R/C linkages for Live Steam Locos.
I am about to fit R/c to my coal fired Black 5. No room for servos in cab. Will fit servos in tender. Looking for practical flexible drives solution, don't want to reinvent wheel. Regulator will require a quarter turn rotary action. Reverser will be 12-18 mm linear push pull. Eventually will try actuating blower (rotary action), cylinder drains - linear action. Space in tender for servos not a problem, R/c equipment should not be a problem, just the bits in between.
Any advice or benefit of experience will be greatly appreciated.
Roger.
For the operation of the regulator why not use bicycle brake cable as this will negotiate the tightness of space and be attached to the servo mounted on the tender front as suggested.
I know that Dick Allan has used this method to great effect
Mark
Similar idea to Mark's - a camera "remote" cable would be about the right length (approx. 6-8") and about half the diameter of bike cable - so perhaps slightly more flexible. I have one somewhere from an old SLR (long since gone) but I assume you can still get them.
I've seen various "bell-crank" set-ups but I think the Bowden type cable is probably simpler.
Regards,
IanT