This is an 0-6-2 in Simsbury CT. Is it rare for it's kind, ya, but if anyone has read books by Lucius Beebe, you may recognize this engine. I took one of his books out a few weeks ago (since returned to the library), and it was shown working on a sugar plantation in Louisiana. HOWEVER (dramatic pause), I can't remember the title of the book. Might be good to decipher this engine's history, as it looks like all the important fixtures are long gone.

http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image ... c1343ec3bd

Wow, how nice it would be to have the steam dome and safety valves inside the cab with you. Whistle too I guess.

I do believe that some NYC steam locomotives from the turn of the century had a similar cab arrangement. I'll double check before I put my money fully on that though.

I'm guessing this may be a Porter since I know of no Glover product of that arrangement left, or there, and Glover copied this style from Porter pretty regularly. In service the safeties and whistle would have been extended with piping through the cab roof. At work and away from my library now, somebody else will have to check their Beebe collection.

dave

Its is the Sartola from Westfield Plantation...30" guage. Two of her Porter sisters (all build originally for Dugas and LaBlanc, owners of Westfield) are in Texas, and the road's little Vulcan Highpockets has been reguaged to 24" and happily runs in Maine. Or at least that is my educated guess.

"Highpockets" is definitely running happily in Maine. To learn more about this locomotive, go to http://www.wwfry.org click on "About Us" in the upper right corner, select "Equipment" on the side menu, and chose "10" from the list of locomotives. She's had a long history since her Westfield Plantation days, and is a sweet little locomotive that pleases passengers and crew.

Here's the pages on steamlocomotive.info regarding Sartola's sisters in Texas:
http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=556
An 0-4-4T, name unknown

http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=556
Another 0-6-2T, named Bertha

Boy, with a few changes that could make one sweet little 2-6-2 tender engine... and by moving the cab back the steam dome would be outdoors where it would be safer for the crew.

But it's pretty darn cute, if a bit homely, in its present configuration.

:-)

Steve Hunter

It's amazing how many obscure little engines are out there even in 2011.

I think the engine is quite nice and significant as it is. There is a 2-6-2 in California with a similar provenance from La. (I think they call it the "FrankenPorter) which started life as a similar 0-6-2. Since this was among the last of the Louisiana sugar cane steamers to run, I say it is just fine and important as an austere little critter; just let it be what it is. BTW the dome in the cab doesn't affect crew safety one way nor another...just what would be the issue? Only thing wrong with this engine is that its in the wrong location.

LOL, don't worry, Jim... I'm not about to do anything to the little critter.

:-)

Steve

The steamlocomotive.info page for Sartola has been updated. Hmmm... I wonder who posted that note ;)
http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive ... play=27087

The little Forney 0-4-4RT is named "Rosa"

At Westfield mill I used to ride in the cab of Sartola's sister, named Bertha. There was a cowl that rose up from the in-cab steam dome and opened through the roof. When the pops went off, the steam shot through the cab roof. Nothing went into the cab. The whistle was on a pipe rising through this cowl and sat right above the cab roof. All the little cane hauling engines with steam domes in the cab were made this way.

Does anyone have info on the ownership of Sartola? I have someone interested.

Thanks

Chris