Porter Replica No.7 Ginger

[Dillon rail enthusiast Trinh]

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.

It could be JNR steam?

[Roger Cole]

Pretty sure that was JNR steam.  A railfan friend and I had spent a week in Japan earlier that year photographing the rail networks there.  This shot was taken during a snowstorm at Ishikawacho Station as best I remember from 51 years ago.  It's hard to see but a worker is filling a switchpot to ensure the switch doesn't freeze up.

[James Temple]

Is that a version of Hackworth valve gear, perhaps?

Nailed it, John. The link Dillon provided specifically states the valve gear is Hackworth (and the pictures prove it).

I'm not aware of Hackworth being used on any locos built in the U.S., and I have no evidence Porter ever used it. I understand it's easier to machine than Stephenson link, making it an attractive option for modern builders. That page also has a link to the Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad, suggesting this build was inspired by their three-foot-gauge #1.