226 N. Morrison, Centralia, Illinois 62801
A friend of mine, Les Altenbaumer, who is a locomotive
electrician for the Illinois Central Railroad, and my neighbor, has
caught the old iron bug. I gave Les a copy of an article from a
1996 GEM on how to build an electric hit and miss engine using a
starter solenoid.
Engine #1, yellow, used a car solenoid and other parts turned on
a lathe.
Engine #2 is all homemade. It has a hand-wound coil, light
switch for points in head which operate by the exhaust valve. The
piston is a 15/8 12-pt. socket; the rod is
out of an air compressor; the piston sleeve is copper tubing. My 3
HP Sattley was used as a pattern somewhat.
#1
#2
#3
Engine # 3 is a green engine and is also all homemade, but the
flywheels are steel wheels. The crankshafts are cut and welded
steel rod.
Engines number two and three were built with 3-inch pipe and
flat steel, cut and welded about 22 pieces for each one. Each looks
as if they were all cast.
Les has now added engine # 4, but I have no photos of it as yet.
Les also has a very loving wife, Genean.
If you’d like to correspond with Les, write to: Leslie
Altenbaumer, 101 Breese St., Centralia, IL 62801.
