Just bought a Regner SKGLB 0-4-0T(sister engine to the #2 Staniz)

artfull dodger

artfull dodger

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Just bought this of the past editor of Garden Railways magazine here in the USA. Salzkammergut local railway #1. Does anybody by chance know the works number as I want to get Narrow Planet works plates for the engine. I am debating on repainting the cab green to better match the LGB engines. I would have loved to find the #2 Stainz that Regner did, but either version is very hard to find for sale. This one was already in the USA and at a good price. I plan to add a Regner whistle kit and switch the engine from manual control to RC, with control over everything from the RC transmitter. Mike
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A lovely little loco, hope you have lots of fun with it - will be nice to see a video of it running at some point!

Jon.
 
I should have it in my hands by this weekend, we have a steam up on the 8th of December, so if the weather will not let me outdoors to run, I will get video then. Mike
 
No videos yet, dealing with a very very stiff engine. He said it really never got ran after being built from a kit. First time had several stalls while running on the rolling road, taking a nudge of the motion to get her moving again. After dealing with a sticking water top up check valve, and refilling, I relit the burner and did round 2 on blocks to lessen the load and with 2-3 bar on the gauge, and a few moments of running, I was able to throttle down to a reasonable speed for a model that needs lots of running in. I will get it to be happy on the rolling road, then recheck valve timing as things run in. Still uncertain if I will "LGBize" it with a green cab. Want to get the model run in first. Mike
 
that,s a lot of motion goin' on there :nod:..............................wish I had one :envy: ...........................leave it black :)
 
And that lot of motion equils alot of stiffness to loosen up. I am leaving it black and red as built by Regner. Its slowly getting better each time I run it. Still tends to stiffen up and will not self start unless I really open up the throttle a bunch. Got about 45min run time on her so far on the rolling road. I can usually get 2 boiler loads of water per 1 tank of gas. Nice having the boiler refeed tap already on the engine. Mike
 
Did a short test run today, she is getting better very slowly, not a real good self starter yet. Wish i had the assembly manual so I could check timing of the eccentrics, they are mounted to an arm sort of like Walschaerts motion. I am wondering if its a tad off. I did relap the slide valves as there was some blow by, that is gone now. Adjusted the lifting link so the motion isnt "held" tight against the ends of the slot, that alone freed up some of the bind that is acted like it had when running. Now if she would self start at lower throttle settings, takes quite a bit of throttle or a nudge when on the rail or the rolling road.
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Glad to hear that she's running, and hope it will improve further with use.... a really pretty little loco!

Jon.
 
She is, even the Lady Anne I built from a kit would lock up when I tried to run really slow till I got several hours of run time and the motion got run in. Remember that Roundhouse puts 12 hours of run time on the factory built models on a special steam rig, plus steam tests on thier test loop as the model is assembled. They also have much more simple valve gear. Here we have fully functional Allen straight link valve gear, lots of moving parts that must be run in. Lapping in the slide valves gained much improvement and the final run this evening on blocks after adjusting the throw of the Johnson bar so as to not put pressure on the motion in forward gear, really improved how far I can throttle down and run without stalling on blocks. I only have about 1.5 hours of run time so far. I will try to run it once a day after work this week, then as much as possible with 2 or 3 LGB 2 axle coaches next Saturday at the steam up. I should have my Konrad tomorrow or Tuesday, holiday mail volume have delayed that engine getting here. Thankfull I have a rolling road and a block set up to do the running in on. Mike
 
Mike, glad you have decided to leave it Black, looks very good and Germanic like this.

I think Radio Control would cure most of your running and starting issues. Many Live Steam Locomotives are just not viable to operate Handrolically. Also remember on the real thing that the Driver gives a big pull on the Regulator to get things going and then almost imediately throttles back. Much to do with getting a charge of Hot Steam in the works to get things on the move. I have found a similar tactic works well with Miniature Live Steam.
 
Hope to RC the engine after the holidays. With the nature of how this valve gear opearates, there is "feedback" on the reach rod to the Johnson bar in the cab. The reach rod has a "spring" section in the middle via an "S" curve it in. But, the way it was adjusted, it was putting quite a bit of pressure on the motion when it was locked in forward direction. i have removed that pressure, which made a huge difference in how she responds to starting up. Not quite self starting, but darn close and i feel that once I get a few hours of running, she will ease out of the station just fine. I was going to message Regner, although I have read they are/were horrible at responding to them in a timely manner. If Marc cannot find the book, I will have the Regner dealer, probably the old Martins Models(cant remember the new company name) as I want to get the factory light bulb/socket assemblies and lenses for the lanterns on Stainz, and the lanterns I got with my Konrad. Mike
 
All Regner manuals are in German other than some Easyline locos. There is no point contacting Regner as they are in a mess and hardly even respond to dealers at the moment.

Your best bet is to contact Jay Kovac of the Train Department as he is the US dealer.
 
I've been told that often the Regner limited edition models, which only come as kits, need to adjusting and tweaked during and after construction as they didn't always test them that well, have manufacturing flaws and you have to know what you are doing to get them running properly. They are more suited to model engineers than modellers.
 
That really goes for any kit built engine, some just need more tweaking that others. That said, tonights run went much better, I backed off the piston gland nuts a bit and that helped a bunch with allowing slower running. Looks like from the wear on the surfaces of the cross head guides, this is where most of the bind/drag comes from. But its getting much less so I will just like it wear in on its own vs taking it all apart and taking the jewelers files to it. She freewheels pretty good when cold, I think once things expand while hot is when the slight binds show up, which as with any kit built engine, will go away with running in. I think Regner is much better off now than they were a year ago at this time. Their website looks great, they have a nice 2-8-0 in the limited edition model range for this year. The Konrad that I traded for, runs like a swiss watch, just like my Willi did when I owned him. The burner is so much better behaved right after lighting compared to the Staniz, which needs super low gas feed till the burner gets hot, then you can crank up the gas.
 
The Easyline oscillator models, like the Konrad are quite different from their scale models, being mechanically simple and produced in much greater numbers and have been tried and tested. If you want one of their more advanced locos get one which uses the standard 0-4-o or 0-6-0 chassis is a better bet than the limited editions, as these are well tested and the dealers keep spares in stock.
 
Or, if buying one of their kit-built scale models, get one that has already been assembled by someone who knows exactly what they're doing, and that has then been fettled and tested until it runs well..... and make sure you actually see it in steam before you purchase.....

Jon.
 
She was built well, just never run in and tuned. I dont mind that part, all part of the fun of learning one's engine as it is run in. The original owner and builder definatly knows his way around a steam engine and building them from a kit. Each steaming gets better and some track time at the steam up this coming weekend will help a bunch. Mike
 
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