WELCOME

Hi All,

So the first post of a new blog! What better to start a new year with than a new project in a new form of model railroading 7.25 inch gauge miniature railway. This blog will cover, step by step, the planning fabrication, construction and running of a  'BUDGET' Petrol/mechanical 'freelanced design' loco. Firstly the reason for going with a freelanced design is that for myself doing HO NSW i confine myself to being as prototypical as possible, in the way i detail/weather my locomotives and use era specific infrastructure etc. So  going freelanced gives me, and my partner in this project the freedom to create something unique and to our specific requirements and desires. And maybe later on down the track allow us the opportunity to produce our loco as a DIY kit.

It was over the Christmas/ New Year break where the idea was tossed around whilst looking at some pics on the net whilst actually looking for some information for one of my HO scale customers. Initially I had this grand idea of creating something more suited for 2 foot gauge but with no one close to our area offering that gauge in a club format. So sadly the idea of a 4-53T Detroit diesel powered monster faded rather quickly, now that's not to say we couldn't create something for 7.25 inch with that kind of power plant or similar (maybe a 3-53N) but its potential dimensions may be a taste beyond practical application, I mean for starters a 3-53 weighs in at approximately 500kgs (that's without auxiliary equipment) and stands some 800mm+  high from sump to rocker cover. So I think a more modest power plant must be chosen.

At this stage we have 3 options: 1) 4lt 6 cylinder EFI Ford (w/auto), 2) 2lt 4 cylinder EFI Toyota (w/manual) and 3) 1.6lt 4 cylinder carburetor Ford (w/auto). The plan is to provide drive to one bogie only (or to an auxiliary axle then by coupling rod to drive axles if rigid frame option is taken) by means of Automatic transmission through drive shafts with chain drive to axles. For simplicity sake we are looking more towards the Ford 4cyl, being carburetor there is no complicated wiring harness, being a smaller engine it allows provision for design variations, and being an East/West set up it allows simple drive off the output shafts.

The image on the title of the blog is a rough representation of the first design.

Any words of wisdom are very much welcomed as this is our first look into this size of project, and of course comments are always welcome.

Cheers

H & B