Conventional wisdom holds that 4-8-2s SLSF 4411-4422, utilized Baldwin’s web-spoked wheel centers. This is stated on page 178 in Joe Collias’s book Frisco Power and on page 57 of Lloyd Stagner’s book Steam Locomotives of the Frisco. In a March 1989 Trains magazine article, page 35, Stagner changes his facts slightly and states that engines SLSF 4412-4422 received the Baldwin web-spokes The constraints of war-time needs are cited as the reason the Frisco shifted to the web-spoke wheels. Photographic evidence suggests that this was not so cut and dried. Within Collias’s book there is one example that contradicts conventional wisdom. On page 194, a picture of 4-8-2 SLSF 4411, in passenger livery, is on the point of number 9. The date is August 1943. The locomotive sports Scullin disc drivers. In Stagner’s book, Steam Locomotives of the Frisco there are two examples where the conventional wisdom falls down. Page 58, SLSF 4411 with Scullin disc drivers rests at Kansas City on June 27, 1948. Page 67, SLSF 4414 with Scullin discs drivers, handles third No 34 on September 3, 1944. In Stagner’s Frisco Steam Finale engine SLSF 4413 with Scullin Discs is at Kansas City on June 1, 1947. Locomotive SLSF 4414 also appears in Stagner’s Trains magazine article, and sports Scullin discs. The caption misidentifies those drivers as web-spoke. The photograph is undated. I can find no other examples in the published works the show Scullin disc drivers on anything above the SLSF 4414. The Frisco dot Org website contains two examples of 4400s, which seemingly break with conventional wisdom. 4-8-2 SLSF 4410 with Scullin disc drivers. http://www.frisco.org/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=2043&d=1131748867 That is not a problem is it? See page 75 of Steam Locomotives of the Frisco. Number SLSF 4410 with web-spoke drivers wheels on number 6 at Valley Park during October 1949. Did she swap drivers with another 4400? 4-8-2 SLSF 4414 with Scullin disc drivers. http://www.frisco.org/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=2044&d=1131748867 Were the web-spoke drivers replaced on an ad hoc basis as the locomotives came due for servicing? Did the web-spoke drivers fail to meet the Frisco’s needs? Does anyone have other photographs or theories?
Good catch, Karl. Perhaps we can chalk up another one for the Arbitrary Whims Division at West Springfield. I will be curious to hear more information or theories. All I could add would be complete conjecture. The visual person in me sure likes the Scullin discs better. I assume that if the New York central (NYC) used them they have been pre-cast in HO. By the way, how does one go about modeling these? Thoughts Don or others? Now Karl has me curious. I have noticed the 2-10-0 Russians are inconsistent in their placement of the air compressors, post to follow.
I have done two of the Toby/PFM 1500s with the Scullin main drivers and used Bowser drivers. It is kind of involved as the Bowser axles are 1/8". I had to remove a driver anyway to put an idler gearbox on it and while doing so made some new bearings to match the frame openings of the model and bored them out to 1/8". I also had to make counterweights. It was worth it, and if I had a spare Overland Models, Inc. (OMI) 4422 main driver, I may put it under another 4-8-2 1500.
Over on the Springfield-Greene County website, 4-8-2 SLSF 4418 has a Scullin Disc main driver. http://198.209.8.207/lochist/frisco/friscoline/images/photos/p00926.jpg Perhaps the web-spoke drivers did not live up to expectations. Chris, The placement of air compressors on the Bolsheviks has piqued my curiosity as well. Thus far, I have been unable to explain why some had compressors mounted on the pilot deck. I was in Kansas City during the first part April which allowed me the opportunity to measure the frame on which the compressor was mounted on 2-10-0 SLSF 1632. I have made a digital drawing, and plan to modify my PFM 2-10-0 to look like the SLSF 1632.
