Interesting RR photos George Stephenson is generally credited with the invention of the first usable steam locomotive. His locomotive “Blucher” (shown in sketch) was completed and tested on the Collingwood Railway on July 25, 1814. The track was an uphill trek of four hundred and fifty feet. Stephenson’s engine hauled eight loaded coal wagons weighing …
Continue reading Kevin’s Comments 08/01/2024
Category:Steam
Kevin’s Komments 05/24/2024
Headlamps and other Details I’ve been working on the Cincinnati Northern locomotive roster for a while now. I’ve started looking closely at details on the locos (possible modeling project??). One of the early steamers that has caught my attention is CN #110, an American (4-4-0) built by Brooks (builder # 974) in 1883. CN #110 …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 05/24/2024
Kevin’s comments for April 19, 2024
Prototypes that I love but should really never model!
Kevin’s Komments 03/12/2024
I did a study on streamlined locos a few years ago. But a series of colorized photos has caught my eye recently. So…Here’s a review of streamliners—most photos are in color or colorized!
Kevin’s Komments 01/17/2024
19th Century Locomotive Builder Renditions & Ads With the ongoing research into the Cincinnati Northern locomotive roster, I’ve checked builder photos and renditions for a number of locos. With these checks, some of the pic collection websites have decided one of my preferences is of builder photos and renditions (imagine that!). So…I finally decided to …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 01/17/2024
Kevin’s Komments 12/26/2023
Christmas on the railroads It’s been a while since I’ve put together a collection of pics. Work and outside activities seem to have wrangled away my spare time. But, the holidays bring in the Christmas spirit. And, I’ve been doing one of these yearly for about four years now… This pic got me started: The …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 12/26/2023
Kevin’s Komments 09/28/2023
Back in my early days of model railroading, logging railroads caught my attention.
Kevin’s Komments 08/25/2023
In several of recent studies, I’ve run into the Brooks Locomotive Works, or the 20th century version, ALCO-Brooks.
Kevin’s Komment 07/27/2023
Of the three main geared steamers – Shays, Climaxes, and Heislers, the Heislers were probably the most efficient.
Kevin’s Komments 04/28/23
Climaxes A little over a year ago, we took a look at geared steam locomotives, specifically the Shays. I promised that we would return to the topic. (It’s been over a year(??)!) While I have a soft spot for all geared steamers and have a few nice operable HO Shays and Heislers, I have a …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 04/28/23
Kevin’s Komments 04/10/23
By the early ‘30s, the line was run by Mikados and Consolidations with just a few Ten-Wheelers hanging on.
Kevin’s Komments 03/10/23
SIRT could be considered the oldest continually operated “subway” system in New York
Kevin’s Komments 02/24/2023
Ross Winans – Camels A while back, we reviewed camelback locos and distinguished the difference between a camelback and a camel locomotive. Camels were early steamers designed by the B&O in the early to mid 19th century, while camelbacks were late 19th century steamers designed around wide Wooten style fireboxes which burned the dregs of …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 02/24/2023
Kevin’s Komments
The Cincinnati Northern Locomotive Roster: Ten-wheelers, Moguls, & Consolidations On the first study of the CNor roster, we identified 11 Americans (4-4-0s) that worked on CNor track. Ten of the Americans were acquired when the CNor was founded from the acquisition of the Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw track south of Jackson. The eleventh was the …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments
Kevin’s Komments 01/10/2023
The Cincinnati Northern Locomotive Roster – Early Americans (4-4-0) on the CNor I’ve been working on the CNor roster for a while now. The roster during the early period – prior to the CNor’s existence, and during the time the CNor was independent, was relatively easy to pull together. When the New York Central bought …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 01/10/2023
Kevin’s Komments 09/24/2022
Another of the layouts I really enjoyed at the NMRA convention tours was Paul Fries’ Chicago & North Western, East Iowa Subdivision. Paul’s layout represented the expanses and long runs between towns with a really great potential for exciting operating sessions. So with Paul’s layout in mind, and hopefully providing Dave with some interesting pics, …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 09/24/2022
Kevin’s Komments 07/27/2022
I’m still stuck on the locomotive shops that built and maintained the steam locomotives. I believe this is a large milling machine. The site is the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone, PA, 1937. When I zoomed in on the item(s) being milled, it appears to be the chassis framing that holds the driver bearings – …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 07/27/2022
Kevin’s Komments 07/08/2022
Locomotives and Shops: We’ve looked at shops and talked about the PRR shops in Altoona. Here is the wheel mounting machine at the Altoona shops. The guy in the suit between the drivers is measuring inside of flange to inside of flange. (I think they need a giant NWSL wheel puller and quartered along with …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 07/08/2022
Kevin’s Komments 06/10/2022
I had been doing some more research on towns along the Cincinnati Northern, but got distracted by a series of pics on the Pennsylvania and PRR shops. This first pic got me started. PRR #2644, a class H 2-8-0, along with the shop crew, pose for a photograph on the turntable at the Renovo shops, …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 06/10/2022
Kevin’s Komments 05/20/2022
Unloading lumber and a number of other topics! I saw this photo on Pinterest and it caught my attention for a number of reasons. The Milwaukee Road built a little over 3,000 of horizontal ribbed boxcars between 1939 and 1940. These cars were unique in that the horizontal panels ran continuous to the door opening …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 05/20/2022
Kevin’s Komments 04/11/2022
Streamlined Steam & Lehigh Valley Locomotives The first pic got me researching the Illinois Central Green Diamond – which was initially pulled by a stylish Pullman diesel electric (first set of pics). But I detoured early on into Lehigh steam. When I went back to the streamlined locos, I stuck to mostly steam. …So it …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 04/11/2022
Kevin’s Komments 02/25/2022
Davenport Locomotive Works So – I spotted this great little diesel switcher, Peoria & Pekin Union Railway #200. Searched and found this website: http://www.donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr1213.htm , where you can find a few pics and some basic info on the P&PU Ry. (If you go to the home page of the Don Ross Group website, you can …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 02/25/2022
Kevins Komments 01/23/2022
Engine & railroad facilities. There was no caption with this pic, but I believe we’re looking at an engine facility around the early ‘50’s. I see a lot of doghouses on the tenders of the steamers. There appears to be an F unit with a radio antenna paired with another unit, and maybe an E …
Continue reading Kevins Komments 01/23/2022
Kevin’s Komments 1/6/2022
Shays, Class D A couple weeks ago, I showed a little pic collection based on Lima, OH with the Lima Locomotive Works picking up a large portion of the end of the collection. Shortly after releasing the collection, I stumbled upon a pic of a four truck Shay! – Class D. Geared steam locos have …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 1/6/2022
Kevin’s Komments 12/10/2021
After being distracted from model railroading for a few weeks, my thoughts have drifted back. And I have about three research projects already lined up for the next few weeks! This next photo caught my attention. I’m not ready to do another exclusive roundhouse or turntable pic effort, but the location of this roundhouse put …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 12/10/2021
Kevin’s Komments 09/30/2021
We were going through a couple collections of MR models that were donated to the club on Tuesday night when a couple of us opened a box of MOW cars. Discussion ensued. We’ve discussed what MOW and non-revenue equipment would be appropriate sitting on a track or two near the roundhouse. And we pass around …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 09/30/2021
Kevins’ Komments 09/28/2021
Vintage Steam Time for some vintage steam loco pics (and maybe a bridge or two thrown in)! This first pic got me started. This pic of UP #75 with a head of steam got me looking at 19th century locos. In looking at how the tender is lettered – U.P.R.R. – this tells us that …
Continue reading Kevins’ Komments 09/28/2021
Kevin’s Komments 09/17/2021
Oil Burners One of the locomotive curiosities that caught my attention after my recent trip out west was the oil burning steam locos of California. Most of us steam lovers across the east and Midwest understand the firebox of coal fueled steamers. But I wasn’t exactly sure about those oil burners of the west. My …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 09/17/2021
Kevin’s Komments 09/10/2021
Yosemite Valley Railroad It’s been a couple weeks since my last set of pics – I was on vacation last week at Yosemite…Which introduces the subject of today! Yosemite Valley RR Co. was a short-line that operated from 1907 to 1945. The RR followed the Merced River for about 30 miles up to the edge …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 09/10/2021
Kevin’s Komments 08/27/2021
So…Who knows model railroading history? Who was the first manufacturer of electrically powered model trains? My normal research into historic railroad pics will take a little turn today – Let’s look at some historic model railroading! I found a little treasure right here in Cincinnati. A company named Carlisle & Finch, located on West Mitchell …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 08/27/2021
Kevin’s Komments08/06/2021
Camelbacks Camelbacks! Mother Hubbards! Way back when I was a teenager, I loved camelbacks. I dreamed of a layout with a loco roster filled with camelbacks of all shapes and sizes. Then I found out that it was impractical to have a camelback Big Boy! Dreams sometimes fall hard! The general theory was that you …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments08/06/2021
Kevin’s Komments 07/31/2021
Yard Switchers One topic that interests me but I haven’t covered yet is the small industrial steam switchers. We’ve looked at gas switchers like the Plymouths (Dupps #1). And we’ve occasionally shown some shop switchers, and a few yard switchers. But, what about the small industrial switchers?… One thing I found in this search is …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 07/31/2021
Kevin’s Komments 07/22/2021
Towing and Shrouding I was putting together some photos, in which the topic was inspired by the first photo below – and last night we coincidentally mentioned the Strasburg Railroad! A second separate but equally coincidental discussion last night came up about the cylinder rods of a loco being disconnected…possibly because it was recently towed. …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 07/22/2021
Kevin’s Komments 06/21/2021
A great photographer: J. Parker Lam Sometimes you find a great website: https://railphoto-art.org/ – and a great photographer: J. Parker Lamb – and you just have to spend a lunchtime analyzing the photos. We’ll start with the B&O, Dayton, 1955! This photo is interesting to me because I’ve never seen the process of emptying and …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 06/21/2021
Kevin’s Komments 06/05/2021
Odd Locomotives After a while of research, I always end up with a collection of unique or odd locomotives that catch my eye. Here is a collection of locomotives, sometimes historic, that just ended up in that “odd” category. Below is a replica of the B&O’s famous Tom Thumb, a 2-2-0 built in 1829. The …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 06/05/2021
Kevin’s Komments 05/27/2021
Historical Photos Stumbled on the Van Wert County Historic Society facebook page and found a few photos I wasn’t sure whether we had: I’m not sure if this loco had anything to do directly with the Cincinnati Northern – It looks like it came from the Cincinnati, Van Wert, & Michigan RR, a predecessor of …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 05/27/2021
Kevin’s Komments 05/06/2021
Painting schemes.
Kevin’s Komments 04/01/2021
Steam Switchers Somehow (probably because of the USRA pics of switchers), I’ve been caught up with pics of yard switchers – steam era. This is the Milwaukee Railroad yard: If you like UP steam, this is a great site: https://donstrack.smugmug.com/UtahRails/Union-Pacific/UP-Steam-Locomotives/ . I found this UP switcher along with a few others: Same website – this …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 04/01/2021
Kevin’s Komments 03/31/2021
Steam Engines Most of us have a basic understanding of the USRA steam locomotive standards – When the USRA took over the railroads during WWI, they created standards for steam locomotives so that a number of locomotives could be produced and distributed to the railroads. The reason was the deficit of steam locos caused by …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 03/31/2021
Kevin’s Komments 02/23/2021
Steam Turbine Locomotives When I was creating the “largest Locomotive” list, I got my first real look at the steam turbine locomotives. There weren’t many of them, and for the most part, they were unsuccessful experiments. But a few had short lives before being replaced by the diesels. Most of them failed because of maintenance …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 02/23/2021
Kevin’s Komments 02/11/2021
“Largest” steam locomotive I was bouncing around one of my favorite websites, https://www.steamlocomotive.com/ , my quest still being details on CNor 2791 heavy pacific. I was trying to figure out when and how often Worthington Type SA feedwater systems were added to the heavy pacifics. The Mantua boiler casting has a molded detail at the …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 02/11/2021
Kevin’s Komments 02/08/2021
Steam Engine Repair I’m still detailing out CNor #2791 4-6-2 for the layout. I’ve been looking at everything from Pyle generators (dynamos) to Worthington feedwater systems. Which brought me to today’s topic – locomotive shop photos. It always strikes me on how many large shop machines were needed at each loco facility for the roughly …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 02/08/2021
Kevin’s Komments 01/25/2021
close ups of the drivers and valve gear of steam locomotives.
Kevin’s Komments 01/21/2021
Streamlined Steam Monty got me attached to a project he and I are working on where we’re going to try and model a streamlined Pacific passenger loco. I know I’ve probably flashed some of these photos up before, but…streamlined steam locos – they’re the best! …and that’s only a few of streamlined steam locos! Thx, …
Continue reading Kevin’s Komments 01/21/2021