I just acquired these trucks today. Plain bearings with journal covers that appear to be made of tin. One truck has an electric motor and chain drive to both axles. Something along the lines of 13 and 1/2 inch gauge. Before I go making a replica of a standard gauge locomotive with these, I was wondering if anyone here might be able to identify what they came from orignally. Seller said they were found in an old barn.

Link to photo:
https://flic.kr/p/rnR99g

Thanks. :)

It reminds me of a rusted early version of some G15 builder.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/NG- ... s/messages

might be the group you need to talk to. Yahoo Group ng-traction.

Doug vV

where is this at?

Definately traction trucks, I know a fellow with an outdoor traction line, may build his own trucks, wonder if he may have built one or 2 for someone or whatever. There were a few manufacturers of "live steam" traction, but this is extremely rare. A few garage tinkers.

Reminds me theres a few people out there with rideable traction lines like this using trucks like that.

Dinwitty, these are currently stored at a museum in Monroe, WA. We are looking into options for making them into a rideable car that the kids can crank up and down a little track.

Your mention that the trucks are at Monroe, WA rings a bell. Back in the 1960s Larry Griffin had a 12 or 13 inch gauge backyard RR in Everett, WA. He had a homebuilt steeple cab electric and two steamers. I have always wondered what happened to his equipment.

http://milwaukeeroadarchives.com/Milwau ... ctober.pdf

I just found this, scan for griffin in your pdf viewer comes to the Larry Griffin article, shows the steam engine, not any electric but one pic seems to show some overhead poles and hangers.