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An odd little contraption known as a walking beam engine. Different than most locomotives because of the odd pistion arrangement and the fact it operates with a vertical boiler. Although it appeared to be a very hardy creature for its size, pulling along a 5 car string of steel gondolas as well as it "rotund" owner without any strain.
I was told the number on the side of the boiler is actually the build number from the maker thus there are quite a few of these roaming around.
I was told the number on the side of the boiler is actually the build number from the maker thus there are quite a few of these roaming around.
Category Photography / Miscellaneous
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 960 x 1280px
File Size 596.5 kB
It's kind of "Cool" to see an actual "Grasshopper" drive locomotive, as opposed to the ersatz ones prominently featured at the "Big Thunder Mountain" attraction at Disneyland. Reading your explanation made me realize why such a strange configuration was so popular and practical for it's time. It seems they were best as mine engines, and were far more compact and powerful than using dray animals to achieve the same amount of "Horsepower." I'll bet this little engine was fun to watch in action too.
Indeed it's a surprising powerful piece of machinery for its size. It does tend to have a bit of slip on start up but then again what steamer dosen't? Plus it's a fun little piece to watch run especially since with the vertical boiler the escaping steam from the cyliners isn't routed through the funnel but escapes the cyliners freely with each cycle. This thing leaves behind a nice cloud of steam where ever it goes.
Plus it's an excellent free steamer going from cold to working pressure in a little over a half hour!
Plus it's an excellent free steamer going from cold to working pressure in a little over a half hour!
there's a guy in svls who has an eight wheeled version of this one. met online on the chasky live steam and machinist board. then met at i don't remeber what year, but at one of their (svls) yearly spring open meeting. so yah, got to see one of these up close and personal. somewhere there's a picture of me looking at it.
one of the ferry boats my dad and i used to ride accross the bay on his s.p. pass (which was why i never got to ride the key system accross the bay bridge even once while it was still running) had a walking beam mechanism like that. with the beams way up on top where you could watch them and the cylanders and cranks way down below where you'd expect them to be.
one of the ferry boats my dad and i used to ride accross the bay on his s.p. pass (which was why i never got to ride the key system accross the bay bridge even once while it was still running) had a walking beam mechanism like that. with the beams way up on top where you could watch them and the cylanders and cranks way down below where you'd expect them to be.
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