Re: RGS 36 repliica/D&RG 4-4-0 types

CVR220 Wrote:
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> Has anyone ever considered parting out one of the
> myriad of rusting saddletankers (or those rebuilt
> to 2-4-0's) for such locomotive replicas? It
> would seem the difficult-to-cast cylinders and
> saddle, axles, eccentrics, many small parts and
> perhaps even parts of the boiler and firebox might
> be usable. For the D&RG, the smaller,
> straight-boilered 42 1/2 class would probably be
> easier to re-create than the 42's. The same idea
> could apply to standard-gauge replicas also.

A minor comment: The class 42½ were materially similar size as the class 42, had the same cylinder size, and probably weighed as much or a little more. They had very long fireboxes (over seven and a half feet!) that ran through the cabs because they were specifically intended to be able to run on anthracite coal. Also, that class of locomotives were really ugly, badly-proportioned machines and nobody in their right mind would want to re-create one. The class 42 was both more numerous and far more attractive, having the proportion of the classic American Standard locomotive, plus one ran on the RGS--presumably an important feature for the RGS museum! Interesting tidbit: The class 42½ had fluted domes, although the first batch of class 47 (later T-12) ten-wheelers--ordered from Baldwin on the very same day--had smooth cast domes. There was a few years during the mid 1880's when Baldwin offered both styles as a customer option.

The smaller straight-boilered 4-4-0's were the class 37, which were also rather ugly because of a weird forward dome placement, though still more attractive than the class 42½. Rounding out the D&RG 4-4-0 types was the class 38, which was rather similar-looking to the class 42 except for a differently-proportioned steam dome.

I really look forward to the completion of this project. The last time this subject came up on this forum it had not yet been decided which style it'd be built to: original colors, fluted domes, diamond stack, or smooth domes, straight stack and extended smokebox. I wonder if that's been finalized yet?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2016 04:10PM by James.