Re: Regauging a steam locomotive - How is it done?

C.P.Huntington Wrote:
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> Are there any other such conversions out there?
> How were they done?

When the Texas & St. Louis (this is the same railroad later known as the Cotton Belt) changed to wide gauge it converted at least a couple dozen of its formerly narrow gauge locomotives, maybe more. I don't know of any other U.S. road that converted so many. There's not a great deal out there on this line in its narrow gauge form because a) it changed to wide gauge fairly early, after receiving new management that was not keen on the narrow gauge, and b) it ran through flatland country that nobody much cared to make record of. The info I've read on the conversions is conflicting. Some sources state that the Grant 4-4-0's started out with 13x20 cylinders as new and received 14x20 as part of the wide gauge rebuild, while another source lists them as 14x20 as built. I haven't seen any photos of them in wide gauge form. Based on photography the converted Mogul types simply received wider cylinder spacing and driving wheels moved outward.

Some Baldwin 4-4-0's sent to the South Florida Railroad were ordered when that road was already planning to change gauge and were expressly constructed with gauge changing in mind. The order form indicates that the cylinders were to be cast wholly separate from the saddle for this purpose, and the driving wheels were taller with thicker tires than was typical for 3 foot gauge.