Pete, I was just showing the wheel, using a pic from my FS.
This pic shows the planks on top of the log;
Closer?
My understanding is that after the log roads, they tried squared off timbers, with squared wheels, like these:
Note the switch!
Neither took the weight of a steel locomotive very well. The Gravity Railroads in PA used those wooden rails for a while, as they had inclines and stationary engines. The Stourbridge Lion (first steam engine to run in the USofA) ran on them when tested in Hawley. It demolished them, which sidelined steam traction for a while!
In the UK they tried laying strap steel on top of the wood, but the pressure of the weight made the ends curl up with disastrous results.
I see horses, but no loco. That’s probably why I skipped this phase …
Is that a rail line beside the all wood lumber operation? What ran there?
Snake heads were too common here as well. Strap iron did penetrate the car floor and kill too many folks before it was outlawed.
I’d be willing to bet that your operation is an exception rather than what many tried.
I get the feeling that operation might be Amish.
John,
Captions for the two pictures I posted. “Above” is the first, “Right” is the second.
Pete, I don’t claim to be an expert, my only connection is a long lost great Aunt married a Weyerhaeuser. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Nice finds.
Nice finds
So was that video! Loved the spikes on the truck’s drive axle.
Couple more 'beauts from NZ.
I love this one…
They posed for the photo so it clearly must have worked ?
Yeah, but from the size of those gears and wheels, very slowly! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Looks to me like they did their best to adapt a steam tractor. Seems like that happened elsewhere…
Hey, I gotta book title idea: “Frick This!” (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
The front chain is part of the PTO on the other side. It probably traveled from wood pile to wood pile with a traveling saw mill.
Looks to me like they did their best to adapt a steam tractor. Seems like that happened elsewhere…
Yep, here for example:
http://pickeringbrookheritagegroup.com/sawmills7.html
Nice, Pete. Very cool how they re-purposed those RR drive wheels, maybe pilot truck wheels as well. They were pimpin their ride for sure!
I wish that both pics were from the other side, then we’d see how the first stage power transmission was happening.
Well, I can’t post a pic taken from the other side, but may be able to shed some dim light on the mess…
Evening gents,
Long time lurker, first post – please be gentle… (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Pic above is of the first steam loco of the Charming Creek tramway, taken circa 1917 – replaced ‘real’ horsepower when a railway was finally constructed to get the timber out of the hills down to the mainline. Cheap was the name of the game here.
The caption for this photo in my book on Charming Creek is:
“In a classic example of pioneer engineering, Bob Watson commissioned the building of this bespoke steam lokey. Converted from a Ruston & Proctor portable boiler, the boiler was mounted between two wooden baulks that formed outer stringers of the main frame. Sand boxes were fitted outboard of the frames, a rudimentary cab was built of timber and corrugated iron, and two wooden barrels carries the boiler feed-water.
A horizontally mounted single-cylinder engine powered a sprocket that was linked by a chain on the opposite side to a lay-shaft and sprocket, which in turn powered two more sets of chains, and shafts to two sets of chains powering the bogie sprockets through a tensioning device. Transmitting drive through this power train, especially through the bogies as they swivelled around curves would have been an engineering and maintenance challenge.
Pretty sure the guy meant nightmare.
For posterity:
Posing for the portrait, from the left is Murdoch McDonald, with Otto Levy and Mick White in the cab, and Bob Watson leaning on the front headstock, c. 1917
Photographer unknown, Bill Pierson collection”
Bob was the railway owner, and Murdoch was most likely responsible for dreaming up and building it. Loco worked for 6 years, incl a replacement boiler.
Cheers
Neil
Pic above is of the first steam loco of the Charming Creek tramway, taken circa 1917
Neil, I assume you are referring to the pic above the one I posted.
Yes, that’s right Pete.
I tried to add the pic to the post but my standard incantations didn’t work - I’ll put that down to late night and tired brain… Need to read the pic posting thread again.
Cheers
Neil
Good to see ya “over here,” Neil!
Welcome Neil !
Neil Wiggins said:
Well, I can’t post a pic taken from the other side, but may be able to shed some dim light on the mess…
Evening gents,
Long time lurker, first post – please be gentle… (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Pic above is of the first steam loco of the Charming Creek tramway, taken circa 1917 – replaced ‘real’ horsepower when a railway was finally constructed to get the timber out of the hills down to the mainline. Cheap was the name of the game here.
The caption for this photo in my book on Charming Creek is:
“In a classic example of pioneer engineering, Bob Watson commissioned the building of this bespoke steam lokey. Converted from a Ruston & Proctor portable boiler, the boiler was mounted between two wooden baulks that formed outer stringers of the main frame. Sand boxes were fitted outboard of the frames, a rudimentary cab was built of timber and corrugated iron, and two wooden barrels carries the boiler feed-water.
A horizontally mounted single-cylinder engine powered a sprocket that was linked by a chain on the opposite side to a lay-shaft and sprocket, which in turn powered two more sets of chains, and shafts to two sets of chains powering the bogie sprockets through a tensioning device. Transmitting drive through this power train, especially through the bogies as they swivelled around curves would have been an engineering and maintenance challenge.
Pretty sure the guy meant nightmare.
For posterity:
Posing for the portrait, from the left is Murdoch McDonald, with Otto Levy and Mick White in the cab, and Bob Watson leaning on the front headstock, c. 1917
Photographer unknown, Bill Pierson collection”
Bob was the railway owner, and Murdoch was most likely responsible for dreaming up and building it. Loco worked for 6 years, incl a replacement boiler.
Cheers
Neil
Thank you Neil !
You’re welcome Rooster.
Thanks Cliff, been lurking since the Photo Fiasco trashed all my build threads ‘over there’. All going well I should start layout building this summer (downunder time), so hope to post a bit more…
Just realised Murdoch’s been cropped from your pic, he’s standing just to the left of the loco. Maybe too shy to come forward and be named as the builder! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Prolly should have done an intro somewhere before I hopped on your thread. Ah well…
Cheers
N