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STEM: Challenge Video - J. G. Blunt, Chief Engineer ALCO

Blunt Power Truck Challenge

Building 1/4" Scale Trains from scratch in brass presents here the first challenge for students to solve a problem and develop a solution for my Chicago Great Western Railroad (CGW). The CGW owns a number of ALCO S2 Switcher Engines that are in the shop for repairs. The Engineering Challenge is to build a replicate set of power trucks ideally in brass. I cannot purchase a new set in the hobby shop any more and manufacturers lost the original mold for casting such things as side frames.

History: Designed by ALCO's own engineer James G. Blunt, for which it was named (who later went on to become Alco's chief engineer), the truck used a cast-steel chassis and was purported for service over poor, uneven trackage often found within industrial settings and sidings. Because of this it also became known as the "rubber truck" for its ability to dash along and negotiate rough track without derailing.

Problem: Deliver to the CGW your design and methodology to manufacture a new set of Blunt Trucks in quarter inch scale preferably in brass. A hybrid truck design of various materials for example around a brass side frame is perfectly acceptable. Any combination of composite components is also acceptable but must be rugged enough for layout operations. We are not looking for a shelf model when completed.

Model Constraints: Truck Frame must accommodate for gearing on the axle and DC power pickups. Frame external/internal structure must facilitate for mechanical detail parts. Must be operational and durable in 1/4" scale can be a dummy truck with option to power it. Solution must be open source for sharing with the rest of the O Scale community.

Truck Action on an ALCO S-2 Diesel Locomotive https://youtu.be/j3dvl9CWGds http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/show... https://www.trainboard.com/highball/i...

Suggested Approaches/Ideas: The more true to functional detail the better. Do The Research Brainstorm SketchUp/Drawings/CAD? Mockups 3D Laser Scans of original model components Composite/Composition of materials Bearings Assembly 3D Printed Parts Atomized Brass 3D Metal Printing see HP Metal Printers Castings Etchings Testing Cost CNC

Non-constraints include: Wheel Sets and axle standards not required as they are readily available. Working with a partner or team is okay. You can develop one component for example just side frames or the entire integration of parts.

STEM Student interest in this challenge includes: Mechanical Engineering Students. Students in fields required to learn skills in drafting CAD/SketchUp etc. Students with a business orientation to think about costing the project out. Materials Science Students Students in the Technical Fields i.e., machinists

Over the coming months using the communication thread on this video we will work with students or modelers that may want to put their ingenuity to work.

Download pdf drawing for your reference:

http://johnwubbel.com/bip/BluntPowerT...

Enjoy the challenge!