Re: NG 4-6-2 photos

James Wrote:
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> Most of the American-built metre gauge pacifics
> were built to patterns that allowed for 3 foot
> gauge construction as well. Nobody in the U.S.
> ordered them, but the designs were ready and
> waiting. This is particularly evident on engines
> such as NOB 401 where if you see a direct side-on
> profile view it's plainly evident that the boiler
> and firebox are above all the wheels and it'd be a
> trivial matter to build one with the frame and
> cylinders spaced a few inches closer.

Even more trivial than that. Steam locomotive drivers are thicker inside to out at the hub than they are at the rim to allow the axle to have enough bearing length in its press fit to the wheel. Usually you see that the wheel hub and counterweight are proud of the face of the tire. On #401, they look to be near flush. I'll bet that #401's driver wheel centers are cast offset proud to the inside. So, all that she would need are new drivers cast so the rims are set in 1-11/16" (along with the other wheel sets regauged) and she would be golden for 36" gauge.