Adjust position of wheels on technic axles - not too tight, not too loose. Wheels should rotate smoothly
Test wheel assemblies on a cross track to assure proper fit and spacing.
Blind drivers are intentially undersized (very slightly) to facilitate movement on curves
Quartering
In the real world, steam cylinders on opposite sides of a train
engine are arranged 90 degrees out of phase. This assures more
even power delivery and assures the wheels are never at 'dead center'
location when starting from rest.
In the LEGO world, if you model this, your train will run smoother
too. The picture below illustrats the connecting arms on each
side of a model. The offset hole is rotated 90 degrees, one side from
the other. Step by step instructions for building this assembly
are available here (adobe
acrobat required).
Curves
Getting your train to run through curves and switches can be a bit
frustrating. The following illustrations will provide some sample
wheel configurations to help you get started.
Two Flanged Wheels 8 studs apart
Good
Three Flanged Wheels
Not Good
(Although it can be made to work)
Flanged-Blind-Flanged Wheels
Good
Flanged-Blind-Flanged-Blind Wheels
Notice how the blind wheels 'float' above the curved rails.
Good
Integrate trucks into a larger design
Example: 4-8-4 wheel arrangement
Steam Cylinders
Building with Big Ben Bricks allows
you to model connecting arms and working steam cylinders on your train
models. There is no one right way to do this. The following
pictures illustrate one way you can adapt into your models:
A four wheel truck with steam
cylinders and connecting arms - instructions available
here
