More fascinating World War I two footers

[Wayne Laepple]

This came to me from one of my Puffing Billy friends in Australia:

http://www.ecpad.fr/les-petits-trains-de-la-grande-guerre-2

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Thanks for the link Wayne,

I like the MU'd locomotiveshorses, the turntables and the off loading of an engine by hand.  Interesting trench views and logging scenes too.  Good stuff.

[Ira Schreiber]

Did you also notice the Fairlies?

[Ed Lecuyer]

Did you also notice the Fairlies?

Yes, they were fairlie obvious.
(ducks)

[Dylan Lambert]

Did you also notice the Fairlies?

Yes, they were fairlie obvious.
(ducks)

No, you're on the right track Ed. I did a little digging, and it appears that Baldwin of all companies supplied some of the French fairlies. Scroll down to the French section of the page. Now, shouldn't I be ducking for trusting Wikipedia  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trench_railways
*edit: Should I facepalm myself now or later?

[Ira Schreiber]

I have the book on the 60cm railways of France and there is no mention of Baldwin building any Fairlies. Could that be urban rumor?
Ira Schreiber

[Wayne Laepple]

I don't see anything on the Fairlies that looks remotely like Baldwin practice of the period. There was one 0-4-0T shown that might have been a Baldwin, though I suspect Vulcan or Porter instead.

[Wayne Laepple]

Well, I learn something new every day. Bernie Perch tells me that Baldwin did indeed build 200 Fairlies to French specifications. According to Bernie's note, additional engines were built in Britain, and the only way one could tell which was which was by the builder's plate. Thanks to Bernie for correcting my error.

[Bernie Perch]

There is an article in the Nov/Dec 1991 issue of the Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette on these locomotives.

Bernie

[Ira Schreiber]

I learned something, too.
Never say they never did !!

[Mike Fox]

Need a little turntable like the one shown to spin those 4 wheel cars.

[Brett Goertemoeller]

The systems used in WWI are an amasing thing.  Only one section of the 2' is left.  It's intact and in operation.  If any of you get to Europe, I would recomend a ride.  So much fun.

Anyone who is really interested in this time should get hold of "Narrow Gauge to No Mans Land".   It has drawings and great ideas.  I also have the drawings for these flat cars, tank cars, and box cars.  I was able to get them coppied, and would love to build one some day.  Would be awsome to have a train like this in Alna.  The 14th Engineers was made up of all New England railroaders.  My Avitar is the combat patch off of an orriginal 14th uniform.  Part of the American 2' history that would be amazing to bring back.

[James Patten]

The snow scene struck me as very Maine-like.

[Bernie Perch]

Another good book on the subject is:Two-Foot Rails to the Front by Charles S. Small published by Railroad Monographs, 1982.  This soft bound book has all sorts of narrow gauge railroad equipment both steam and internal combustion and cars from both sides.  According to the author, Baldwin built 279 of the double-enders and 32 0-6-0Ts of standard design beside the 2-6-2Ts built for the US Army.  There are many other locomotives shown including the Alco 2-6-2Ts (which appear to be slightly larger than the Baldwins (and other builders who made this type) and a Decauville 0-6-6-0.  Also shown are the German 0-8-0Ts among other locomotives.  Included also in the book are many railroad operation scenes and a section on survivors at the time the book was written.

Bernie

[Brett Goertemoeller]

Something interesting to note, is that there is more CP (Central Powers) equipment here in the US than Allied equipment.  Almost none of it is left here.  We (the 14th Engineers) looked high and low for equipment, and came to the nasty reality that we would have to build all the equipment from scratch.  Kinda put a cramp in starting the unit.