This topic is in response to a comment in the custom steam rods discussion. I felt it requires a new topic because this is not about custom rods, though you can replace the 1x7 lift arms with Zepher's 7L with 2 holes. Anyway, I agree with the commenter that this little engine would look better with some rods. Because of its size, I'm thinking a Stevenson Valve gear (which is much easier to model). This requires 8 parts and is entirely Purist Approved too!

Part list:

Part# 15100 - technic pin friction ridges with pin hole - 2x (I used place because that is what I had on hand)

Part# 32002 - 3/4 pin - 2x

Part# 32065 - 7L lift arm

Part# 32073 - 5L axle

*optional - 3706 - 6L axle - to replace 

Stick the 5L axle in the back of the cylinders, the 3/4 pins in the drive wheels.

Place the pin part of 15100 in one end of the lift arm. In the middle so that is sound freely.

Slide the pin-hole on the 5L axle and the other end of the lift arm on the pin. Done! Works even if motorized.

I will post a photo and video of it completed later.

Edited October 23, 20177 yr by ALCO

Good and simple mod.  Will be scouring my meagre technic supply for the parts to apply this.  Failing that, a wee brick link order might just be in order.

13 hours ago, ALCO said:

This topic is in response to a comment in the custom steam rods discussion. I felt it requires a new topic because this is not about custom rods, though you can replace the 1x7 lift arms with Zepher's 7L with 2 holes. Anyway, I agree with the commenter that this little engine would look better with some rods. Because of its size, I'm thinking a Stevenson Valve gear (which is much easier to model). This requires 8 parts and is entirely Purist Approved too!

Part list:

Part# 15100 - technic pin friction ridges with pin hole - 2x (I used place because that is what I had on hand)

Part# 32002 - 3/4 pin - 2x

Part# 32065 - 7L lift arm

Part# 32073 - 5L axle

*optional - 3706 - 6L axle - to replace 

Stick the 5L axle in the back of the cylinders, the 3/4 pins in the drive wheels.

Place the pin part of 15100 in one end of the lift arm. In the middle so that is sound freely.

Slide the pin-hole on the 5L axle and the other end of the lift arm on the pin. Done! Works even if motorized.

I will post a photo and video of it completed later.

Thank you very much. Look forward to seeing the final look.

What a great MOD, that is starting to look like the CP Huntington. You might want to try this piece (22961) plus a half bushing

instead of the pin connector that has friction (15100). Those friction ridges could be enough to keep the wheels from turning.

1 hour ago, zephyr1934 said:

What a great MOD, that is starting to look like the CP Huntington. You might want to try this piece (22961) plus a half bushing

instead of the pin connector that has friction (15100). Those friction ridges could be enough to keep the wheels from turning.

Great idea Zephyr! I didn't have any of those on hand. As long as the lift arm is positioned in the middle, the friction ridges will keep it in the middle. At least in my testing it has worked this way.

All, please excuse the type-o's. I'm doing this on my phone and the auto-correct has a mind of its own.

far more simple than my take on it! I wanted to add piston rods and then this happened.

On 10/23/2017 at 10:14 PM, ALCO said:

This topic is in response to a comment in the custom steam rods discussion. I felt it requires a new topic because this is not about custom rods, though you can replace the 1x7 lift arms with Zepher's 7L with 2 holes. Anyway, I agree with the commenter that this little engine would look better with some rods. Because of its size, I'm thinking a Stevenson Valve gear (which is much easier to model). This requires 8 parts and is entirely Purist Approved too!

Part list:

Part# 15100 - technic pin friction ridges with pin hole - 2x (I used place because that is what I had on hand)

Part# 32002 - 3/4 pin - 2x

Part# 32065 - 7L lift arm

Part# 32073 - 5L axle

*optional - 3706 - 6L axle - to replace 

Stick the 5L axle in the back of the cylinders, the 3/4 pins in the drive wheels.

Place the pin part of 15100 in one end of the lift arm. In the middle so that is sound freely.

Slide the pin-hole on the 5L axle and the other end of the lift arm on the pin. Done! Works even if motorized.

I will post a photo and video of it completed later.

Hi ALCO,

 

Sorry to bother. Have you finally made a video on this ? Would you mind sharing it with me please ?

 

Thank you very much.

Charnchai

YES! I'm sorry! here it is below. Also, is my first attempt at the rods.

Video

 

Edited December 12, 20177 yr by ALCO

Watching the video, the rods on the 4-2-0 have a nice Walt Disney feel to them. Lego should have done that from the start (given the handy mounting point, perhaps they did in a prototype but later scrapped it)

Very well realized! I tried to do the same for an animation last year but your method is much less temperamental. Mine used various bar pieces instead of Technic connections and didn't run too well.

You can see the method in the video- looks fine on camera, just not in practice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R5Jg0kzvUg

 

On 12/12/2017 at 10:51 PM, ALCO said:

YES! I'm sorry! here it is below. Also, is my first attempt at the rods.

Video

 

Thank you so much

I'm going to have to try this out myself, too!   Thanks!

 

3 hours ago, icemorons said:

I'm going to have to try this out myself, too!   Thanks!

 

Me too!

I really like that design you have made @Goldenmasamune. This is my version. But I'm thinking of extending and modifying the passenger wagon. Wheelbase is 14 stud long and the bogies dont pivot, still, this ran smoothy 8 hours at Lego exhibition. I would have never expected that Lego exhibition would come to city of ~8000 people. But as soon as I heard about it I registered for the event. Consider this as WIP, because there are some colors I want to change, I'm just waiting to fill my Bricklink wanted list. Oh and "Hello my name is..." post is coming in few days. Just wanted to share this right now...

https://imgur.com/a/svewY

Edited April 6, 20186 yr by Jude

At risk of being abused about the head and ears...  I want to thank @ALCO for posting this.   The holiday train is always a favorite  even when not in season at our clubs shows.   I have reworked the original design to look like our local zoo train to include in our clubs zoo layout.   Pics once I get the design finalized!   But a simple search of adding rods to holiday train and bam!

On Monday, February 04, 2019 at 1:16 AM, Roadmonkeytj said:

At risk of being abused about the head and ears...  I want to thank @ALCO for posting this.   The holiday train is always a favorite  even when not in season at our clubs shows.   I have reworked the original design to look like our local zoo train to include in our clubs zoo layout.   Pics once I get the design finalized!   But a simple search of adding rods to holiday train and bam!

Your welcome @Roadmonkeytj! I agree with you. At first I thought this train was pretty silly and not worth my time because it was not big and cool like something from BMR, but once I got it, I fell in love with it. I extended my 2nd copy by 4 studs as posted above and put an old 2x6x2 lead boat weight in the boiler to give it a bit more traction. Looking forward to seeing your zoo train!

6 hours ago, ALCO said:

Your welcome @Roadmonkeytj! I agree with you. At first I thought this train was pretty silly and not worth my time because it was not big and cool like something from BMR, but once I got it, I fell in love with it. I extended my 2nd copy by 4 studs as posted above and put an old 2x6x2 lead boat weight in the boiler to give it a bit more traction. Looking forward to seeing your zoo train!

As soon as I've finished it I'm already changing it lol so here it is in LDD.   Everything is loaded into bricklink!  This will be powered up the pf battery box is just a placeholder. 

 

On 2/4/2019 at 2:16 AM, Roadmonkeytj said:

I have reworked the original design to look like our local zoo train to include in our clubs zoo layout. 

Brilliant!

This, plus PUP (to not have to swap the green parts with gray IR receiver) looks like a sweet upgrade I need to treat myself for the next christmas :) Maybe I should also look in advance for some cool wagons...

9 hours ago, Bartosz said:

This, plus PUP (to not have to swap the green parts with gray IR receiver) looks like a sweet upgrade I need to treat myself for the next christmas :) Maybe I should also look in advance for some cool wagons...

That is exactly how we ran it at our December show - with some customized wagons - you'll find the rotating tree robs some power from it, however if you can run it on 9V its even better because you can rid the ugly battery box all together and have a load of coal!  the 9V wheels look great on it and it doesn't care that the tree rotates.