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OT-Top bucket list item.....secured. ParkTrain nut story

Not sure why? But it seemed like water or condensation got around the bolts and rusted away the shanks of the bolts and got into the threads and seized everything tight? It was rare to not have at least two in each cylinder broken? Usually near the exhaust valve so maybe heat cycles had something to do with it? Another mystery was the uneven wearing of the cylinder bores, because one side was always much worse than the other? I don't remember which side as its been years since Iworked on those?
 
Another mystery was the uneven wearing of the cylinder bores, because one side was always much worse than the other? I don't remember which side as its been years since Iworked on those?
This is standard for aircooled flatheads, since the exhaust port is in the barrel itself. Worst thing you can do is bore it round, because in use it will then be not round. KR guys used to hoard good cylinders for this reason, and make every effort to take as little as possible out every time they put in new pistons. Hone .005" or less, if possible.
 
I'd like to see a shot of the Wisconsin! They are great engines and if they are odd firing(flat crank) they sound great! They tend to have valves that stick open when sitting, which sounds like what's going on. Carbon will flake off and hold it open too. Pull the sump and clean the sludge. I like magnetos better than the distributor, but you don't get the meager charge capacity without a generator. I'm assuming there is electric start-

The only way a v-4 wisc is gonna sound remotely like the real thing is couple qty (4) together.....:D
 
Naw, nothing similar to a KR? I have worked on those too. Wisconsins either suck more dirt or don't get oil to one side of the motor as the thrust side of the bore wears opposite the valves way more on one side. The bore is worn away on the side opposite the valves most of the way down the bore. its more of a poor non detergent oil thing or the crank doesn't throw any oil up the cylinder on that side, along with a soft iron casting? When you bore one the cutter makes a soft whooshing noise not a singing noise like a good casting makes? Its not a heat distortion thing like a KR?
 
Wisconsins either suck more dirt or don't get oil to one side of the motor as the thrust side of the bore wears opposite the valves way more on one side. The bore is worn away on the side opposite the valves most of the way down the bore. its more of a poor non detergent oil thing or the crank doesn't throw any oil up the cylinder on that side, along with a soft iron casting? When you bore one the cutter makes a soft whooshing noise not a singing noise like a good casting makes?
So you do have some theories about the mystery wear :)

Kinda interesting that wisconsin is different, had an underhead valve matchless that behaved the same as a KR. Maybe drilling the crank for pressure oil and using a synthetic would help ? Or vincents have an oil feed hole drilled into the cylinder just below the bottomest edge of the oil ring's stroke. Might also help ?
 
Lots of the bad experience with Wisconsins is due to neglect, and being left outside in the rain. But I'm OK with the majority not liking them, leaves more for me!
 
Hi DKMC,

I'm sure you know about this railroad...but if not you may want to get in touch with the owner. I raode this line back in July, spectacular! I linked to the 16" ga, stuff, check out the other videos too!

My visit to the Brick Mountain Railroad part 3 of 3 - YouTube

Gary, thanks for posting the videos! Very cool. I ran into those or similar on Youtube awhile back. That is an amazing property.
I would like to visit sometime for sure.
 
Lots of the bad experience with Wisconsins is due to neglect, and being left outside in the rain. But I'm OK with the majority not liking them, leaves more for me!

They probably work okay as a small train motor. they won't be worked hard, unlike the ones I saw that were on cement grinders, pumps, and balers. Those were run hard in dirty conditions and not maintained so they didn't last long?
 
I located one of the decedents of the former owners of Camp Baumann. I reached out and got a reply which was very cool. They are forwarding the pictures I sent of the train to other siblings and friends that may have some details or stories to share about the train when it was at the camp.
 
Did not know that Walt Disney was a model live steam enthusiast. He learned machining from the Disney studio machinist so that he could build his own locomotive.

 
This popped up on my Facebook Marketplace feed today... Down in Texas somewhere.. I don't know if it's already been posted or mentioned on here previously. I'm on my phone and too much trouble to go back looking and I don't seem to be able to post photos or I would have done it.



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If any of you have deep pockets I have a running 36 gauge steam Locomotive with cars and track that could be had with enough zero,s...Phil
Phil is that this one? For Sale

On my end I am a life long steam fan built myself 2 live steam locomotives and I am done! I think my next project when the kids are a little older will be either a steam boat or a steam traction engine. Lots more track available near me to run a boat or traction engine than a locomotive! Trains are a lot of fun but with out land and track they're useless. Town I grew up in had about a mile or more 7.25" gauge track now I am about 1.5hrs drive from the nearest track hopefully the OP has a nice track near by or a lot of property to build one.

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Well, it would just be too boring if there weren't some challenges of acquisition on a typical bucket list item. So -after- the 3 cars were loaded onto my smaller-than-it-needed-to-be trailer, I learned they are a bit heavier than they look. And I found out (after a short test drive) that there was not enough tongue weight (swaying amazingly well at 35 MPH). Time for plan B. After several delays and miscommunication from the seller who said he could haul them on his larger trailer, I hired a very capable young guy with a larger trailer. And finally the cars landed safely here this past Saturday.

Ah.......No
This was an accident waiting to happen.
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Piggy back
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We picked off the top car by itself, then the whole trailer and 2 cars in one shot.
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Interesting shot of the underframe showing the drawbar arrangement, plus the point where the car mounts to the trucks.
 








 
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