WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread

[Robert Hale]

Is this what #11 will end up looking like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otULlBTIYdk

[Brendan Barry]

#11 is a 2-4-4T and is a copy of the railroads original # 7.

[Mike Fox]

This does not look like the proposed #11, but it would make a nice #12. Do they deliver? Just kidding. Very nice looking locomotive.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Hi Robert,

As Brendan posted, WW&F #11 will resemble the original #7 which was a Baldwin 2-4-4T.   Brecon Mtn Railway's #2 that you posted a photo of is a 4-6-2 built by Baldwin in 1930.  It's a beautiful locomotive, I think it looks like Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #24 which was a 2-6-2.  There are a few parts of the future #11 at Sheepscot.  The pony truck wheels, headlight and bell with bracket (to name a few) are on display.

Stewart

[Robert Hale]

Yeah I could not remember what #11 was going to look like, but I thought you guys would like that pics of the Baldwin. On a side note (power wise), two questions: Did Heisler produce any 24" gauge locomotives and did they ever build that three truck 4-cylinder version? I have all the patent drawings but cannot find much info about them (outside the larger ones).

[Robert Hale]

To answer my own question after doing some more research, a 4cylinder version of the Heilser was never built, and the smallest one built was a 36" 14ton loco. Nothing was built in 24", but I am still trying to find the Heilser catalogs from that time period.

[Wayne Laepple]

While I can't help you with a two-foot gauge Heisler, here's a photo of a sweet two-foot gauge 12-ton Shay.

While there never was a four cylinder Heisler, the British firm Simplex built at least one V-4 steam loco for sugar plantation service in the Pacific. I've seen a photo but can't seem to locate it right now.

[Keith Taylor]

While I can't help you with a two-foot gauge Heisler, here's a photo of a sweet two-foot gauge 12-ton Shay.

While there never was a four cylinder Heisler, the British firm Simplex built at least one V-4 steam loco for sugar plantation service in the Pacific. I've seen a photo but can't seem to locate it right now.

It would be neat if the owner of that little Shay would follow the example set by the owner of Eureka, and brought that engine here to Maine to play!

Keith

[Bernie Perch]

The only Heisler built for 24" gauge was shop number 1336 for the Laguna Corporation at Campeche, Mexico.  It weighed 22 tons and had disc cranks with outside frame trucks.  A rather nifty looking locomotive.  This information is from the Heisler Locomotive book by Ben Kline.

Bernie

[Bill Sample]

Regarding the BMR #2 - maybe there would have been at least one of them here if the FS&K had been built and there was a good passenger market on the Farmington - Wiscasset route.

[John Kokas]

I know this is way ahead of its time, but is there any plans for a replica of #6 (2-6-2) that would be the #12?

[Bernie Perch]

John,

Jason and I briefly discussed this and this is the reason we are making patterns for #11.  Many of these could be used for a replica of #12 but since some are smaller (cranks and cylinders), it would be a slightly less powerful locomotive (unless the pressure was raised from the original).  Something like this could only be considered after #11 was finished.  I figure about 2035 would be a good target date.  The cost at that time would probably be about 2 1/2+ million dollars.  By that time the large passenger consists from our wild popularity and through service from Wiscasset will demand such a locomotive.

Bernie

[John McNamara]

Bernie's mention of 2035 is probably a good one. It is important that the WW&F Railway Museum grow right-of-way, support facilities, customer facilities, rolling stock, and locomotives in a uniform and orderly fashion. Needless to say, financial and manpower resources would have to grow at a similar pace. A fourth steam locomotive would have to fit into that overall growth pattern.

-John

[Robert Hale]

The only Heisler built for 24" gauge was shop number 1336 for the Laguna Corporation at Campeche, Mexico.  It weighed 22 tons and had disc cranks with outside frame trucks.  A rather nifty looking locomotive.  This information is from the Heisler Locomotive book by Ben Kline.

Bernie

Thanks Bernie. I would love to get the drawings for the locomotive and see how they solved the truck gearbox with such a narrow axle.

[Dylan Lambert]

Just thinking out loud at the moment, but how would No. 11 size up against, say, one of the Henschel 0-4-0s at Boothbay?