I have started a new project. this will be a live steam model of the S.D. Warren Paper Company mill engine built by Baldwin in 1896ish

This engine served up to the '50s at the mill in Westbrook Maine when it was sold to a new Jersey amusement park operator who wanted to gas power it and its sister. I dont think that actually happened completely but the engine was then purchased by the founder of the Boothbay Railway Village Museum and served as a roadside advertisement for the museum at its gate for many years. a few years ago some of the guys wondered if it could be restored. turns out it could and has been now. this is a tiny engine even by Two Foot gauge standards.

Here it is sharing a trailer with Monson Railroad #3 which served at Edaville and Portland for many years and is currently at the WW&F in Alna Maine. you can see how little the S.D.Warren engine is.

If I build this engine to fit G-gauge track that we all use it will need a scale of 7/8" to the foot. the track we use measures 1-3/4" and the prototype is a two foot gauge engine. the proportion is 1:13.7 which seems an odd number but we all are used to that!

I spent some time with a tape measure and drew up plans for the engine in AutoCAD full size then scaled it to model size.

This turns out to be similar in size to Accucraft’s Emma and a decent model of it could be made by kitbashing Emma. However a freind of mine who is a wiz at CNC machining is excited about building it from scratch so that is what we will do. we plan one each.

I Got the job of the boiler and details, Ron will work on the steam and running gear. I took my 2-D drawing of the engine and worked up boiler drawings

Cool engine and project.

So the kit will be available when? And at what M.S.R.P.?

Just kidding. I wish I had the skill and know how to scratch-build a live steamer. This will be an interesting thread to watch.

I have been making my own kit…sort of. I sent the 2-D drawings I made to “Big Blue Saw” https://www.bigbluesaw.com and had them cut two copies from 1/16"copper. Big blue saw is a company which does custom waterjet cutting of nearly any material and you can download DXF or DWG drawing files for an estimate and cutting. the parts for one boiler were about $120 which is a bit but saves lots of work.

the boiler will be fabricated from those parts. I did a 3-D model of it in Fusion 360 which is a professional 3-d design program available for free to hobbyists.

I have started work on the actual boiler. the boiler barrel is cut flat and needs to be rolled. I decided to try a “puzzle Joint” on the seam rather than make a doubler for a butt seam. this should be pretty darned strong when silver soldered and is self aligning.

here I try fitting the two boiler shells together to check the puzzle joint. they needed a little touch with a needle file for an easy fit.

I annealed the copper by heating it with a torch then started the rolling by passing it through my 12" Grizzly slip roll. final rolling and fitting of the puzzle joint was done using a rubber mallet, a ball peen hammer, a fitted dowel and a steel rod “anvil”

Interesting.

Eric,

very nice work. this engine is so tiny in real life, so I hope it will be a good functioning live steamer for you.

I will have to talk to you about you CNC machinist friend down the road. I have a project I am trying to move forward soon.

Al P.

Hey Al, the prototype is tiny, the model is actually decent size, bigger than a Ruby by a good bit.

My frind Ron is a guy who really enjoys setting up CNC machines, the stepping motors and controllers, he helped me set up the little machine i use and has a line on a better one for a good price. He knows the guys who design and sell the machines that serious hobbiests enjoy.