7 1/2" gauge loco

Matthyro

Will always be re-membered
Dec 28, 2000
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Georgetown, Ontario,Canada
Very nice Ray. I started to build a 7 1/2 in gauge 4-4-0 but only got the frame and wheels done. The boiler was just a bit too much so it has been on the back burner for a few years.
I admire anyone that gets a loco this size completed.
 

Ray Marinaccio

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Aug 4, 2003
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Dewey Az.
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Building a loco this size is a lot of work. I cheated a little, it's not live steam. It has a automotive starter motor and battery.
The drivers were from the locomotive that I posted a photo of in this thread.
[http://www.the-gauge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8481]
The pilot, trailing track and tender wheels are from small overhead crane trolleys.
Other than the frame almost everything is made of wood.
The boiler is a piece of heating duct, plastic flowerpots for domes, PVC pipe for the cvlinders and an old tachometer housing and flashlight parts for the headlight. The track in the photo is made from fence T-posts.
It ran when this photo was taken , (about 10 years ago) It is in need of a little maintainence now.
 

Ray Marinaccio

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Aug 4, 2003
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Dewey Az.
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This is another photo of the loco before it was rebuilt.
The photo shows about half of the backyard railroad.
At about the center of the photo you can see the third bridge entering the woods. The tracks continued about another 1/8 mile into the woods.
We used the railroad to bring firewood to the house (which is just to the left of where the photo was taken from).
 

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Ray Marinaccio

Active Member
Aug 4, 2003
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Dewey Az.
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I'm the engineer and my nephew is riding the car.
It was a bit of a tight squeeze and balancing act for an adult to run the loco. That's one of the reasons I rebuilt it. Riding the tender of the rebuilt loco was a lot more comfortable and safer.
It's sad to say the line is now abandoned. The loco and car are here in AZ. The track was left there as it will cost less to buy new track than to take up the old rail and ship it here.
A new line is in the planning stage at my brothers new house in Humboldt AZ., (3.5 acres) (about 5 miles from here).