the machine shop · 2014-07-16 · accommodate various procedures on the job in the lathe i.e....

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The "Machine" Shop

Acknowledgement - Locomotive Servicing Terminals by Marty Mc Guirk pg 5

When one refers to "The Machine Shop" in the model railroading sense of the word, this conjures up

images of a steam locomotive along with its tender having come off a run. It proceeds to the roundhouse

for a thorough routine check of all the running gear, as it has been reported that there is a vibration at a

certain speed and getting worse. It is found that there is a fault either on a bearing, a side rod or there is a

cracked wheel.

A work order is put into motion to decommission the locomotive to the back shops where more complex

and heavy duty repairs will take place.

It is discovered that there is a crack on two of the main drivers, which has also led to side rod bearing

failure. This puts the entire reciprocating mass out of balance causing these defects to occur and now the

work begins.

The "machine - and back shops" were usually situated at the back of the roundhouse or as a building on its

own with access being gained via a transfer table for heavy and more complex repairs. In the machine/back

shops there are all the typical types of machines required for major overhauls and re-

manufacturing of parts. These include lathes of different sizes and shapes, milling machines, centre to

centre grinders, horizontal- and vertical boring machines, radial drills, surface grinders to name but a few.

As the parts and engines became much larger, more intricate and refined, as did the shops and

accompanying machinery that was used to work on them.

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Acknowledgement - Locomotive Servicing Terminals by Marty Mc Guirk pg 5

{In the background of the main workshops to the right are examples of just some of the machines utilised. This is what I have

based my machine models on. Looking carefully one can see a Capstan lathe, a stamp mill, radial drill and a horizontal boring

machine)

I have been interested in the model railroading hobby for over 20 years and am building my own Baltimore

and Ohio layout, with the extensive workshops and roundhouses that Walthers have made available. I also

have the machine shops that will eventually be added to this extensive complex. These items are often

overlooked as to the importance of the role that they actually played in the day to day running of railroads

in particularly the steam era.

My interest was sparked by what I also do in my profession and this is where the idea of making a series of

machines related to railroading, steelworks and heavy industry was born. This series currently consists of 3

sizes of lathes, 1 single- post vertical lathe/boring machine and a dual-post vertical lathe/boring machine.

It is important to understand that these machines, like the industry in which they are used, are big and

very heavy. This is in line with the type of work that they are used for.

Acknowledgement - Turning a mill roller {finished weight 20 tons) - Thomas Firth and John Brown Ltd

"Workshop Technology" Part One by W.A.J. Chapman pg 62

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Acknowledgement - Vertical Boring Mill/Lathe - George Richards & Co Ltd

"Workshop Technology" Part One by W.A.J. Chapman pg 247

Walthers have manufactured these brilliant complex buildings, as well as the steel manufacturing industry

buildings i.e. the rolling mills, stamp mills and furnaces, all of which I will discuss in detail later on as the

steel industry also relates to what I am doing.

All major industries that maintain and repair equipment also need the lathes, milling machines referred to

earlier so as not to delay production and to be able to do repair work on their own premises which is less

costly and less time consuming.

Let us get back to the machine shop and the repairing of a cracked wheel! The process would be one of

two situations. Either a new wheel will be cast if the facility has its own foundry and moulds or it will be

ordered.

Acknowledgement - Last of the Steam Vol 1 Union Pacific Giants 68" driver

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When this ordered wheel arrives in the machine shop it will be taken, measured and then put onto a

vertical lathe/Vertical Boring Mill. The reason for a vertical lathe/boring mill, is because the diameter and

size of some of these wheels/drivers (7.6ft/2.3m) require the use of a single face cutting tool in a vertical

position which also reduces vibration and makes for a much more accurate finished product.

The term "Vertical Boring Mill" is not actually an apt name for this machine; hence the name "Vertical

Lathe" as it performs more the function of a vertical lathe with a permanent chuck and faceplate, than that

of a boring machine.

Acknowledgement -Last of the Steam Vol 1 Union Pacific

Horizontal Lathe/Boring Mill machining a 68" tyre for an articulated locomotive

In its application the vertical boring mill is used mostly for turning and boring operations on large diameter

components and for boring on jobs more easily handled this way than on the horizontal machine. It is

opposed to that machine in so far that a stationery tool operates on revolving work, whilst on the other

machine a revolving tool operates on stationery work (milling machine)

By having a horizontal table no restriction is placed on the size or diameter that may be machined or

constructed and some of the larger machines, such as a Messrs. Richards have a table of 35ft/10m in

diameter.

I have added additional photos to put this into perspective.

The dual bed holding the vertical side of the tool post makes for an extremely rigid and accurate cutting

face. It must be rigid because the forces brought into play by the cutting operation are transmitted to the

bed/s and if these cause it to distort/vibrate unduly the machine would lose its accuracy.

These facilities required highly skilled people with various qualifications to operate these types of intricate

machinery.

These types of machines reduced costs, downtime and allowed for improvements to be made to original

items, which furthermore enhanced performance and reduced maintenance.

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Acknowledgement -Last of the Steam Vol 1 Union Pacific

Horizontal Lathe/Boring Mill close up of a single-faced tool machining the internal diameter of the tyre

These machines will therefore enable the wheel, when placed on the chuck to be trued and centred to the

diameter of the chuck, which is usually bigger than the wheel. This is to make sure that no flexing or

vibration takes place on the cutting face while the wheel is being machined to extremely accurate

dimensions, as the shrink fit from the tyre to the driver is about Y ins/3.7mm.

Once the outer diameter has been machined with the correct angle and flange way, the outer/inner face

of the rim needs to be faced.

The front and back are trued by machining the front/rear face of the tyre to the wheel. In this process the

truing of the wheel to the tyre is checked, as well as the flange way and angle of the tyre to run on the

track is all within correct specifications.

This work is extremely precise which makes for smoother running of the entire reciprocating mass as there

is not just one wheel and counter balances involved, but many.

Acknowledgement -Valard Bearings

Vertical 2-post lathe machining inner and outer face of a bearing housing for a water turbine

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On the dual-post vertical lathe I have included a tube sheet for an articulated boiler, most of which were of

similar sizes and diameters. This particular boiler is 98 ins/8ft2ins/2.Sm to the outside diameter. The

thickness of this plate is 13ins/33Smm. The Sins/130mm flue holes which have been marked out on the

tube sheet give one an idea of the size and type of machining required to fit the tubing to the boilers. Some

of these holes will go down to 2ins/S0mm and some will only be % ins/19mm. From this one can gauge the

type of engineering and machines needed.

Acknowledgement -Valard Bearings

Vertical single post lathe/boring mill machining an internal bearing housing

The lathes that one finds in these large industry machine shops are of different sizes and different weight

specifications, the weight referred to being the weight of the job being turned in the lathe and not the

weight of the actual lathe.

In America the Tool post was usually a single screw clamped through the centre of the block which meant

that you had to re-adjust all your settings for individual tool bits, whereas the English Box type Tool Post,

once set according to the job that is being turned, can be rotated into any of 4 possible positions to

accommodate various procedures on the job in the lathe i.e. facing, boring and chamfering. Today we

enjoy the benefits of technology and quick change tool posts where cutters and tool bits are already set in

their holders.

Some of the work i.e. in the steel industry such as the mill rollers weighs up to 1S-20 tonne per roller. The

rollers are 48ins/4ft/1.2m. The length of this roller which includes the bearing shaft machined on the end

of the roller can be up to 16ft/Sm. As you can imagine turning these steel rollers to the precise diameters

and bearing shaft diameters require extremely precise machinery. (see bottom picture on page 2)

This is a miniscule portion of the subject of machining, manufacturing and re-manufacturing of

components in the rail, steel and accompanying large industries.

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The 3 lathes that I have modelled include the same diameter rollers as in the Walthers Steel Mill Rolling Kit.

They are all scaled correctly with journal and bearing housings on the end of them.

The dimensions of these machines, as has been specified a little later, are such that if you are modelling N-

scale, the smallest lathe and the way in which the machine has been made, would not be out of place in a

large N-scale workshop.

On an O-scale layout the largest HO lathe can also be used in O-scale as a medium sized 0-scale lathe, as

attention has been given to the headstock and the main saddle.

I have cast a separate base which raises this machine to the correct working levels for 0-scale layouts.

The specifications of the 3 lathes that I have made are as follows:

Specifications Small Lathe Medium Lathe Large Lathe Swing over bed 17"/440mm 21"/630mm 30"/750mm

Swing over carriage 12"/300mm 17"/440mm 24"/620mm

Work piece length 10ft/3.1m 16ft/5m 22ft/6.6m

Length of bed 17ft/5.3m 27ft/8.3m 32ft/9.7 Chuck diameter 30"/750mm 36"/900mm 4 jaw - 53"/1.3m

8 jaw - 58"/1.5m

These sizes have been rounded off, but they are merely a guide to the size of the machines and work

pieces.

In making these models, I have animated them in a way that they can be displayed with/without a job in

place or as the machine would stand in an empty state. There are also 4- and 8-jaw chucks for the large

lathes, depending on the type and size of work to be done in the machine.

Below are some pictures of these machines in the manufacturing stage just to give one an idea of how they

progressed to what they are now. We have also added some other pictures showing the internal and

external finishes of internal and external single face cutters as described in previous paragraphs. One can

also see from the photographs, the step scaffolding required on the sides to facilitate adjustments and

cutting angles and speeds on the machine, both on the single- and dual-post machines.

Specifications for single - and dual post vertical lathes/boring mils

Specifications Single post 90" Dual post 102" Length across bridge 8ft/2.4m 10ft/3.1m Height under bridge 51"/1.3m 133"/3.4m

Maximum holding capacity 90"/2.3m 103"/2.6m

Diameter of chuck 8ft/2.4m 122"/3.1m

Posts 90 degrees and quill feed & std 90/45 degrees

These sizes have been rounded off, but they are merely a guide to the size of the machines and work pieces.

There are also pictures of some workshop scenes to give one diorama ideas for filling the inside of these

large shops. These buildings are impressive structures, but have a lot more going on inside which is not

obvious to most people.

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However, these shops are where the wheels "start turning" and where all the action takes place. This is my

take on what these shops should actually look like on any layout in order to do justice to the Walthers

range of machine/back shops and roundhouses.

These machines can possibly be add-on kits or included in the existing kits.

This is a small portion of what I have manufactured. There are a number of other machines that I have in

mind to manufacture as well. For example - horizontal boring machines, large milling machines, eccentric

presses, radial drills etc.

The original and the manufactured model of the Vertical single and double post lathe/boring mill

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Completed lathes in the 3 different sizes (Pallets and figures are not included)

Some typical work/machine shop scenes

Acknowledgement - Union Pacific Official Colour Photography Book 1 by R.A. LeMassena and R.J. Yanosey Page 124 - A newer

2nd

group of Veranda Gas-Turbine locomotive suspended from two overhead hoists to demonstrate their capabilities.

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Acknowledgement - Classic Trains Diesel Victory (Special Collector's Edition No 4 2006)

Page 57 - Cleveland workshops Plant no 3 1949 EMD 2nd

US Production gets rolling

Acknowledgement - Classic Trains Diesel Victory (Special Collector's Edition No 4 2006)

Page 71 - Technician checking crankshaft on an Alco 251 engine

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Acknowledgement - Classic Trains Railroads and World War 2 {Special Edition No 6 2008)

Page 16 - articulated unclad boilers under construction for 2-6-6-6 Allegheny articulated built 1941 - 1948

Acknowledgement - Classic Trains Summer 2003

Page 54 - Mount Clare shops in Baltimore in 1954 with view of 3 engines receiving class 3 overhauls.

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Acknowledgement - Classic Trains in Search of Steam 1953-1954 {Special Collector's Edition 2007)

Page 54 - procedure for repairs on forward engine with use of drop pit on the low-roofed side of shop

Acknowledgement - Classic Trains In

Search of Steam 1953-1954

{Special Collector's edition

2007)

Page 54 -

procedure

for repairs on

forward engine

with use of a drop

pit on the low-

roofed side of the

shop

Note the

cribbing support

the front

boiler during the

process.

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Acknowledgement - Classic Trains In Search of Steam 1953-1954 (Special Collector's edition 2007)

Page 55 - procedure for repairs on forward engine with use of a drop pit on the low-roofed side of the shop


Page 55 - procedure for repairs on forward engine with use of a drop pit on the low-roofed side of the shop.

This picture shows the rear part of the engine and boiler still assembled

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Page 94 - repairs carried out in the roundhouse and adjoining shop showing a Colorado M4A that had just received Class 5

repairs only 7 months before.

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Page 38 - In January 1959, Stratford men cut apart a 4-8-2 6032, being scrapped less than two years after receiving classified

repairs here

Acknowledgement - Classic Trains Spring 2006

Page 63 - working from scaffolding beside the engine workmen install a skyline casing frame.

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Page 61 - mechanical overhaul of smoke box and exhaust nozzles.

A good view of the super heater header and steam delivery pipes.


Page 62 - A left side view showing boiler lagging (insulation) and jacketing all having been removed.

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Page 63 - The cladding is in place from the smoke box to the firebox. The boiler itself has received its cladding as well.


Page 63 - The boiler and engine assembly being lowered onto the wheels.

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Page 36 - Stratford's massive machine shop showing the vast erecting hall.

These are some typical workshop scenes that gives one food for thought in respect of building a workshop

with an interior e.g. gantry crane, scaffolding and designated area for the workshop and its related

machinery.

The next section of this article focuses on the machines that I have manufactured placed in a makeshift

workshop, as I have not yet built my personal machine shop and facilities.

I have used the Cornerstone Back shop kits out of the box just to give an idea of what a work/machine

shop interior could/should look like.

I have used my transfer table as the workshop floor and placed the various machines in their positions as

workshop protocol usually dictates, with the larger machines closer to the rear and the smaller machines

to the front of the workshop. The rail in the workshop also allows for a flatbed or depressed centre flat car

to bring heavy equipment/parts/machinery etc into the workshop to be offloaded using a gantry crane.

All of this facilitates the smooth operation of the in-house repairs or major overhauls.

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A temporary diorama/mock up of a machine/back shop

Photographs taken in my workshop showing lathes assembled with the largest closest to the doors and the smallest furthest

from the doors. Pallets to the right contain rollers for Walthers Steel Mill Kit just to put sizes into perspective.

.

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, C·

Boilers and articulated chassis' duringthe manufacturing or major overhauling process. These boilers are unclad showing stay

bolts, rivets etc. These boilers are also part of my idea of what should be visible in a work/back shop environment.

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Here is a 2nd

dual post vertical boring machine arriving in pieces for assembly. The assembled one can be seen in the background

with the tube sheet being machined.

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Shown here is the two single post vertical machines - the one to the left machining the outside diameter of the wheel and the

one to the right is machining the inside diameter of the tyre which will be fitted to the wheel.

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The rear view of the machines after re-arranging the workshop to accommodate lathes and showing the detail of the large DC

motors and access cover plates.

the machine shop · 2014-07-16 · accommodate various procedures on the job in the lathe i.e....

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