I am about to start construction of my layout set in the era 1890/1910. I will have a small logging operation but have not yet found the ideal motive power. They started making the first geared locomotives just about this time, but I have not yet found a suitable small model locomotive. Of course one could reason that at this point in history a small operation would have to settle with a secondhand old 4-4-0 engine, not affording to invest in the new geard engines. But IF not, which manufacturer makes such engines in HO/HOn3 scale, if any?
The second obstacle is that I model HO and the most realistic gauge would probaly be HOn3. However, I could consider laying a HOn3 spur for the logging operation if I find the ideal locomotive.
The best altenative so far is the unpowerd kit from Keystone, but this requieres installing a powering kit and I am not sure if will venture into that allready struggeling to find time for construction and scenery:
If you have already investigated the small Bachmann Climax and it is not suitable, then you only option is probably brass for a geared engine. Be prepared to spend a lot.
First, you don’t say what region you are talking about. Typical logging practices varied, depending on whether you are talking Michigan, New England, the South, coastal Northern California, the Sierras, etc. Big time logging using railroads was just getting started in Oregon and Washington in 1900.
Geared engines had matured considerably by the late 1890s. The typical high-drivered 4-4-0 was pretty useless for logging, as they didn’t have enough traction at low speeds. Which leads to the second key for logging locomotive selection - the grades and trackwork. If there was any distance to go, if the grades were moderate, and if the trackwork had some ballast and care, low-drivered rod engines were favored because they could go 25-30 MPH. They didn’t take all day like a 6-10 MPH geared lokey did to get from the base to the log landing sites, or from the landings to the saw mill.
Narrow gauge did not predominate in logging. There were plenty of both standard gauge and 3ft gauge logging lines - check your region. 2ft and 30inch gauge were also used in some areas.
Specifically in HOn3: FED and Ken Kidder (Kidder 2-6-0 only) imported low-end brass 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s in both kit and RTR. Light in detail and questionable running, but with some effort can be made into good locomotives. Kidder also imported Porter 0-4-0s with and without tenders. The latter are a good starting point for the first locomotives of many 3ft gauge lines. All are available on eBay.
Roundhouse made HOn3 versions of their Shay (2 truck scales to about 50T) which can be backdated to your era with available parts. The kit version is not quite as difficult as the Keystone, but is not a shake-the-box either. Modifications to pickups and often an NWSL regear is needed with both the RTR and kits. The Keystone Shay is available in both HOn3 and HO versions. A Class A Climax could be modeled by building a new sup
Don’t know if it is still in production, but you could probably find one on eBay. Here it is with the rest of my logging fleet for comparison; it is #6 in the middle front:
It is 5-5/8" between coupler faces. That’s a Keystone non powered Shay in the lower left, a Rivarossi Heisler beside the Climax, a Roundhouse/MDC Shay on the track behind the Climax, and bringing up the rear is the Bachmann 3-truck Shay. The Climax is the smallest powered loco.
I would strongly recommend the Spectrum Climax. I love this little well running and inexpensive locomotive. I have backdated mine and made it a wood burner very similar in appearance to Clear Lake Number 4, a 52 toner built in 1907. ( C/N 872)
Now if Bachmann would only build a 45 ton Heisler, I would be in logging heaven.
I don’t know if a powering kit for the Keystone shay is available anymore.NWSL still doesn’t have them to my knowledge. I think Mr.Smiths suggestion would be the best at this point.
Remember that logging operators were notorious scroungers and make-do experts, some operation had various steam locos of every type, usually smaller and switcher type locomotives, so look around for a small type steamer that would look just fine on the layout, and never mind about those snooty, expensive, geared, locomotives the rich lumber companies bought, (anyway, a geared locomotive looks goofy, doesn’t it???) have fun.
From 1902 on in the Sierras they used 2-truck Shay’s, which are similar to the MDC Roundhouse 2-truck Shay. Use the wood burning version with balloon stack and old style headlight. Standard and narrow gauge were both common. Kits and ready-to-run are available on e-bay (buyer beware).
There are lots of prototypes for HO standard gauge loggers to pattern themselves after. Just about any kind of used or leased locomotive was found in logging service, and if that didn’t work the backshop would sometimes build one of their own. The photo in this thread of a MDC Shay with the older style headlight is a good example of what can be done inexpensively. On that same line, a company called Walker Model Service produced a “Shay Backdate Kit” that consisted of a straight boiler and domes machined to fit the MDC mechanism and transform it into a style from about 1905.
There is also the wide variety of brass out there. When the commuter elevated railroads in the big cities electrified to solve the smoke problem, many of the little Forney-style locomotives went to logging operations (especially in the South, where the grades weren’t as steep). MTS has imported these, and I use one as the Mill switcher.
First, you don’t say what region you are talking about. Typical logging practices varied, depending on whether you are talking Michigan, New England, the South, coastal Northern California, the Sierras, etc. Big time logging using railroads was just getting started in Oregon and Washington in 1900.
Geared engines had matured considerably by the late 1890s. The typical high-drivered 4-4-0 was pretty useless for logging, as they didn’t have enough traction at low speeds. Which leads to the second key for logging locomotive selection - the grades and trackwork. If there was any distance to go, if the grades were moderate, and if the trackwork had some ballast and care, low-drivered rod engines were favored because they could go 25-30 MPH. They didn’t take all day like a 6-10 MPH geared lokey did to get from the base to the log landing sites, or from the landings to the saw mill.
Narrow gauge did not predominate in logging. There were plenty of both standard gauge and 3ft gauge logging lines - check your region. 2ft and 30inch gauge were also used in some areas.
Specifically in HOn3: FED and Ken Kidder (Kidder 2-6-0 only) imported low-end brass 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s in both kit and RTR. Light in detail and questionable running, but with some effort can be made into good locomotives. Kidder also imported Porter 0-4-0s with and without tenders. The latter are a good starting point for the first locomotives of many 3ft gauge lines. All are available on eBay.
Roundhouse made HOn3 versions of their Shay (2 truck scales to about 50T) which can be backdated to your era with available parts. The kit version is not quite as difficult as the Keystone, but is not a shake-the-box either. Modifications to pickups and often an NWSL regear is needed with both the RTR and kits. The Keystone Shay is available in both HOn3 and HO versions. A Class A Climax could be modeled
