#392e Valve gear linkage

I am with you, it was some upgrade kit available back in the day. Very nicely done. I would DEFIANTLY leave as is! Very unique, I'm sure not many examples of this upgrade still exist.

Well that's ONE vote!  LOL!   Your opinion is making me reconsider.  Surely someone is familiar with this valve-gear linkage and its manufacturer?  Any takers??

Greg

I would leave it. Nice.

Steve

A very nice and unique look on a 392e

There dosen't appear to be a screw hole for the original linkage in the frame.  The linkage looks similar to the A. Flyer linkage. I wonder if a prototype?  Harry 

Ah, now we are getting somewhere!  Thanks Harry- you are correct about the screw hole...in fact, there IS a screw hole for the linkage, but it is further back on the frame than the "normal" placement.  Upon further examination, the frame has a "protrusion" as part of the casting for the screw hole!   I just took more pictures for further documentation.  I LOVE finding pieces like this....it's SO interesting!

Looks to me the original hole is covered with a piece of metal that is part of the upper cylinder crosshead guide. But where the radius rod linkage mounts looks like it was cast as part of the air tank frame. You did find something very out of the ordinary.

I tried to look and see if there IS a hole covered by that metal, but it is hard to tell.  I will likely have more information when I take it apart and clean it up.  SO EXCITING!

Greg

i have two 392e i love the look keep it just clean them up

kevin

Keep that unique mod or perhaps a prototype?

would be nice it see a video of it running

thanks

kevin

Definitely lots of "monkey motion"! LOL!

Well, I finally got around to further delving into the "mystery" of this rare linkage and interesting frame of this #392E.  I have disassembled the entire unit and took plenty of pictures in the process for documentation.

First off, here is a picture of the entire engine.  It was missing the cab roof when I purchased, but that is an easy replacement:

Here is a close up of the valve gear: (note-the sliding piston off of the steam chest is missing a part)

When I removed the linkage on both sides, I discovered that one "piston" seemed to be missing a part.  Does anyone know of a replacement part?  It looks like it will still work without the missing piece.

I don't know if this is normal.  The wheels are original and have the "The Lionel Corp. New York" on the inside rim, but they seem to be made of brass and specifically fitted to take the eccentric crank as well as a regular screw.  In this picture, you can also see the "nub" the juts out from the frame above the first driving wheel.  This is for a screw to keep the upper part of the linkage in place.  (Notice it too seems to be made of brass!)

Here is where things start to get REALLY interesting:

Once I removed the piston bars from the steam chest, this piece was revealed and also seems to be made of brass:

Once I removed everything off of the frame, I wanted to know if this piece was "molded in" like the "nub" or was it affixed to the frame:

The answer seems to be the latter as you can see two "tabs" on the inside of the frame:

As I stated in my original post, I am fairly new to the "standard gauge" part of the hobby, but could tell this was something a bit out of the ordinary. (Other than pictures on-line, I have no other 392e with which to compare LOL!)  If anyone has further information on this piece or needs to correct my discoveries as I may have misspoken, please let me know.  I am having a blast restoring this beauty and can't wait to get it running!

Thanks in advance for your input.

Greg

PS:  I forgot to mention that I have a lot more pictures of the disassembly if you would like to see them to help me solve this "mystery."

Looks like something a machinist/modeler made to give the locomotive a more realistic appearance.

Whoever did it did a really nice job, I like the idea of inserting a slug into the frame to tap into for the reverser since the zinc most likely wouldn't be strong enough in that area.

I am excited to report that I have completed the restoring of my "special" 392E!  Scroll to the top of this post if you want to see the "before" pictures.  I am quite pleased with the way it turned out.  Unfortunately, I am having a hard time finding a replacement roof  for the cab.  So it obviously has an "incomplete" look to it!  (Know anybody who has a spare roof I could buy?)

Enjoy!

Greg

Here is a "rough" video I just took so you can see the unique valve gear in action.

When MTH parts open, you might check there for a cab roof.

I thought I read a recent post that Mike W. is keeping the standard gauge equipment.  If that's true, would standard gauge parts be available if MTH parts open again??