Little Engines 7.5 gauge American 4-4-0

[ocmeamtrakf40]

Hello out there, I recently aquired a Little Engines 4-4-0 American that needs work and has been sitting for at least 10 years. I'm old at the hobby, but new to steam, and was wondering if anyone out there has one or knows where I can get a hold of assembly or operation instructions. I would like to tear it down and rebuild it as necessary.

[ocmeamtrakf40]

Sad that no one seems to be on this forum, seems like I'm all alone out here. Well, for what it's worth, been working on the engine for the last month plus. Found almost every valve stuck, hand pump in the tender frozen as well. A lot of stuck and rusted check balls. Got info from Banning who now owns the patterns. Finally did a pressure check using my garden hose, 66 psi, found a bunch of leaks, but none in the boiler. Fixed them all and found issue with the throttle valve, used automotive valve grinding compound on valve seat. Using the repaired hand pump, did a boiler test to 17, psi, aok. Got it running on air, cleaned out the tubes, then fired it up with charcoal briquets. Just used enough to get 40 psi in the boiler and got it to run in place on steam (made some rollers out of scrap steel and skateboard bearings. Decided to get it to run on propane. Made my own burner array using 8 bbq jets (#23's bored out a bit using automotive carb jet reamer). My goal is to use the 1 lb propane tanks, since 2 will fit in the coal section of the tender. Fired it up and got up 95 psi (which popped the 95 psi relief valve) in 37 minutes. Calculated one lb of propane will last an hour and a half. Cleaned and painted everything as I put the loco back together, a lot of polishing as well. Next step is to go though and restore the tender. Hope to have in running on our club track by new years.

[ocmeamtrakf40]

Oops, meant to say using hand pump, tested boiler to 170 psi.

[skeptic]

Hello. Just joined this forum today. I’ve been a live steam fan forever. Started building a little engines 1” 0-4-0 in high school shop in the 70’s. And then life got in the way. So it took 40 years but now it’s done. My runs on propane so it got my attention when you said you calculated you can run for 90 minutes on one tank. Having the small tanks on my engine I know from experience that you will have a problem. After 20 minutes of running my engine slowed to a crawl because the tank began to freeze up. I just purchased a heated scarf, which I plan to wrap around my tank to see if that helps. I’ll let you know if it works!!

[ocmeamtrakf40]

Thanks for the reply, there IS life around here. I fired mine up on propane using a 1 lb tank. I kept it going for an hour and 10 minutes, popped the safety like three times. I didn't notice any reduction in flow, although the tank was ice cold. I weighed the tank before and after, and it had used about 2/3 of a lb. The good thing is that the tank was so cold, when I refilled from a large tank, it almost took a lb and a half. I can't run it on my backyard layout because I have some 15 ft radius curves and the engine will only take a 25 ft radius. My next chance to try it out at our club track will be on Jan 1 2019. I also made an electric draft fan I need to try out, instead of depending on an air compressor when firing up. Stay tuned...