Wee Bee Loco Parts locomotive fittings

Live-steam locomotive fittings
Wee Bee Loco Parts
6757 W. Jackson Street
Indianapolis IN 46341
Prices: See text
E-mail: weebeelocoparts@comcast.net

Brass parts and fittings for small scale, live-steam locomotives; water-injection valve; safety valve; safety-valve adaptor; gas-filler-valve conversion fitting; butane-gas filler adapter

Pros: Beautifully crafted parts for live steamers; accurately made; nicely finished

Cons: None

Wee Bee Loco Parts has been around for a while but may not be known to many live steamers. The company offers a limited but growing range of useful American-made bits for the improvement of commercially made locomotives. A sampling of parts were sent for review. All are beautifully crafted of brass.

First up is a Water Injection Valve for Accucraft locomotives ($25—valves for other brands of locomotive are also available). This is a small fitting that comes threaded with an M10 x 1.0 thread to replace the engine’s fill plug. The valve is sealed with an O-ring (an extra is supplied). The valve itself is a Goodall-type valve, allowing water from a spray bottle to be injected into a pressurized boiler. The secret is in a silicone ring that covers the inlet port of the valve. When the pressure from the external water source exceeds the boiler pressure, the ring releases, allowing water to flow into the boiler. A quick-disconnect adaptor is also available from WeeBee Loco Parts.

Regner locomotives have their own gas-filling system that is not always compatible with ours and can prove problematic in other ways. Wee Bee has a Gas Filler Valve Conversion Fitting for the more standard Ronson valves that we use ($30). Remove Regner’s filler valve, replace it with this converter, and add a Ronson valve (not supplied).

A tiny safety valve, 316″ in diameter by 12″ high is offered ($35). This is a pop-type valve, set to blow at 60 psi (40 psi is also available). It is supplied with a 14 x 40 thread. Also available is an adaptor for this valve to fit Roundhouse (and other) locomotives ($10).

Last is a screw-on adaptor that fits standard, threaded butane cans to allow the transfer of fuel from the can to the engine’s gas tank. This has a 2″ snout on it. Simply screw it into the gas can and press the end down on the engine’s Ronson-type filler valve to neatly transfer the gas.

All of the parts are nicely machined in brass and should give many years of excellent service.