Hi,

Does anyone know if there are any plans available for the Southern Railway Tractor equipped steam locomotives. I think it was done c1915.

Thanks.

Doug vV

I know there's the general arrangement references in the Prince Book.

One of the brass model importers (maybe PSC, PFM, or Westside??) did HO scale models several years back. I think PSC at one time planned or actually did import some with their latest round of light Ms Mikados. I seem to recall that the tractor portions were G-class 2-8-0 engines in their previous lives paired with Mikados. Hope this helps, but you may have already known that.

There was also a 2-6-2 and I think also a 2-6-0 tractor, I don't remember if they were with a 2-8-2 or a 2-10-2, but Southern had mostly 2-8-0 tractors with the Ms class 2-8-2's.

Seems like this might have some interest for one of our Live Steamer friends. I wonder if any of them, have given any thought to making such a model?

ALSO, perhaps someone might post a photo of one of these "tractor" locomotives so that some of our younger readers, who might have no idea what we are talking about here, might get a visual idea.

Les

Here is the photo in the Prince book.

Westside Models / Samhongsa produced the MS class 2-8-2 + 2-8-0 in HO scale.

Why say that?! In 1:1 scale, we have an Ms class getting boiler work and there's a spare G class in Pigeon Forge. Be an interesting kitbash.... haha

Interesting to note the delivery piping to tractor. There are two sources - the front one obviously after the superheater (Type A), and then the one popping up out of the boiler behind the steam dome. I'm guessing the throttle to dry-pipe connection resembled an inverted "T" instead of an "L." Since the G's were saturated engines, I'm guessing the used the combination of superheated and saturated steam to get a bit more out of the tractor, but that's just an educated WAG.

Mike


Kyle,
Didn't you post some photos somewhere else of these things? I found one of the 2-10-2+2-6-2 beasts...

Did they cut out the middle of a triplex?

While I was trying to research the Roswell Railroad, I stumbled on the follow three locomotive folio drawings of tractors:

2-8-2+2-8-0


2-8-2+2-6-0


2-10-2+2-6-2


Interestingly, This would work better in Live Steam better than 1:1. In Live steam, the engineer sits on the tender and the weight of the man is greater than the weight of the coal and water combined.

Now all I'd need to do (I'm not well versed in Southern Steam classes - just Southern steam during the 1970s excursions) is find plans for the locomotives and build up the running gear under the tender <grin>

Doug vV

You're very correct about the fact that they would work better in live steam than real life. Not sure how the boiler steaming capacity of the Ms or Ss classes did with these. I'm sure this was for low speed operations. These were constructed during the "drag freight" era (I think we've returned to that on CP).

As for the Roswell Railroad, what have you found? There was a book or publication done several years ago by the Roswell Historical Society that covered it. I tried to find a copy, but have not had any luck. I did not think to go by the Roswell Branch of the Fulton Co Library in Roswell, but they might have one. The historical society may still have one as well. Don't know much other than it terminated on the south side of the Chattahoochee across from Roswell and joined the Southern at or near Chamblee. Not sure that they ever owned a locomotive, and I have seen a photo of a ten-wheeler or similar small loco in Southern freight scheme near the northern end of the line.

Best,
Mike
(formerly of Roswell, Georgia)

Interesting idea! There is also that ex-Southern 2-6-0 that is (was?) in Cuba. Might be a way to get a deal for that locomotive approved by the State Department. Use the running gear for a tractor behind 4501 (to replicate the SR 4561/Mogul tractor in the diagram above) and then some years down the road, the running gear can be re-united with a reconditioned boiler being worked on as time and finances permit.

One question. The 2-6-2 tractor behind the S class 2-10-2; was this from a Prairie type that the Southern once had on its roster? I guess I didn't realize that the Southern rostered any Prairie type locomotives.

Les

Hi Mike,

Micheal Hitt wrote the Roswell Railroad book that you refer to in about 1991. I have talked to Micheal a few times.

I have located documents that he did not have access to. I found Plans fir Roswell RR 0-6-0t #815. I found out that there was a Roswell Railroad 0-4-0t #1. I found partial valuation drawings of the line and floor plans for the Dunwoody Railroad Station.

I hope to have my book ready for publication by Christmas.

Doug vV