Building a Climax by Heinz Hotz

 

1" scale Climax build by the author

 Welcome to my home page.

I joined the live steam hobby around 1978 by buying some machined kits from Aster (a Shay and a Climax) for gauge G (45mm) . On my first trip to the USA (1987) I bought my first Live Steam magazine and soon after I ordered all construction articles from Kozo Hiraoka. Due to space limitations in the rented flat I was not able to build a workshop that time. It took me a few more years to buy a house and to install a workshop in the basement.

I choose the Climax  as my first project. Kozo Hiraoka deserves my warm thanks for contributing such perfect construction articles to the live steam hobby.

 

Specifications:

Prototype: Two-truck 50-ton Climax geared locomotive
Construction drawings: From the book "Building the Climax" by Kozo Hiraoka (published by Live Steam)
Scale: 1" = 1'-0" (1:12)
Gauge: 5" (127mm)
Length: 1062mm
Width: 249mm
Height: 382mm
Weight approximately: 100kg
Wheel diameter: 78mm
Speed reduction ratio: 2.25:1
Materials used: Mainly brass. Some parts made from stainless steel, cast iron, bronze, aluminum and copper
Commercial parts used: Nuts, bolts, water pump and lubricator from Holzapfel (Switzerland). Rough cast iron wheel set from Reeves (England). Boiler custom made by Dragon Boilers (Wales, England). Bell from OS (Japan). Dummy air compressor from Knupfer (Germany). Boiler fittings from SOB and IMECH (both Switzerland)
Cylinder bore: 27mm
Cylinder stroke: 36mm
Valve gear: Walschaerts
Boiler:

3.25mm copper, silver soldered throughout, working pressure 7 kg/cm²
Custom made by:
Dragon Boilers, Copper Boiler Specialists
195 Gate Road, Penygroes, Llanelli, Carm's, SA14 7RW, England
Construction started: Spring 1998
Construction ended: Christmas 2005
Construction status: Finished
First steam-up: May 2007

 

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Created: 24.12.2001

Revised: 21.05.2009

 

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