Byron Railroad 2' Gauge Steam

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2018 12:03 pm

I am sorry, but I still think they are beautiful.

But, if they were built by members of the Possum Lodge (Red Green Show), then I could understand they have no future.

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2018 12:28 pm

CaliforniaMachinist wrote:

Okay I’ve been seeing some topics regarding the two Byron locomotives and I’d like to get a few things straight.

I work as a machinist for the private individual that owns the locomotives. What was said above is true in regards to the condition of these locomotives as we got them.
Without a doubt they were the most hacked together things you’d ever seen. I’ll break it down a little bit.

“2968”
-Had a crude 3 foot extension welded to the frame to allow for the large cab
-had 3 male fittings WELDED together that came off the steam dome
-sand pipes welded to the crosshead guides
-trailing truck assembly was torch cut and welded together
-tender was 2 Standard gauge ties, with a big red round tank inside paper thin sheet metal on top of angle iron trucks with speeder wheels

“2967”
-Had a tractor boiler for starters
-tender was the same cobbled pile that the 2968 had
-front of the frame was cut and shortened
-ran without the trailing wheel assembly
-missing the entire 6 foot section of the original frame

I find it kind of pathetic people would rather see the engines in the “Byron appearance” vs their original trench engine configurations. Luckily, we are putting both engines back to original specs. Viva La trench engine!!

Well... I think that description makes a lot of the other basket cases we see on here look tame. Best of luck to you, I know that a lot of us can't wait to see the success of the rebuilds.

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

History will be well served by your work. I can’t wait to see the finished locomotives? Are there any Davenport trench engines left? I know there are Baldwin’s, Alcos and a handful of European examples left (some beautifully restored and operational).

CaliforniaMachinist wrote:

Okay I’ve been seeing some topics regarding the two Byron locomotives and I’d like to get a few things straight.

I work as a machinist for the private individual that owns the locomotives. What was said above is true in regards to the condition of these locomotives as we got them.
Without a doubt they were the most hacked together things you’d ever seen. I’ll break it down a little bit.

“2968”
-Had a crude 3 foot extension welded to the frame to allow for the large cab
-had 3 male fittings WELDED together that came off the steam dome
-sand pipes welded to the crosshead guides
-trailing truck assembly was torch cut and welded together
-tender was 2 Standard gauge ties, with a big red round tank inside paper thin sheet metal on top of angle iron trucks with speeder wheels

“2967”
-Had a tractor boiler for starters
-tender was the same cobbled pile that the 2968 had
-front of the frame was cut and shortened
-ran without the trailing wheel assembly
-missing the entire 6 foot section of the original frame

I find it kind of pathetic people would rather see the engines in the “Byron appearance” vs their original trench engine configurations. Luckily, we are putting both engines back to original specs. Viva La trench engine!!

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:32 pm

robertjohndavis wrote:

History will be well served by your work. I can’t wait to see the finished locomotives? Are there any Davenport trench engines left? I know there are Baldwin’s, Alcos and a handful of European examples left (some beautifully restored and operational).

Aside from these there is the example in Fort Benning, GA. It's lettered for the Quartermaster's Corps and was just repainted about two or three years ago... I can't speak to the accuracy of the tank paintjob (I thought they were kept grey or black). It's had 1902, 6 and most recently 5 put on it for numbers. I just don't know what the system was, or if when the army repainted it they decorated it as another engine that was on their roster...
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/for ... ht-railway
The real shame is that none of the Vulcans survived... It's too bad too, because they were definitely unique.

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1267

Here is the history of the Fort Benning loco:

1682 11/1918 2-6-2T 23½” 60cm 9x12 Coal 35000#
US Army #5227, Columbus, Ga
US Army #5227, Ft Benning, Ga
US Army Quartermaster Corps #6 > #V1902, Ft Benning, Ga
US Army Transportation Corps #1902, Ft Benning, Ga
Display - Ft Benning, Ga – Infantry Museum

Richard Dunn, in his Narrow Gauge to No Man's Land, states that Davenport #1682 was Army #5227 and Ft. Benning #10, in use from 1919 to 1946.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6469

daylight4449 wrote:

robertjohndavis wrote:

History will be well served by your work. I can’t wait to see the finished locomotives? Are there any Davenport trench engines left? I know there are Baldwin’s, Alcos and a handful of European examples left (some beautifully restored and operational).

Aside from these there is the example in Fort Benning, GA. It's lettered for the Quartermaster's Corps and was just repainted about two or three years ago... I can't speak to the accuracy of the tank paintjob (I thought they were kept grey or black). It's had 1902, 6 and most recently 5 put on it for numbers. I just don't know what the system was, or if when the army repainted it they decorated it as another engine that was on their roster...
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/for ... ht-railway
The real shame is that none of the Vulcans survived... It's too bad too, because they were definitely unique.

It seems that the number 5 is a misnomer. I'm kind of interested though, in the car that is displayed with the 2-6-2T. Did they actually use that at Fort Benning? Perhaps as a caboose? My guess is that the benches on the platform were later additions, but perhaps this was an "inspection" car. Anyone know its story?

Les

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1267

According to Dunn Fort Benning had 27 miles of 60 cm track in use from 1919 to 1946. This included 34 locomotives over the years and at least 196 cars. The line was sold off in 1948 except for one 2-6-2T and the observation car which were saved for display.

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1267

Film at Fort Benning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BTtncKnS9k

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6469

John T wrote:

Film at Fort Benning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BTtncKnS9k

John T -

Although number 11 is seen in this film, number 5 seems to be featured. Perhaps that is why the engine was renumbered 5 for its display. Still, it seems as if she was once number 10, which is "in series" with these other locomotives at the time, she probably should now carry THAT number. There was also a very quick view of the observation car now on display, although you have to look quick to see it.

Les

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1267

See here for so shots of the Fort Benning loco in 2012 when it was numbered 1902 and 6.
http://www.freerails.com/view_topic.php ... ghlight=oo

Here it is in 1971 as just #1902
http://www.freerails.com/view_topic.php ... ghlight=oo

jdorn · **Joined:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:11 am **Posts:** 62

Just in case anyone wanted the cab and tender of Byron locomotive 2967. I stumbled across an auction for them.

Cab:
https://bid.aumannauctions.com/m/lot-de ... Fpage%3D27

Tender:
https://bid.aumannauctions.com/m/lot-de ... Fpage%3D27

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

Through my recent deep dive into all things WDLR, it seems that none of the Davenports ever saw service in Europe, and were assigned US bases after the war. The same also seems to apply to a handful of Vulcans. Only Baldwins and Alcos made it to France, apparently. If anyone has info on Davenports or Vulcans on the WDLR, please share.

Of course, there were locomotives from the U.K. and France in trench service, apparently along with captured German locomotives

p51 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:40 pm

Neat bad and tender. I can't imagine any use on another locomotive, but I hope they go to good homes. Heck, if I lived anywhere nearby and could come with a trailer to pick it up, I might have plopped down a bid for the cab just for the heck of it!

daylight4449 wrote:

...there is the example in Fort Benning, GA. It's lettered for the Quartermaster's Corps and was just repainted about two or three years ago... I can't speak to the accuracy of the tank paintjob (I thought they were kept grey or black).

They were in black. I have no idea why the concept of a OD green steam locomotive is such a common mistake that nobody will let go. Bachmann just came out with a Baldwin 2-6-2T 'trench engine' looking locomotive in On30 which should be in hobby shops very soon, and one option is one in OD green with the classic "MASH-style" stencil typeface.
A paint job and lettering no US Army locomotive ever had that I can tell. It's a classic case of doing what people assume must be right, without looking at any period photos, and they're wrong (and would have known it, if they'd done any research).

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 11, 2019 1:42 pm

p51 wrote:

Neat bad and tender. I can't imagine any use on another locomotive, but I hope they go to good homes. Heck, if I lived anywhere nearby and could come with a trailer to pick it up, I might have plopped down a bid for the cab just for the heck of it!

daylight4449 wrote:

...there is the example in Fort Benning, GA. It's lettered for the Quartermaster's Corps and was just repainted about two or three years ago... I can't speak to the accuracy of the tank paintjob (I thought they were kept grey or black).

They were in black. I have no idea why the concept of a OD green steam locomotive is such a common mistake that nobody will let go. Bachmann just came out with a Baldwin 2-6-2T 'trench engine' looking locomotive in On30 which should be in hobby shops very soon, and one option is one in OD green with the classic "MASH-style" stencil typeface.
A paint job and lettering no US Army locomotive ever had that I can tell. It's a classic case of doing what people assume must be right, without looking at any period photos, and they're wrong (and would have known it, if they'd done any research).

Lee on the Bachmann engines, I actually know the gents who helped Bachmann with the project's research and design work, Les Davis and Newell Sage. Newell is the one who did the paint research if my memory serves, and digging through sources he did find referece to some American engines that ran directly behind the front to have gotten an OD green paintjob of some sort, I don't think they were Quartermasters Corps locomotives though. At the Mid Hudson show in a few weeks we're going to be going over everything, so I'll make sure to bring it up.

Rick Rowlands · **Posted:** Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:54 pm

p51 wrote:

Neat bad and tender. I can't imagine any use on another locomotive, but I hope they go to good homes.

I can! I need to build a larger tender for 58, but I wonder if this one would be close enough to what I need. Those Sandley trucks are going to have narrow wheels and it looks like the deck height is fairly high, higher than our cab deck.

I would take the chance if it was a bit closer. Thats just a long way to haul something on a hunch.

Byron Railroad 2' Gauge Steam

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