Here we have one unique steam locomotive, Wolf Creek & Flagstone #25!

ACTUAL HISTROY: This drawing was inspired by a locomotive that was built by the Brooks Locomotive Works of Dunkirk, NY in 1898 for the Colorado & Northwestern Railway. As a side note, the reason why this was submited the the "Weird West" gallery was because a locomotive of this size and design would be expected to exist around the 1920s not the late 1800s! When this locomotive was built it was the largest and most advance Narrow Gauge Steam locomotive ever to exist! It ran on track only 3ft wide, between the rails, and also unusual for an engine of this size was its "Inside Frame" configuration. The original concept for this machine was the brainchild of engineers on the "Denver Leadville & Gunnison" railroad in Colorado. However, the C&N Ry (Colorado & Northwestern) acquired the DL&G's design spects, submitted them to the Brooks Locomotive Works, which were then examined and improved upon to maximize the locomotive's tonage, tractive effort, and performance. And thus this monster was created. The C&N also order two more engines identical to this loco with the exception of their steam chest. The first loco delivered to the C&N Ry, designated #30, had "Slide Valves". A common valve configuration to determine which end of the piston steam is to be piped. Although Slide Valves lasted longer, they were more difficult to maintain. As for C&N #30's two sisters they were built with "Piston Valves", they didn't last as long, but were easier to maintain.

FICTIONAL HISTORY: There were two incarnations of the Wolf Creek & Flagstone narrow gauge railroad. The first was founded in the early to mid 1870s as a mining railroad working in conjunction witht he standard gauge Western & Atlantic RR, which reached Wolf Creek, CO in 1871. The construction cost of the WC&F was much larger than estimated and a horrible accident resulting in many lost lives forced them to pay the members of the deceased large sums of money. This cause the first WC&F to go bankrupt in late 1882. This was when the Gunpowder Falls railroad stepped in and bought the WC&F lock, stock, and barrel and absorbed it into their own growing network. A decade later, after quite a conspiracy was uncovered and resolved the W&A and the narrow gauge GFRR banded together and re-established the Wolf Creek & Flagstone as a Co-Owned/Co-Operated venture. In 1891 plans were devised for a stronger freight hauling locomotive. The W&A's locomotive builders and engineers calculated and drew up the basic conception of what they were thinking of. Though they designed a 2-8-0 tpe locomotive with an outside frame design. By a twist of fate thes plans and specs were submited to the Brooks Locomotive Works for further refinement and evaluation. Late in the year of 1892 was when the locomotive shown above was delivered to the "New" WC&F as their #25. Oddly thought he outside frame design was altered to an inside frame design. Why this was so was never recorded. After the first few months the locomotive proved to be an extremely successful and efficient frieght hauler. The DL&G RR caught wind of this new state-of-the-art locomotive and aspired to have their own and drew up some specs. However their hopes were never achieved and the C&N Ry, later known as the "Denver Boulder & Western RR", ordered three of these massive narrow gauge 2-8-0s which were delivered in 1898. The rest coincided with actual documanted history.

As for the drawing itself, I have to again thank a friend of mine, for he supplied me with "Scale" drawings to work from. The locomotive itself I am extremely happy about! I love how it turned out! Although some of the "plumbing" could use some improvement and my only real gripe is the headlight bracket. To me it just didn't come out right.

As doe the tender... I'm not all that pleased by it. First off I made the dill witted mistack of drawing it with a Baldwin style tender flare rather than a style used by Brooks. Second, the tender itself just doesn't seem "right" for this locomotive. For now though it will work. I may try and redraw it later.

Even so, I hope you like it regardless! And again, PLEASE comment if you fave!!!