Who has scratch built a steam engine? Need Help-Any Forum Member have Union Pacific 'blue prints'?

Bob-right now I'm sourcing parts, so I'm thankful for any leads.  Is Mr. Stevenson a forum member?  

Ron- I'd like to do your track style, but I just finished buying all the Gargraves I need for the layout.  Time is limited for me, so I am going to stay with the Gargraves and devote my time to scratch building structures/rolling stock/engines.

Keep me posted on how your 2-rail conversion is going.  Very interested.

Looking for locomotive blue prints today.  Did some on-line searching last night and found a place, but they want $300 for them!  NOT!  Saw a book at the used bookstore last week, so I am going back today to check it out.  I don't think it had the locomotives I am looking for, though.  

Any ideas where to find blue prints?

Thanks!

You might consider searching for information using one of the several model RR magazine indices that also cover many of the prototype publications.

You might also consider contacting the NMRA library with a specific request for plans of specific engines - you don't have to be a member and the charge for copies is nominal.

Thanks for the help!

There is beautiful stuff on Mr. Stevenson's page.  WOW.

I'll contact the NMRA and see what I can find.  Thanks for the suggestion.

Blue prints:  Model Railroader Cyclopedia, Mainline Modeler Cyclopediae (2 volumes) and Train Shed Cyclopediae, all available used.  Of course, specific UP locomotives might be harder to find - let us know which ones you want to build.  All you need really is elevation and a few photos.

Bob,

Started tracking down the references you posted.  

Also ordered William Kratvilles's book, Motive Power of the Union Pacific. Not sure if it'll have drawings or not, but I want to read it for general education.  I enjoyed his Challenger and Big Boy books Hot Water recommended.   

I'm building a 2-10-2 and a 2-8-8-0 Bull Moose (both UP).  The 2-10-2 is first.  Goal is to have the tender built by end of summer.  I am in no hurry, want to do it correctly/accurately.

In today's other news, my MTH Union Pacific Turbines arrived-all 4 of them!  Since I am a steam engine only guy, these are my only non-steam motive power.  They were offered to me at a great deal, so I bought them.  Glad I did, they are very nice.    

That might be true if you've done this a few times,

Although I have great respect for a TRUE craftsman like bob2 who can do this sort of amazing work, to me, it would be like enrolling in a Swiss watchmaking school!  

At 71, I do not have the time nor patience, not to mention the talent, to even consider such a project!

BEST WISHES to those who CAN! 

I did my first one at age 44.  Paul Stroebel (RIP) started building locomotives in his 70s. I got to know him because he called me with questions about my OGR articles.  Interesting and accomplished guy - he was VP Europe for Dow Chemicals at one point.

Like almost anything else, it is one step at a time, and there are levels of achievement.  For instance, our local caboose maker can run circles around me in the skill department. That fact does not bother me much - we all have a niche.

You may not have the time or patience, but you will never know or acquire the talent or skills w/o starting.

I have very little patience when I'm in my shop building something so I tend to be building 3-5 projects at the same time.  I now know that if I ever have the opportunity to completely re-design my shop, it would be bench space all the way around the room at a level comfortable for me to be standing - I get bored sitting!

Time, I find in between everything else - I still work full-time in a publish or perish environment that forces me to be working almost every day at some level.  I am regularly told that I will have less time after I retire.  I'm not sure how that can work w/o some alteration of the space-time structure of the universe.  I'll find out in about 3 years, if all goes as planned.

Don't have much to show for my effort today, but I did get something done.

Contacted UPHS (Union Pacific Historical Society) and ordered a few books.  They also put me in touch with someone about getting blue prints.  Great folks.

Tracked down several sources for brass, all local. I'll use it for my detail parts.

Still need to find a motor, frame, and...the list is too long to write...

Excited to get this project going.  It'll open a whole new horizon of possibilities for my Union Pacific collection.

The key for me is to do small amounts of work at a time, to quit when I start feeling tired, and most importantly, to stay in practice by working on a regular basis. I think that last point isn't emphasized enough--I'd be willing to bet that very few people could immediately do contest-quality work after not touching a tool for 3 months....

Jeff C

I have some drivers, frames and motors that I'll never use.  I also have a couple Williams Pacifics that are mostly parts.  Email me what you are looking for.  I can send you pictures too.  I don't have side rods. 

I sure am envious reading these comments about bashing or scratching steam locomotives. I have the patience to work on it, but not the patience to spend that long a time on one project, when there are cabooses, and structures, and.....etc. to be built.  Too many trains, too little time....

The cure for that is to consider each component a separate project--I bet if you built the frame and running gear you'd start wondering what it would be like to see a boiler and cab mounted on top....

Jeff C