Porter Replica No.7 Ginger

[Dillon rail enthusiast Trinh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98gvbQyVr54&t=8s

Here's footage of the 2018 built locomotive by RASS, located at Narita Dream Farm in Narita Chiba Prefecture Japan. My favorite steam locomotive, hope you guys visit Japan next year to see this in operation.

[John McNamara]

I have been to Japan three times in the last decade (2012, 2016, 2018) and would love to go again. I was hoping for 2021, but that may be the year of the delayed Tokyo Olympics, which would be too busy.

[Dillon rail enthusiast Trinh]

If you visit Japan again in the near future, make sure you visited Narita Dream Farm line.

I have been to Japan three times in the last decade (2012, 2016, 2018) and would love to go again. I was hoping for 2021, but that may be the year of the delayed Tokyo Olympics, which would be too busy.

[James Temple]

Now that's a neat little kettle. Eccentrics on the front axle, I notice, and it appears to have a historic coach to pull.

If you look at "Ann Marie," an original Porter running over here in the states, you can see where the builder judiciously scaled things down to arrive at a unit that fit their purposes (and, presumably, budget): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpTl7mlkn9I

[Dillon rail enthusiast Trinh]

Now that's a neat little kettle. Eccentrics on the front axle, I notice, and it appears to have a historic coach to pull.

If you look at "Ann Marie," an original Porter running over here in the states, you can see where the builder judiciously scaled things down to arrive at a unit that fit their purposes (and, presumably, budget): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpTl7mlkn9I

Doesn't all steam locomotives have Eccentrics?

[Benjamin Richards]

Doesn't all steam locomotives have Eccentrics?

Yes, but I think the emphasis was "on the front axle". I'm not sure whether that's especially uncommon, but it does seem like there's a lot of mechanism jammed in that small space.

EDIT: In this case it also appears the firebox would preclude any inside valve gear on the rear axle, which may have forced their hand.

[Dillon rail enthusiast Trinh]

Doesn't all steam locomotives have Eccentrics?

Yes, but I think the emphasis was "on the front axle". I'm not sure whether that's especially uncommon, but it does seem like there's a lot of mechanism jammed in that small space.

EDIT: In this case it also appears the firebox would preclude any inside valve gear on the rear axle, which may have forced their hand.

The locomotive was built differently then traditionally, she was a replica of a 3'6 gauge porter that used to operate in Japan back then.
I forgot to post this, but here's a link of a picture diary of the construction, the locomotive cost 40 million yen to built:
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~makibalg/porter_001.html

[John McNamara]

40 million yen is about $386,000 at today's conversion rate.

[Dillon rail enthusiast Trinh]

40 million yen is about $386,000 at today's conversion rate.

Pretty much.

[Philip Marshall]

40 million yen is about $386,000 at today's conversion rate.

Which sounds roughly equivalent to the £300,000 price tag I remember seeing advertised maybe 7 or 8 years ago for a new-build replica two-foot gauge Hunslet 0-4-0T, I believe by some associates of the Statfold Barn Railway in the UK. (I've always wondered how many they actually sold, if any.)

[Dillon rail enthusiast Trinh]

40 million yen is about $386,000 at today's conversion rate.

Which sounds roughly equivalent to the £300,000 price tag I remember seeing advertised maybe 7 or 8 years ago for a new-build replica two-foot gauge Hunslet 0-4-0T, I believe by some associates of the Statfold Barn Railway in the UK. (I've always wondered how many they actually sold, if any.)

350k is not a bad price for a two foot gauge 0-4-0t.

[James Temple]

I've very rarely seen locomotives whose eccentrics (or whatever mechanism drives the valve gear) aren't mounted on the same axle as the main rod. I always assumed that was to avoid a possible 'accretion of error' situation potentially caused by brasses needing adjustment, loose driver boxes, that sort of thing.

As Benjamin points out, it's quite possible they're following the original Porter practice, and for the same reasons. I've never had the chance to examine one of those wonderful little 8-tonners in person and find out.

[John Scott]

Is that a version of Hackworth valve gear, perhaps?

[Dillon rail enthusiast Trinh]

I've very rarely seen locomotives whose eccentrics (or whatever mechanism drives the valve gear) aren't mounted on the same axle as the main rod. I always assumed that was to avoid a possible 'accretion of error' situation potentially caused by brasses needing adjustment, loose driver boxes, that sort of thing.

As Benjamin points out, it's quite possible they're following the original Porter practice, and for the same reasons. I've never had the chance to examine one of those wonderful little 8-tonners in person and find out.

http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~makibalg/porter_001.html
Here's the picture diary of the construction, this might answer your question, you don't need to understand Japanese, but the photos are nice.

[Roger Cole]

Back in 1969, my Navy enlistment was coming to an end and I was being sent stateside from the Island of Guam.  Our plane stopped in Japan for refueling & dropping off/picking up more military folks.  Just after takeoff, I looked out the window and took this shot, the last I'd ever see of Japan.