Cass 6 Main Frame II
 Nelson Riedel, Nelson@NelsonsLocomotive.com
6/24/2004, last updated 04/08/2006

The main frame sides were covered in Part I.  The details of the front of the frame are covered in this part and the details of the rear of the frame are covered in Part III.   The specific parts described here are: 

  • Front Bolster

  • Smoke Box Saddle 

  • Bolster - Saddle Side Bracket

  • Front Center Casting

  • Front Sill Brackets

  • Front Sill

  • Tray
Front Bolster:  The photo at right is of the truck bolster showing the rollers on the ends and the cylindrical center which mate with the frame bolster.  

 It was impossible to get one photo showing the entire frame bolster so several photos were taken and aspects such as the interior were guessed. 
This is the center part of the rear bolster (for the middle truck)   The sides and bottom of the cylindrical part hanging down are the bearing surfaces between the frame bolster and the truck bolster.   This photo also shows that the frame bolster is hollow.   
This is the rear side of the front bolster.  I assume the oil cup provides lubrication to the bearing surface between the frame and the truck. 
This photo shows one of the rollers on the truck bolster and the pad on the frame bolster.  There is 1/4" or so gap between the roller and the pad.
This photo ws taken from the same position as the previous photo with the camera pointed up slightly to show the  connection between the bolster and the frame side bars.  The Bolster-Smoke Box bracket fits on the outside of the frame and clamps the frame and bolster together.   The joint lines between the bolster and the bracket and stiffening plate have been enhanced on the photo.    
The interior of the bolster as show on this drawing is based on photos; no measurements were taken of the interior.   
Smoke Box Saddle: The exhaust enters the sides of the smoke box saddle and I assume goes to the center and up through a nozzle under the petticoat.  This photo was taken looking down on the right side of the saddle.  A flange on the saddle rests on the top of the frame bar. 

 
This is the left front corner of the saddle.  
This drawing shows the overall dimensions of the saddle.  The holes for the bolts between the smoke box  and the saddle were left off to reduce the drafting effort.  The internal plumbing will be left to the model.
Bolster-Smoke Box Saddle Bracket:  The Heisler designers probably came up with a more elegant name than that mouthful.   The bracket is cast and clamps the frame side bars to both the bolster and the saddle.   

This is the left side bracket.  The 6 holes on the left match with holes in the smoke box saddle and the other 13 holes line up with holes in the front frame bolster.  

 

Frame Front Center Casting:  This casting connects between the front bolster and the front sill and the coupler pocket.  The casting is hollow..   
Frame Front Center Casting 

 

Front Sill Bracket: The front sill bracket casting connects between the lower bar of the frame side and the front sill as show in the photo.     
The 7 bolt holes have been left off the drawing.  Will put in the holes later on the drawing of the model. 

 

 

Front Sill:  The front sill pictured above is a 10" wide, 13" high, 114" long piece of oak.   A cast  tray between the sill and the smoke box saddle  is also visible as noted on the photo. 

There is a spacer between the coupler pocket and the sill.  This photo of the tender coupler shows that the spacer is 6" thick.  I assume the front spacer is the same. 

 

Tray: This shows the tray in full use. I would have made that tray out of sheet steel.  However, the Heisler factory had a good foundry and a wood pattern might be easier to make than a part from sheet steel.  Once the pattern is made, the casting process is straightforward (if you're making other castings).  The tray extends ~4" over the front sill and is supported by the sill and the center frame casting.  It also bolts to the smoke box saddle.  

The pipe with the valve is probably the blower line.  That's an air hose connection that feeds into the valve.  Compressed air is probably used for cold starting the fire.
Drawing of the tray.......

This is a good point to break; the Cass 6 Frame is finished in Part III.

All the drawings on this page are included in the Cass 6 Mainframe drawing file that can be downloaded from the Drawings page. 

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