Large Scale Central

Baldwin locomotive Olomana delivered by Baldwin locomotive Co. t

General Discussion
#1

Hi guys:

Here is an historic photo of a Baldwin locomotive Olomana model type as delivered by the Baldwin locomotive Co. truck !

http://www.finescalerr.com/smf/index.php?topic=1527.0

Chain drive for the truck rear axle.

Gas tank fully exposed at the rear ! Although, at that time the majority of street vehicles were still horse and buggy.

As well, there does not seem to be that much protection for the driver if a mishap occured and the locomotive moved forward from its bed mounting.

Amazing that enough of humanity survived to reproduce!

Read all four pages. Absolutely amazing model building.

Norman

#2

Norman, kinda getting off topic (i.e. Olomana and that neat chain-drive truck), this subject just has so many interesting connections. For example, your link to finescale introduces us to some heavy-duty modelers such as Chuck Doan, whose work goes way beyond what many of us could ever imagine or master. Their stuff appears in Russ Reinberg’s “Finescale Modeler” magazines. About Olomana: according to a link I found, the name means “The big noise” in Hawaiian and states that the loco was brought to the mainland from Oahu (where Honolulu is) by Gerald Best, author of many books on narrow gauge railroads including “The Pacific Coast Railway” and “The Railroads of Hawaii.” Best, Ward Kimball (a Disney mover and shaker) and Walt himself, were all steam engine geeks, as was a guy named Bob Day, who had a number of tank engines like Olomana running around in his backyard (hah, we should all have such a backyard!) around Bel Air, California. Unfortunately, the big wildfire of the 60s??? seriously messed up those engines, which may be the ones currently on display at the burgeoning sugar cane museum in Lahaina, Maui. I posted a few pictures of them some time ago and will dig 'em up and repost them, if anyone cares. Personally, I find history and research fascinating. You always learn that sooner or later, there’s always that “six degrees of separation.” Now go build that truck!

#3

I’m still trying to figure out the make of that truck. It might be a teens era White

(http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/bullnoze/white/white_circa_1915.jpg)

#4

Not to pick nits or anything, but the loco he modeled is actually much smaller than the Olomana, although it is certainly very similar in general appearance. It’s a two-foot gauge, 0-4-0 contractor’s loco, and weighed only 11,700 pounds. It had 5"x10" cylinders, and 20" wheels.

The Olomana was a three-foot gauge 0-4-2 weighing 18,000 pounds, with 7"x10" cylinders, 24" wheels, and was 25 feet long. This little loco is less than half that long.

#5

I have a photo someplace… Edaville used to take #3 or #4 in the local parade on a flatbed … sometimes steamed up so they could blow the whistle. Also, when they moved north, the story is they used the same chain drive trucks they’d used fifty years earlier to bring the engines in to take them to Maine.

Matthew (OV)

http://metroworld.com/bigtoys/rail/edaville/

#6

Olomana: In English, of course, not so very long ago, to be ‘a big noise’ was an expression akin to ‘a big cheese’, meaning someone in a position of superiority.

The origin of the name Olomano seems obscure; the one Joe offers us is at least as likely as the others, perhaps more so.

For there are several theories. Olomana is a mountain visible from where the loco ran, and there’s little doubt she was named for the mountain. But whether the mountain’s name is of native origin, meaning 'big noise, or ‘thunder’, well, that’s the difficulty… but it does seem likely. However, others have said that the mountain’s name is actually a latterday native corruption of the English ‘Old Man’, as in, perhaps, ‘Old man of the mountain’, thus the loco would have inherited, of all things, a masculine moniker.

Then again, maybe English speakers took the native word Olomana and corrupted it to ‘Old Man’…

Now I’m really confused… :frowning:

How’re YOU doin’? :rolleyes:

#7

Well, talk about 6 degrees. The name Joe mentions, Bob May, I believe is the current owner of Hawaii RR #5 which now lives near me on long term loan to the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association where it operates on a very short 3 foot gauge track. I’m guessing this is the same Mr. May due to the connection with Hawaiian railroads. I had a chance to converse with him several years ago when helping to document #5 for a modeling project over on another site (not MLS, I don’t remember the site name). I can no longer get to my picture store form work, so here is an image of #5 borrowed from NE Rail…

(http://imagestorage.nerail.org/photos/2007/04/06/2007040610192116098.jpg)

#8

That picture proves there’s a prototype for everything. Even plastic cabooses. :stuck_out_tongue:

#9

Ray Dunakin said:
… The Olomana was a three-foot gauge 0-4-2 weighing 18,000 pounds, with 7"x10" cylinders, 24" wheels, and was 25 feet long. This little loco is less than half that long.

Ray, you REALLY, REALLY may want to recheck your source. I was UNDER Olomana a few years ago (taking photos). If those wheels are 24" and she’s 25 feet long, I’m a monkey. Unless Mr Best was 8 feet tall…

(http://www.ironhorse129.com/projects/engines/Olomana/Images/Olomana.jpg)

#10

Ah, thanks. I thought that length seemed wrong.

#11
Jon Radder said:
Well, talk about 6 degrees. The name Joe mentions, Bob May, I believe is the current owner of Hawaii RR #5 which now lives near me on long term loan to the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association where it operates on a very short 3 foot gauge track. I'm guessing this is the same Mr. May due to the connection with Hawaiian railroads. I had a chance to converse with him several years ago when helping to document #5 for a modeling project over on another site (not MLS, I don't remember the site name).

I can no longer get to my picture store form work, so here is an image of #5 borrowed from NE Rail…


The owner of Hawaii #5 is Dr. Richard May. The CAMA acquired two D&RGW gondolas from the Sundown and Southern collection in Lupton, CO to pull behind it. Until your photo there, I didn’t know they had a caboose too :slight_smile:

Bob Day owned two 30" gauge locos which have since returned to Hawaii. The story of them under his ownership can be found here:

http://www.southerncalifornialivesteamers.com/show_tip.asp?ID=23

#12

Jon, I said, Bob Day, not May. I think your computer musta hiccuped. Robbie, the link you posted is where I got my information, I think (it’s in my Favorite Places bin). See, now if these guys like Day and May had long Polish names, there wouldn’t be all this confusion. :slight_smile:

#13

Ya know, there’s another one of them restored Hawaiian locos living in Coto de Caza, California (next to Irvine). A story on it appeared in Finescale some years ago. My best friend lives in Coto and is a buddy of the somewhat reclusive owner, who apparently keeps the loco in an enginehouse built into a faux mountain. This is so the neighbors, who include developer General Lyons (retired), don’t complain too much, which is what happens when the loco’s owner fires 'er up and runs her around a bit. Sigh…

#14

Robbie - Thanks for the correction. my foggy memory got it wrong again. At least I had the last name right :slight_smile: They have been working on that caboose for quite a few years. It is a Billmeyer and Small built n York, PA and originally ran on the Tionesta Valley Railway. When CAMA rescued it from Pennsylvania there wasn’t much left. Here are some photos of it dis-assembled in their shop and at various stages in the restoration. The frame is all new and last I knew it was still on shop trucks. 2003

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post3/TV111-0903-1.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post3/TV111-0903-2.jpg)

2004

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post3/TV111-0904-1.jpg)

2005

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post3/TV111-0905-1.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post3/TV111-0905-2.jpg)

2006

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post3/TV111-0906-1.jpg)