I started making locomotive charts back in the early 1990's. My father, who worked in the Railway Sales Division of Texaco for over 30 years, acquired an original Texaco Locomotive Chart in the 1980's and tried to find a way to reproduce it to sell copies of it. Unfortunately, the only method available to make copies was photography, which was too expensive. At the time I got involved, hand scanners were the newest computer gadget available. I did some research and found this approach was not feasible. I also found a company that could scan a drawing and convert the scan into a vector map CAD file. I had the chart scanned and spent the next 16 months redrawing the scan in AutoCad on my little 286 clone. After the drawing was done, I spent another few months adding the parts list and part numbers to the drawing. I took the finished chart to toy train shows and everyone thought it was great, but most asked "Do you have one of the Big Boy?" Not knowing what the Big Boy was at the time, I went home and did some research.

While at one of the trains shows, I found a vendor who was selling Train Shed Cyclopedias. He had one with a vintage article and drawings of the Big Boy. I had the drawings scanned and on my 486 clone, it took me three months to create the chart. The Big Boy chart was very popular and for a while, I even supplied copies to some museums that had Big Boys in their inventory.

Today, I can create a chart in about 4 to 5 weeks, depending how motivated I am. I have charts of 22 different locomotives, so far, and I have about 30 more waiting to be done. Train Shed Cyclopedias are my main source for locomotives, though I do find material from other sources. I recently found a Baldwin Locomotive Works Chart of a 4-8-2 locomotive on a website called Kansas Memory. They have an extensive collection of AT&SF pictures and drawings. I am currently waiting to hear from the Pa. State Archives on what drawings they have of several locomotives (electric and steam) from the PRR. There are many sources for material, but they can be hard to find.

You can see all of my charts at http://www.etsy.com/shop/LocomotiveCharts.

John Evans

Current chart list:

AT&SF “Texas” 2-10-4 Locomotive Chart
C&O “Allegheny” 2-6-6-6 Locomotive Chart
C&O “Allegheny” #1601 2-6-6-6 Locomotive/Tender Chart
C&O “Allegheny” #1604 2-6-6-6 Locomotive/Tender Chart
DM&IR “Yellowstone” 2-8-8-4 Locomotive Chart
DM&IR “Yellowstone” #225 2-8-8-4 Locomotive/Tender Chart
DM&IR “Yellowstone” #227 2-8-8-4 Locomotive/Tender Chart
DM&IR “Yellowstone” #229 2-8-8-4 Locomotive/Tender Chart
Lima Locomotive Works 150 Ton Shay Locomotive Chart
NYC “Hudson” 4-6-4 Locomotive Chart
NYC “Mohawk” Class L-3a 4-8-2 Locomotive Chart
NYC “Mohawk” #3001 4-8-2 Locomotive/Tender Chart
NYC&StL “Berkshire” 2-8-4 Locomotive Chart
N&W “Mountain” 4-8-4 Locomotive Chart
PRR “DD-1” 2-B+B-2 Electric Locomotive Chart
PRR “GG-1” 2-C+C-2 Electric Locomotive Chart
SP “AC-9” 2-8-8-4 Locomotive Chart
SP “AC-9” #3800 2-8-8-4 Locomotive/Tender Chart
SP “Cab-Forward” 4-8-8-2 Locomotive Chart
SP “Cab-Forward” #4294 4-8-8-2 Locomotive/Tender Chart
SP “SP-1” 4-10-2 3-Cylinder Locomotive Chart
SP “Daylight Express” GS-2 4-8-4 Locomotive Chart
SP “Daylight Express” GS-4 4-8-4 Locomotive Chart
SP “Daylight #4449” GS-4 4-8-4 Locomotive/Tender Chart
Texaco Lubrication Chart of a NYC “Hudson” 4-6-4 Locomotive
T&P “Mountain” 4-8-2 Locomotive Chart
T&P “Texas” 2-10-4 Locomotive Chart
UP “Northern FEF-3” 4-8-4 Locomotive Chart
UP “Northern #844” 4-8-4 Locomotive/Tender Chart
UP “9000” 4-12-2 3-Cylinder Locomotive Chart
UP “Big Boy” 4-8-8-4 Locomotive Chart
UP “Big Boy” #4014 4-8-8-4 Locomotive/Tender Chart
UP “Challenger” 4-6-6-4 Locomotive Chart
UP “Challenger” #3985 4-6-6-4 Locomotive/Tender Chart

I just recently completed two new locomotive charts. They are:

PRR "Class S2" 6-8-6 Type Experimental Steam Turbine Locomotive Chart
PRR "Class S2 #6200" 6-8-6 Type Experimental Steam Turbine Locomotive/Tender Chart


I am currently working on the following charts:

B&O "Mikado" 2-8-2 Type Freight Locomotive Chart
USRA "Light Mikado" 2-8-2 Type Freight Locomotive Chart

I just recently completed two new locomotive charts. They are:

B&O "Mikado" 2-8-2 Type Freight Locomotive Chart
USRA "Light Mikado" 2-8-2 Type Freight Locomotive Chart

I am going to start working on the following charts:

PRR "Class T1" 4-4-4-4 Passenger Locomotive Chart

I like your charts. Do you have any way to do specific types of locomotives by request?

Thank you for your interest in my charts. If I have any information on the locomotive, I can put it in the queue to be done. If I receive numerous requests for a particular locomotive, I try to get it done first. I probably have about 30 locomotives waiting to be drawn. It can take me up to 6 months to produce a chart, depending on what else I have going on at the time.

I finished the PRR T1 Locomotive Chart and Locomotive-Tender Chart. I am currently working on the Great Northern S2 4-8-4 locomotive. I think it will be done in April. After that, I am thinking on working on the PRR Q2 locomotive, but I need more drawings from the Pa. State Archives.

I have finished the Great Northern 4-8-4 locomotives charts. Next up is the PRR Q2 4-4-6-4 locomotive. This one will take a while, since I need more information from the Pa. State Archives.