blinding drivers on a 2-10-0 russian in ho scale

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am thinking about blinding some drivers on this engine. Would the center driver or the rear driver be better for going through #4 atlas turnouts. This is a brass engine it it matters.

2

On the prototype, and on most scale counterparts, it is the practice to place blind drivers in between outer ones with flanges. In the case of the BLI 2-10-4’s, for example, the center driver set is blind. I think it is best for the front truck to have a flanged driver nearest it in your case.

Crandell

3

I would blind the center driver to prevent problems in tracking. If the drivers can move from side to side a little, you shouldn’t have a problem with #4 turnouts then.

4

Looking at plan and photos in Model Railroader Cyclopedia - Volume 1 STEAM LOCOMOTIVES the Russian decapod either came with all drivers flanged or had blind #2 and main drivers. The latter left two flanged axles at each end of the locomotive.

This is in line with other locomotives I am familiar with which had blind drivers - everything from the Brunel-gauge 4-2-4T with the highest drivers ever to the JNR E10 class 2-10-4T and a 2-8-2 that Crandell (Selector) posted some years ago.

Bear in mind that blind drivers usually don’t have tapered treads - they’re cylinders, not cones.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with a blind-drivered 2-6-6-2)

5

Have you tested the engine going through Atlas #4’s?

How much sideplay is there in the drivers? IIRC, the PFM Russian Dec could go through some fairly sharp curves. Don’t know about the Sunset engines.

Andre

6

Blind drivers are wider than flanged drivers too. You can get blind drivers from Bowser and Greenway products depending on what diameter. The axle sizes will be different. I have a Sunset I1sa 2-10-0 that had blind drivers on axles 2,3,and4. They tended to drop between the rails and was a pain in the neck. I had replaced all the blind drivers but the center axle. It now negotiates curves and turnouts as low as a #5. I do not have anything smaller to try on. I can’t see why your Russian can not go through a #4. They were a lot smaller and shorter wheelbase than the I1sa.

Pete