also posted this in the new KRS loco section of the "rolling stock creation" forum, so you may already have seen it.



Cheers,
Kevin

Comment seems superfluous, to say nothing suggests that this very remarkable model is unexceptional. It looks superb to me Kevin!