Re: Grafton Center Railroad

Definitely a Mason. Jeff A. and Jeff R. provided the details. Appearance-wise, as built it would have been green overall with a silver-grey boiler and considerable amounts of trim owing to its use at the 1876 Expo. I believe it was Mason construction number 571.

The 0-4-4 Masons had excessive axle loads for the rail weights typically used by narrow gauge. There was nothing to counter the weight of the cylinders at the front of the power bogie and the engines had a tendency to "hunt." Unless run at low speed they were prone to rough riding and excessive rail wear, and they wore flanges quickly at any speed. Most of the locomotives built to this pattern had 12x16 cylinders and 42 inch driving wheels with about the same tractive power.

The Grafton Center Railroad was only three miles long in its narrow gauge form. It was built using 35 pound iron rail. The line was renamed, standard-gauged, re-tracked, and extended in the late 1880's.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2011 07:43AM by James.