Sammy,

Not quite the same size as your latest acquisition.
It's half the weight of yours with 9x14 cylinders, 36 inch gauge.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/610bs/16993081568/sizes/l

I have several original 13th Edition catalogs, possibly published around 1910, which I'd gladly sell at reasonable cost or trade however I think your best option is to get a reprint from the Kalmbach library since it contains more info than the original catalog.

At the same time, ask the Kalmbach library what info they might have. Most their collection is for later Porters.

Canadian Science Technology Museum most likely will have the build or shop records and possibly build photos or an elevation drawing.

Library Archives Canada has microfilmed part drawings but lately, they've made it next to impossible to get copies unless you prearrange an onsite visit. California State Railway museum has the same collection. Same original drawings are in a private collection.

Personally, the Porter catalogs and Repair Part catalogs won't provide many details.

It's great to see a renewed interest in Porter locomotives.

Another Dave...

Half the weight but just as cute !!!

It's too bad I lent out the negatives from when I was in Guatemala in 1991, so I can't post any pictures --- The absolutest cutest little Porter I've ever seen was a 30" 0-4-0-2T behind the sugar mill in Pantaleon, #1 for their cane gathering system. She burned wood, had an open metal cab with big portholes in front, weighed 7 tons, 22" drivers, 6 x 10 cylinders !!! She had an enormous headlight, and looked like she must have inspired a generation or two of children's books and cartoons. They had started scrapping her, so I stayed in town a few extra days and tried to buy the remains. The mill manager was Cuban and wouldn't sell to me, and eventually they told the FEGUA officials that she had been scrapped. Years later, I saw a trip report by Thomas Kautzer, showing her fixed up with the sheet metal patched and fresh paint, proudly on display by the front entrance to the plant. Mucho Bueno Sabor.

Just to save anybody else the trouble of hunting for them, Tommy Gears already has an elevation, boiler print, and end elevation of #6 headed this way. Thanks once more to everybody who has taken the time to write, and offered their help and encouragement.

Sammy:

God Bless you for taking this on! You are doing something I have always wanted to do, but just haven't found the right locomotive. I might have to be making a trip to Colorado to give a fellow TSRR expatriot a hand....

Mr Highballer,

What is really great about this engine is we do not have any rubber fuel hoses to set on fire !!!

It sure is great to hear from Dogwood Country, if you see Roger, Moze, Junior, Cleo, JC, Duke, Danny Byrd, Larry, or good old Bill Langford, SHIT, even Mark Price, tell 'em Hi for me. Better yet, drag them up here with you and we'll get SERIOUS.

Don't give up on getting your own locomotive. --- I wasn't looking for a sddletanker when I found this one.

Take Care & WORK SAFE

Congratulations Sammy! Tom told me the good news.

Buying a steam locomotive is a leap of faith. Names like Blount, Jacobson, Rowland, and others resonate in this league. Comparison will be drawn, it is only human nature. You are joining the ranks of people who never gave up on childhood dreams.

There will be people who question you. Why would you buy a train? You could buy a time share, vacation home, Corvette.... They lead pragmatic lives. They may be well intentioned but they see no reason for frivolous adventure. Their inner child has died.

But they will be the minority.

The majority will support you. They may not even vocalize it as such, but it will show when they first see it, eyes transfixed upon the iron steed. See, when a train goes by, the world stops. No matter who we are, no matter where we are, for one brief moment nothing seems to matter. We stare with wild eyed bewilderment. In that single brief moment, we all become kids again.

Thank you for letting your inner child live.

From one proud new Porter owner to another, good luck and Godspeed.

Sincerely,
Preston J. McEvoy and all of the Project 02 team
Owner USATC S100 #5002
Porter 1942 s/n 7462

Mr McEvoy & Project 02 Team,

Thank you so very kindly for taking the time to write to us, it certainly is great to hear from so many nice folks that they're pulling for #6 and me. Even though I'm a private owner, I really do not feel like I'm having to go it alone here. Instead it feels like I'm surfing a giant wave, riding effortlessly on a powerful force. It feels like being Concertmaster of a well rehearsed orchestra, supported by dozens of violins speaking as one with every single bowstroke I take.

This is the first time I've ever gotten this kind of cooperation when I wanted to restore something. Usually in the past, I and those who were with me, have had to struggle against people who just didn't get it, and didn't want to see us succeed. No doubt many folks in this forum have been through it, too.

Since I'm the same bozo I've always been, the only thing I can figure out that might be different this time, is that #6 is such a character that she sells the idea for me. I haven't had to convince anybody that doing whatever we can to help her is what we ought to do.

How can I find out more about your Porter project ??? Is there a website for your engine or a picture online somewhere ??? Maybe we should have a website with information about all of our small Porter locomotive projects, how about: oncetherewerethousands.com

Maybe a get together of Porter owner operators would be fun, it would be even more fun if we lowboyed a few of our engines to the meet. After all, they have meetups with these gigantic big railroad type engines, why not engines that are less expensive and troublesome, and more cuter ???

As long as we're dreaming....

Thanks again for writing. Best of luck with your Porter, and hope to meet you someday.

Don't worry, they will show up. ignore them.

Not only Porter owners, I'm involved with two Vulcans right now and have a lot of experience with what's left of Glovers and some Alcos also. Small goat guys are generally pretty helpful and cooperative. We've figured out sustainable programming and are making it work. There's a lot to be said for transportable lokies that don't cost an arm and a leg to deal with. You won't run short of different opinions, but they are generally different ways to make things possible instead of why it can't be done.

Have fun with it - otherwise, why bother?

dave

I'm still trying to find the one epic cartoon from the UK I have here, with an older gentleman in a raincoat and bowler bent over at the door to a classic British rowhouse, with a rusty ex-scrapyard GWR 0-6-0PT sitting where the auto would normally sit, hollering through the mailslot:

"But, dearest, I got it for YOU!!!!"

[url]Facebook.com/usatc5002[/url]

Eventually I will put up a thread here for it as well.



I would be game for that! Rick? What say you?

I may have a venue for it.

dave

Gentlemen,

It really helps that I am happily divorced, and my family consists of two cats that live inside with me, and a bunch of strays that regularly dine on my doorstep and take shelter from the cold in my garage. None of my blood relatives know about this Porter locomotive project, either.

All of you married guys, especially if you want to stay married, remember that bit about "Friends don't let friends buy steam locomotives". This project is working out for me, at this particular stage in my life, but I, and my life, are not even close to typical. If you happen to have a normal life, in most cases it is best to quit while you're ahead.

And of course, Davenports, Glovers, Baldwins, ALCOS, Vulcans, Krupps & Koppels, ETC... would be welcome to put on a floor show for me any old time, and I would certainly love to meet their owners as well. We HK Porterholics may be proud, but I'd like to think we're not prejudiced.

Take Care & WORK SAFE

I once attempted to explain the (relative) dearth of books about railways, as compared to other forms of transportation, in the bookstores and libraries with a simple explanation:

"People are selfish. Normal people get interested in, and buy or read books about, things they can own, drive, fix, or run. People can buy, fix, and run cars, motorcycles, trucks, boats, and even planes. Normal people can't--or at least don't--buy trains, except for model ones."

Model Railroader's circulation has typically been about double that of Trains over the decades.

It would be great if you could please copy and post a little something HERE about your USATC 5002. RyPN is about as close to "social media" as I care to get.

And, Mr Mitchell, as far as normal people buying model trains is concerned, I won't even TOUCH that one...

Something I forgot earlier:

VIVA USATC #5002 !!!!!!

Next time I get over that way, I will be sure to give them my regards, although most of them are scattered to the four winds, I know exactly where to find Moze. Drop me a PM sometime...and don't let the little critter set anything on fire....