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-   -   RC Lombard Log Hauler (https://www.rctruckandconstruction.com/showthread.php?t=13442)

crueby 03-29-2019 09:24 AM

RC Lombard Log Hauler
 
Hi all, I had a few requests to post this model here after I joined recently.
This is an RC model of a Lombard Log Hauler, which was the first commercially successul vehicle with a track drive, back in the early 1900s. They were used in the northern woods (mainly USA, some went to other countries) to haul logs on sleds out of the woods to the sawmills and rail terminals. They were steam powered, using a locomotive style boiler and two double acting engines, one on each side, just like a locomotive, but rather than drive wheels that had a track mechanism on each side and runners at the front (runners could be switched to wheels for moving when no snow on the ground). Here is a picture from the original patents of the engine and the track system:
https://s5.postimg.cc/5cpum7w93/LPI.jpg
There are several of these engines still running, and the Maine Forest And Logging Museum up in Bradley Maine restored theirs just a few years ago, and they have put up a TON of pictures, videos, and drawings on their website that is an absolute treasure trove of information, much more than is available for lots of old engines. They did a complete teardown and restoration of their engine, which is now in beautiful running order.
http://www.maineforestandloggingmuse...rds-in-bradley
If you go through thier site, you can see all the steps they took, with photo and video documentation along the way. A lot of the work involved students from the University of Maine, which also has lots of information. They have a lot of history of these engines, including vintage photos, and even the parts catalog from the manufacturer!
I went up to the museum to take detail photos and lots of measurements of their hauler, and used them to design my model in Autocad's Fusion360 3D CAD system, which was a new thing for me. The 3D model was used to generate all the plans used in building the model.
https://s5.postimg.cc/qymyp8gwn/Complete_Hauler_v64.jpg
So, here is the finished product sitting out in my driveway:
https://s5.postimg.cc/xk39fu4av/IMG_1004.jpg

https://s5.postimg.cc/jhunmpm4n/DSC_6025.jpg
and also it sitting with its big brother at the museum up in Maine:
https://s5.postimg.cc/72lxcrogn/DSC_6069b.jpg

https://s5.postimg.cc/xnog8a13r/DSC_6035b.jpg
The folks at the museum were awesome to deal with, got LOTS of information and photos from them, and on the visits they kindly allowed me the privilege of driving the real one around the grounds quite a few times - really a thrill!
https://s5.postimg.cc/wy5nvv347/DSC_6811b.jpg
And, of course, we need a video of the model in action. It has a RC system in it, controlling the throttle and the steering. The steering servo is a small Actuonix linear actuator connecting the front axle back to the middle of the frame. It uses a butane burner to fire the boiler.

https://youtu.be/BZ8mqxKmJJg


There is a full build thread from the construction over on the Model Engine Maker forum, where I am currently building a working steam Marion 91 shovel at 1:16 scale.



Chris

Wombii 03-29-2019 04:20 PM

Re: RC Lombard Log Hauler
 
That is an incredible machine! I looked at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSd9A4J2ihM and my mind is struggling to process a steam locomotive on tank treads coming down a forest road. You did a very good job capturing its character in scale form.

crueby 03-29-2019 05:13 PM

Re: RC Lombard Log Hauler
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Wombii (Post 166324)
That is an incredible machine! I looked at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSd9A4J2ihM and my mind is struggling to process a steam locomotive on tank treads coming down a forest road. You did a very good job capturing its character in scale form.


Thanks Wombii! There are some videos of the real machine up in Maine below, which I took the last couple years that I went up for their fall event - they run the machine at most of the events on their calendar. They give rides on the machine, half dozen in the back of the cab, room for one up front with the steersman. They also have sawmills, blacksmithing, etc going on too. They have a gas powered Lombard there as well most times. Fun place, if you happen to be in/near Maine its well worth the trip. Their events are the only time the machines are out. Normally the Lombards only ran in the winter, with skids on the front axle instead of wheels. They ran on iced roads, with slots iced in for the runners, hauling long trains of logs on more sleds. No brakes, since that would just jackknife all the sleds behind it, so they tried to build the roaeds on shallow pitches. They could put hay on downhill stretches to slow things down. Normal speed was around 5mph, faster downhill. They replaced many teams of horses.


https://youtu.be/61Cue1nd6tU


https://youtu.be/OsapkG91sVA


https://youtu.be/rtDXb9rjDV8


Their events list is on their website: http://www.maineforestandloggingmuseum.org/programs-2


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