Old American steam train plans, anyone?

[chris watton]

I wonder if there is anyone in P/H who could point me in the right direction for obtaining any plans for a typical American steam train? I have been asked to design a kit, but I can't find anything on the net at all!

Cheers

Chris

[jimbeaux]

This book claims to be so precise, one could build a replica from it.


www.transalert.com/cgi-bin/details.cgi?inv=BKHAL&cat=19



www.livesteam.com/

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ewsflco/hrc.htm">[url]

>> Edited by jimbeaux on Tuesday 19th April 19:49

[yertis]

chris watton said:

I wonder if there is anyone in P/H who could point me in the right direction for obtaining any plans for a typical American steam train? I have been asked to design a kit, but I can't find anything on the net at all! Cheers Chris

Now if you'd asked for G/As for locomotives of the London and South Western Railway, 1860 - 1923, I could have helped...

[chris watton]

WOW! thanks guys, very much appreciated I normally 'do' model boats, but my 'employer' (Amati) wants an 'old style' train, ( as well as a '40's/50's Slipper launch!)so I need to submit some options, so I am very open minded about any project which may fit the bill, as I have no idea about trains at all; at the moment at least.

[simpo two]

Hi Chris,

I have one of these on my mantelpiece:




Defo a kit as I've seen others exactly the same, but all completed prior to sale.

Lucky you're not having to make a WW1 CMB!

My greatest work to date:
www.sanjuannepomuceno.co.uk

[chris watton]

Thanks for that Simpo I think the train I have to design needs to be exact scale with tons of detail, Not looking forward to it, as my first love is ships.
Your website is fantastic, you won't mind if I give out your URL to anyone who may need help? (have added it to my favorites)
This is what I 'normally' do, due for release soon (well, knowing the Italians, they veiw time in the periodic sense!!)


Drawing the construction plans and instructions takes longer than building the prototype!! lol

[simpo two]

chris watton said:

Thanks for that Simpo I think the train I have to design needs to be exact scale with tons of detail, Not looking forward to it, as my first love is ships. Your website is fantastic, you won't mind if I give out your URL to anyone who may need help? (have added it to my favorites)

Yes, I suspected you might want more detail on the train...!

Given your position in the industry your kind words re website count as 'double word score' - I just did it for fun but lots of people are using it to supplement the AL plans. One guy from Iceland got a kit from a well-known US shop but it had no plans. When he asked them they said it didn't come with any (!). I told him it jolly well did, and to make a fuss. When he quoted my site they rolled over and sent them

Now if only I could make some money out of it - £1 a view would be nice! I think AL should pay me retainer... or maybe Amati would like a banner ad?

[dilbert]

Reeves 2000 - formerly AJ Reeves in Birmingham do drawings and castings for a live steam 4-4-0 locomotive, called "Virginia".

It was designed by a chap called Curly Lawrence at the other end of last century. It's not superdetailed as a model, but the drawingas are detail engineering drawings.

Most people that build them invent their own "details".

Edited to add;
www.ajreeves.com/home.html

>> Edited by dilbert on Tuesday 19th April 21:49

[chris watton]

dilbert said:

Reeves 2000 - formerly AJ Reeves in Birmingham do drawings and castings for a live steam 4-4-0 locomotive, called "Virginia". It was designed by a chap called Curly Lawrence at the other end of last century. It's not superdetailed as a model, but the drawingas are detail engineering drawings. Most people that build them invent their own "details". Edited to add; www.ajreeves.com/home.html >> Edited by dilbert on Tuesday 19th April 21:49

Thank you very much for that , I shall look at that site in closer detail tomorrow.

[chris watton]

simpo two said:

chris watton said: Thanks for that Simpo I think the train I have to design needs to be exact scale with tons of detail, Not looking forward to it, as my first love is ships. Your website is fantastic, you won't mind if I give out your URL to anyone who may need help? (have added it to my favorites) Yes, I suspected you might want more detail on the train...! Given your position in the industry your kind words re website count as 'double word score' - I just did it for fun but lots of people are using it to supplement the AL plans. One guy from Iceland got a kit from a well-known US shop but it had no plans. When he asked them they said it didn't come with any (!). I told him it jolly well did, and to make a fuss. When he quoted my site they rolled over and sent them Now if only I could make some money out of it - £1 a view would be nice! I think AL should pay me retainer... or maybe Amati would like a banner ad?

, It is nice to see all of that positive feedback on your site, and deservedly so too!
This P/H site really is the melting pot for diverse info, with loads of top peeps on it!

[Dibble]

Well thanks a bloody bunch. More time wasted, now split between drooling at nice wathces, and beautiful model boats.

[Piccy mate]

chris watton said:

I wonder if there is anyone in P/H who could point me in the right direction for obtaining any plans for a typical American steam train? I have been asked to design a kit, but I can't find anything on the net at all! Cheers Chris

What scale are you going to work in ?
There's an awful lot of stuff on an American loco that just wouldn't trnsfer to wood.
Anyway here's a link to the current whereabouts of American Loco builders plans
www.steamlocomotive.com/builders/

or you could try the California State railroad museum to see what they have available
www.csrmf.org/contact.asp
However you really need to know what you want and you and be prepared to pay for the service.

Steamcad at
http://steamcad.railfan.net/
2D AutoCad drawings of some of the more famous and well known American steam locomotives
For some of the more intricate detail parts, try
www.grandtline.com/model_railroad/mr_index.htm

or
www.precisionscaleco.com/

Hope this helps
Piccy mate

[mrmaggit]

www.modelworks-int.co.uk used to do a 5" live steam version kit. They are in Daventry. Maybe worth a call?

[yertis]

For some reason building model locomotives out of wood doesn't seem quite right. Don't know why.

[Piccy mate]

My sentiments entirely
Spoken as an owner of 154 Model steam locos!
piccy mate

[yertis]

Piccy mate said:

My sentiments entirely Spoken as an owner of 154 Model steam locos! piccy mate

Crikey. Is that live steam? I've just bought my first brass Scalefour kit and it's put the frighteners on me quite frankly.

[chris watton]

Thanks again guys , very helpful indeed, and I agree that wood isn't the best medium to use, but it's what I've been asked to do, and they paymy invoices, so I can't really argue. Bit of a nightmare though, as I know zilch about trains, and it's gonna be a headache making a kit that is predominantly laser cut wood!
(sacle will be either 24th or 32nd btw )

>> Edited by chris watton on Wednesday 20th April 17:37

[mrmaggit]

No help at all, I know, But I do have access to a full set of original blue-prints to the North British 15F freight loco for South African Railways.

[dilbert]

mrmaggit said:

No help at all, I know, But I do have access to a full set of original blue-prints to the North British 15F freight loco for South African Railways.

Is that the Robert Riddles one? Thats a nice engine.

[mrmaggit]

dilbert said:

mrmaggit said: No help at all, I know, But I do have access to a full set of original blue-prints to the North British 15F freight loco for South African Railways. Is that the Robert Riddles one? Thats a nice engine.

Don't know, I can't remember seeing a name on the blueprints, but then it was a year or two since I last looked at them. My Dad got them years ago when he was planning to build a 1/12 scale model in live steam.