While I’m working on my Freedom Class 0-4-0 switcher, I am starting the development of my primary goal: a model of Arcade & Attica No.18:
NERAIL North American Railroad Photo Archive said:
Stack Talk & Whistle-blowing… What Music! 300-plus tons in tow, Arcade & Attica No.18 thunders up the Cattaragus Creek Valley on Sunday Aug 21st. Having just left the Arcade Station only a fewminutes before, the Engineer has the throttle opened wide allowing 18 a chance to stretch her rods; taking advantage of the trackwork that has been done over the few years. With her whistle blowing and exhaust steam thundering up the stack, No18 easily hauls her 4-coach-plus-gon train up the grade as she crosses the old Prosill crossing in Arcade Center. Photographed by J.D. Gallaway, August 21, 2011. .
Having spent 5 years of my life working for the road, I’m kinda partial to it. Here is my problem: drivers. My original plan had been to use Big Hauler/Annie drivers to build my model. However, the more I think about it, the less impressed I am with how I envision the resulting drive chassis. As you can see, Alco No.18 uses a 50inch driver of a specific pattern, which was shared with several classes of engines: moguls, prarries, consols, even a couple small mikes:
NERAIL North American Railroad Photo Archive said:
Heading back to the barn Just after a mother took her son’s picture, Engineer Mapes dropped the johnson bar back and released the brakes. Easily, the engine began rolling back into the A&A’s enginehouse territory. Less than an hour later, the fire would be banked, the stack capped and the engine secured for the night. Photographed by J.D. Gallaway, July 23, 2010. .
Though the drivers still aren’t right, I’m now thinking of using LGB mogul drivers to build the chassis and styrene overlays to make the counterweights appear more accurate. The only other option I can come up with is the Aristo Mike/Mallet brick, which I’m warry about because of the well-known driver issue. Once this model is built, its going to be a prime engine on my road, not a shelf queen. Does anyone have ANY ideas on what I could use to build a 4-axle chassis for a VERY light standard gauge consolidation (90tons with loaded tender)? Thanks for any thoughts. -J.D.
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