Trying to ID this valve gear on an old snap of CNJ 0-6-0 # 29. Is this Young valve gear? It don't quite match any diagrams I could find, but this could be because of the arrangement to accomodate the inboard valve position. Thanks.

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That is a very early version of Baker gear; almost identical gear was used on NYO&W 0-6-0s (which were contemporaries of the CNJ engines). The CNJ gear looks a bit "strange" due to having to accomodate the slanted valve chests. There were some other NYO&W engines with identical "early Baker" gear.

As far as I can recall, the only Young gear used in the US was on the CNW (quite a few engines) and on the UP (a few engines, incuding that 2-10-2 still in Cheyenne).

The Terminal RR Association of St. Louis had at least one 0-6-0 switcher with Young valve gear. The Museum of Transportation in St. Louis has the running gear of #146 preserved, built by ALCO in 1916. I suspect there a few more examples to be found.

Yes, indeed, Ron. There were probably a number of "one-offs" on various roads.

The slanted piston valves looks like at one time that locomotive may have had Stephenson valve gear or the like to accomodate the position of the eccentrics.

Fred Jukes had a four-part article in the R&LHS Bulletin years ago (issues 88-91) about valve gear. I do not have a copy; but, it's title was "101 Valve Motions."

Thanks for the replies guys. The thought that it could have been an early version of the long frame Baker had also occured to me, but the paraphrase Kelly "there's alot of parts I know and a lot I don't". Howards remarks sent me off on a bit of a quest and I found this very interesting site by Dr. Richard Leonard. It's defintly worth taking the time to peruse through it, as it has a lot of info and pictures from Pilliod and thier Baker gear.

http://www.forecyte.com/bakervalve/

I do believe we have a new entrant for Ed King's "Rolling Mud Fence" article in Trains years ago, featuring some of the ugliest, most malformed (from an appearance standpoint) steam locomotives to come waddling down the track. Seriously, this looks like some monstrosity the Cubans threw together from surviving parts from several boiler explosions, frame collapses, etc.

Anyone see the movie "Robots" [2005]?

It reminds me of the character "Aunt Fanny"

Some disparaging remarks made about the looks of #29, but who wouldn't like to have her at their museum? She looks pretty good to me. Wish somebody had saved her.

Les

By coincidence, I came across this photo of sister no. 30:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=168446

Heheheh!!!! That's the snap that startd it this discussion.

John -

Thanks for posting the color shot of CNJ 0-6-0C #30. I am curious as to the number in the lower right hand corner of the cab. It almost looks like a date although I can't quite make it out. Maybe 6-5-31, but I can't fathom what that could mean. Perhaps the 31 stands for approximately 31,000# of Tractive Effort. But if so, what are the other two numbers? And if the 31 ISN'T T.E., what the heck is it? Any one able to advise?

Les

Kelley almost wins a cookie. It is, in fact a variation of Baker called Baker Pilliod valve gear. They were sold as an add on "kit" for older power. It was sold in several variations in the 1910-1930 era-the Pilliod version of regular Baker was designed as a retrofit to fit tight situations in the relationship of running gear, crosshead ect. The little Mexican cosolidation on the Alder Gulch has Baker Pilliod.

It is basically a more compact version of Baker.

The Pilliod Company also sold kits for Southern Valve gear as a retrofit for older power. Lots of shortline engines in the south were so treated...just off the top of my head one of the ex Argent engines at Mt Pleasant is so fitted.