I just ran across information that the GN L series 2-6-6-2 mallets operated in BC. They were used for transporting Coal/Coke from Fernie BC to Great Falls and Bute Montana.
The GN built the Crows Nest Southern for this purpose.
This information will be used for a layout loosely based on the GN/CPR routes in the East Kootenays/Crows Nest areas.
I was thinking of using the new (old) Mantua re-released 2-6-6-2’s with the tender as a stand in for these engines. The other readily available 2-6-6-2 is the Bachmann Spectrum unfortunately it is too large and engine. The Mantua is closer in size by far. There was a brass model released some years ago of the L series mallet but it would be out of my price range if I was even lucky enough to locate one.
The GN L series mallet was not a very large engine.
Don, it appears that the 2-6-6-2 that is shown in the brochure you linked to is a class L-2. These were smaller than the L-1s-most noticeable by its slimmer boiler. Both classes were equipped with Belpaire fireboxes. The L-1 weighed in at 355,000 lbs. and had a tractive effort of 69,900 lbs. The L-2 weighed 288,000 lbs. and had 54,520 lbs. of tractive effort. I’m giving you this so you can get a feel for the size difference. All the Ls were gone by 1926, with the L-2s being rebuilt into O-5 class 2-8-2s first (1923-24) and the L-1s were rebuilt in 1925-26 to O-6 class 2-8-2s. All this rebuilding was done by GN shop forces-mostly at the Hillyard, Delta and Dale Street shops. IMHO, it ought not to be too difficult to add a Belpaire firebox to your Mantua Mallet-sort of by building a squared wrapper around the exisiting radial-stayed firebox. Hope this helps somewhat.
I’ve noticed in ads that Mantua offers these locos decorated for Great Northern. Question–do the models have the distinctive GN Belpaire firebox? If not, I understand the boiler is plastic, so one could probably fabricate one from plastic putty. But I was just curious.
The Mantua model does not have the distinctive Belpaire firebox. However, it would not be difficult to fabricate one as you mentioned. I had thought about fabricating the Belpaire by making a sleeve to fit over the rear boiler portion.
GN engines 1905-1907 were sold to the Burlington Route and were numbered 4000-4002. Subsequently, CB&Q bought a few more 2-6-6-2’s directly from Baldwin. Articulated lomomotives were rare on the Burlington. The road had a single 2-8-8-2, also.
GN engines 1905-1907 were sold to the Burlington Route and were numbered 4000-4002. Subsequently, CB&Q bought a few more 2-6-6-2’s directly from Baldwin. Articulated lomomotives were rare on the Burlington.
Very interesting. What year did this happen? Were the 2-6-6-2’s ever rebuilt as were the GN engines? When were they retired?
The info is from the book entitled Steam Locomotives of the Burlington Route. . It says they were build for the GN as numbers 1908-1011, but were delivered to the Burlington as 4000-4002 in the year 1908. Possibly that means the three locomotives never got to the GN. They were designated class T-1. 4001 was retired in 1927. The other two locos were rebuilt into 0-8-0 switchers in 1927.
In 1909, CB&Q acquired five more 2-6-6-2’s with essentially the same design including the Belpaire type fire boxes. These were numbers 4003 through 4007 and were designated T-1-A. All were rebuilt into 0-8-0 switchers in 1927.
The next group of 2-6-6-2’s were also Baldwin products, but were a differant design that did not have Belpaire fireboxes. There were ten engines numbered 4100-4109. Some of this group (designated class T-2) were converted to oil burners and lasted until about 1950 and worked in the Black Hills on the Deadwood Branch.
Yes, Don7. There is one photo of 4000 and one photo of 4002. Both are of the engineers side and images are poor quality. Also, there are pictures of 4004, 4007, 4100, 4101, 4105, 4107, and 4108. The photo of 4004 is a builders photo of the engineers side. The photo of 4007 is of the fireman’s side.
The book has drawings of the Class T-1 (4000-4002).