Hakan,

The American looks great!

According to Youtube, your second movie, the 1/900 Micro, has been removed?

Thanks Mike, Bob and Lennart for the kind words!

Lennart I removed the old video as it was too dark. I made a new one:

https://youtu.be/5TInKwuS1d4

Hakan

Hi Guys

A small update. I have been working on my mine area during the spring taking bits of time here and there. As the ore chute would have done the mine entrance and decking way to high above the tracks I went with the idea to empty the carts directly into the railroad hopper inspired by John Olsens mine on the Mescal Lines.

Here is a photo of the support for the mine track and decking.



After looking at the cast mine rails and carts I had and was to use I thought this was the time to go a little wild adding a working mine track. After seeing photos of the tiny mine locomotive 0-4-0 Wallis I had temptation to make a model of this loco. When Busch came out with their new HOf 6.5mm trains and a steam locomotive (a decauville loco) which had pistons I came up with the idea to use the mechanism and make a new superstructure for it. I have been experimenting with the 3d printer to make it but have had some problems getting a good print. Probably due to inexperience. Hopefully I have more to show on the loco next time. Here is a picture from the 3D model.



The strange pipes between the top of the cylinders and the tank are supports that will be removed after printing.

The mine track goes through my backdrop through the a mine tunnel. The tunnel will have a slight radius at the end so when looking in through the opening it one will not see the end. The train of one loco, the Wallis and two mine carts will travel only a few feet. I’m contemplating having the train on automatic (Arduino unit)with a push button operating it and using a sensor at the ends to control it.

Happy modeling!

Hakan

Hakan,

It’s a joy seeing photos of your progress. I’m not sure such a small mine is economic. On the other hand, it’s just an HO scale economy.

Mike

Wonderful stuff, Hakan! I always enjoy your creativity!

Amazing the varied aspects each individual modeler brings to the model railroading community table, and we as a community get to enjoy them all!

Andre

"Smokeless engines" are cool, but seems to me mules would be the prime mover for a small mine in the 19th century.

dave

Thanks Mike, Andre and Dave!

The locomotive is shooting over the target for such a small operation I know but it will be hidden from view only coming forward having visitors . The mule as pulling power sounds like a great idea. It gives me an idea for having two scenes one with the mule pulling the carts which can be taken away when I fell a little wild having visitors running the loco. The only other unrealistic part is the track with its turnout but they will be mostly hidden from view by the decking.

Hakan

Dave, I have searched the internet on the type of mine locomotive like Wallis but haven’t had much luck.

I’m curious to how they are smokeless? The Wallis seems to be a real steam engine not a compressed air one.

Hakan

They operate by compressed air, something widely available in mines. Plus the only exhaust is air. Fire smoke in a mine would rapidly fill the mine.

I think electric locos were much more common in mines from about the 1910s or 1920s.

dave

Or rather referred to as "Fireless" locomotives since they lacked a firebox and were recharged from a large stationary boiler as you would have in a large factory.

They were used in large power plants, explosives plants or factories were either the presence of a large boiler allowed them to re-charged easily, or to avoid sparks as within an explosives plant.

The Wallis locomotive would not have operated within the mine since it was a traditional coal fired locomotive as can be noted by the ash pan under the firebox. The cab and boiler were kept extra low so the engine could operate underneath the the low clearance of the tipples and various other structure outside of the mine.

Here are some 18" and 22" gauge fireless locomotives

Thanks Dave and Blair for the info. I thought the Wallis had such a low boiler and cab for clearances in the mine. Has kept me wondering about the smoke.

Just tells one learns something new everyday.

I have abandoned the idea now altogether. The prime moving power will be a mule and now and then a human.

Hakan

Well this will be different, even unique, but fun too.

Thanks Bob! I have abandoned the locomotive idea altogether. I have decided on Mule Power instead. Here is my latest addition to the roster.



I have also started on making the track. I wanted to use code 40 but I only had code 55 at home and didn't want to wait a couple of weeks it takes to get it from the US. I hope it will look smaller after painting and surrounding it with timber decking. The turnout is the kick type.





The side track leads to the gravel dump.

Hakan

Hakan,

Very cool trackwork. And I like the horse idea. I see he’s in the company colors.

Hakan, if that green mule glows in the dark the mine won't need any extra lighting, maybe there's uranium in that ore