Hi kkj7, welcome aboard!
I model the Virginian (surprise, ha ha!!) and The N&W...N scale and HO. my 2 N locos are Trainmaster models by Atlas..
Thanks to a friend at my train club, I have a fair amount of info on the Trainmaster.... Here's a bit taken from a Loco Newsmag. called "Extra 2200 South", issue 61 July, Aug. Sep. '77 :
" .....By the time the TM was introduced, the OP ( opposed piston) engine problems were largely over: aluminum bearings, counter-weighted crankshafts, and explosion-resistant cylinder block were introcuced in production with the C-line demos, and by 1953, reliable "heavywall" pistons were in use, along with lightweight connecting rods, introduced earlier, and a plain cast liner/chrome top -ring arrangement. (FM, however, kept playing with liner and ring material due to oil control problems and by the 1970's was back to the chrome liner. Problems were had, however, with engine air filters. The first units were equipped with media panel filters, which gave barely adequate performance. SP's TM's (and some other's) were ordered with exhaust-aspirated cetrifugal filters, which were ineffective against sand. During SP's early testing in the desert, blower impellers and liners were literally ruined beyond reclamation in as little as a single trip. These were soon changed back to media panel, and later, oil bath filters, which gave good perpormance.
Not to be confused with an opposed ingine, which has a crankshaft in between two rows of cylinders, an opposed piston engine has a row of cylinders in between two crankshafts, which are connected at the front (drive) end by a vertical drive. The pistons control intake ports at the top and exhaust ports at the bottom of the liner. since the exhaust ports must close first to obtain a supercharging effect, the lower crankshaft is timed about ahead (12 degrees on 800 rpm, 15 degrees on 850 rpm) of the top crankshaft. Due to this, the top half of the engine only produces about 25% of bare engine power, and after driving the blower, about 20%.
The Train Masters tended to go to scrap at a young age, probably more due to the fact that the became "oddballs" after FM's exit from the new locomotive market. ......."
There's quite a bit more, inc.: B&W photos; a detailed line drawing..top, side and end views; complete roster; production info.; more engine specs.; notes, and other misc.
I meant to get the scanner hooked up, finally,( we bought it just after New Years' FCOL!!) and post the whole piece, but it will have to wait a bit longer...have to run some three wire from the other part of the house first...*&*%#**
Well, I hope this is of interest and helpfull.
all the best
vgn
(I live in 'Sunny" Northern California...at least when it isn't raining or the fog's not in!!...so my sign off includes a weather report )
