There is also one at the Colorado RR Museum (from the RGS).
When I laid out my 4.75" gauge track in the back yard, I did not have the tools to make a switch point. So I made a stub switch. The reverse position of the stub switch ran to the basement door where I stored my 1.5" scale 2-6-2. The 45 feet of track is 4% down from the door to the frog of the stub switch.
My 2-6-2 had a copper boiler and so it has a boiler pressure of 100 PSI. It is backed into the basement and runs forward out of the basement. Before I had the "bridge" over a drainage ditch built, I fired the loco up in front of the basement door. I placed a brick from the pilot beam to a tie under the track so I would not worry about her running away on a 4% grade.
First time I ran her under steam after placing the stub switch in, I was on the tender with my feet on the ground. The hand brake on the tender held quite well. I then barely cracked the throttle and let go of the brake and off I went.
I'd forgotten to check the switch. The stub was set against me and the 2-6-2 rolled as smooth as you please down the 4%. I saw the turnout was wrong too late to stop and she rolled off the end of the rails and nice as you please set itself down on the ties. The one stub rail when up between the left hand driver and the driving rods and stuck fast. The distance between the rods and the driver was just a little less than the rail head width.
The loco would not roll. I could not lift the hot loco and have it release the stub - not being attached to the rail, it would lift up with the loco!!!
I had to drop the fire and let her cool off before I could get her unstuck. At lease the loco weighed only about 190 pounds and was rerailed fairly easily afterwards.
I had been through the stub on the 4-wheel switcher that was modeled after SV #101 with no problems. Just the darned steamer had me watching so many other things that I forgot one. Only one BUT a big one.
Doug vV
