Newsletter 21 continued
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FMIG Lines Reprints: Newsletter 21 continued |
The gasoline supply problem in Maryland at present is terrible. Should it improve, we plan to take a late July and early August vacation to the Midwest. Sandy's 15 year High School class reunion is the last weekend in July and we hope to make it. We will be in Dixon, MO the week of August 5. I am planning to do something on Tuesday the 7th that I have long wanted to do. That is to hike the old Dixon hill grade. It is about 12 miles, but should be fairly easy walking, except for the snakes. I plan to stay out of their way. I understand that there are still a few concrete bridges remaining from the old route. Should you wish to join me, meet at my dad's home by 10AM and we can arrange to have someone take us to the big cut to start. I do not think starting at Jerome would be interesting as the first leg of the old route was around a big hill and it is now all farmland or grown up into woods. It may also be inspected quite well by auto. We can hike north and make Franks for a stop at Fred's store for a lunch snack. Let me know if you are interested by calling me before we leave or by calling dad (Benny Hughes 314-759-7649). Dad lives at the corner of W. 2nd and N. Walnut just north of the MFA feed plant on the mainline.
I was able to visit with Alan Gagnon last month and see his progress on the 1350 2-8-2 model. It lacks only a tender. The running gear and frame are from a 4200 and superstructure was bashed from a 1306. He reports that the MINNESOTA LIVE STEAMER ASSOCIATION, 2200 First Avenue Southwest, Rochester, MN 55901 has large prints of Frisco steam diagrams for the: 4150-64 2-8-2, 3713 0-6-0, 3741 0-6-0, 624 4-6-0, 763 4-6-0, 670 4-6-0, 1400 4-6-0, 1010 4-6-2, 1500-14 4-8-2, 1520-29 4-8-2, 4400-11 & 12-22 4-8-2, and 4500-14 4-8-4. No prices are quoted but Alan sent $5.00 for one and it covered it. My family and I took a little trip to see several of the Civil War battlefields the first weekend in March. We visited Harper's Ferry, Antietam, and Gettysburg. That was a tough period to live in. All the battles were very bloody and many lives were lost. While in Gettysburg, I spent about an hour in the eastern "Mecca", or Gilbert's hobby shop. It is the best? stocked hobby shop I have ever seen. I looked at one of the Hall k MoPac 2-8-O's ($135.00) while there. Many of you are using it 1266-1280 and 1293-1305 class Frisco Consolidations. Others, including myself, are considering the little Roundhouse Harriman Consolidation (Kit # 465 or 466) for this locomotive. Which is best? I'll let each of you vote. The Roundhouse might be cheaper, but it will require a lot of brass castings added to it to make it presentable. I feel that I Roy have close to $100 in mine by the time I get Kemtron cylinders, draft gear, reverse, tanks, pumps, etc. The MoPac tender is very close to the coal version tenders on the Frisco. Each Frisco engine was different and was changed over the years. The same engine was sometimes oil burning and sometimes coal. Pick a time period and get photos. The Roundhouse tender is too long, but otherwise similar to the oil burner tenders on these units. The Hallmark domes are wrong but Roundhouse is correct. The Hallmark valve gear may not be Walschaerts, I am not an expert and couldn't tell. The prototype MoPac engines were the feature of an October 1974 MODEL RAILROADER Article. The following table is to help you with your choice.
PARAMETER
HALLMARK MOPAC
SL-SF 1266-
ROUNDHOUSE Harriman
2-8-0 10/74 MR
1280, 1293-1305
2-8-0 Kit # 465 or 466
Builder
(1910 era)
1-100, 161-167 BLW
BLW
BLW
Lead wheel Diameter
33”
33"
33"
Driver Diameter
63"
63"
66"
Wheel Spacings
104-66-70 1/4-66"
108-68-68-68"
98-73 1/2-73 1/2-73 1/2"
Cab Height Above Rail
15’ 0"
15’ 8"
14’ 5"
Cab Length
7' 9”
7' 6”
7’ 8"
Cab Roof Length
11’ 9”
11’ 4"
11’ 0”
Cab Width
10’ 5"
9” 11’
10’ 0”
Cylinders
22X30"
26X30"
(All Wrong!)
Air Pumps
1 NY
2 NY
1 Unknown
Stack Height Above Rail
15’ 8”
15’ 11"
16’ 4"
Total Length Pulling Fc.
68’ 11 1/2'”
71’ 0”
76’ 2”
Engine Length
39’ 11 1/2"
42’ 7"
41’ 9"
Tender Length
29’
28’ 5"
34’ 5”
Smokebox Diameter
76”
75"
77"
Smokebox Length
64"
69"
70”
First Course Diameter
77"
77”
77"
First Course Length
70"
58 1/2"
54"
Transition Course Lgth
54”
58 1/2"
61”
Third Course Diameter
88"
86"
90”
Third Course Length
66"
69"
61”
Tender Body Length
24’ 10"
27’ 5”
29’ 11"
Tender Wheel Base
5’ 6"
6’
5’ 4"
Tender Bolster Spacing
16’ 0"
16’ 0”
17’ 1 1/2"
To me, they
both have definite possibilities!
Please send comments to station master: Conductor .
Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 FMIG. All rights reserved. Revised January 10, 2004