Steam locomotive schematics

[zigg72md]

I tried searching for this topic to no avail. So please pardon me if this was already discussed. I was wondering if the original builders schematics/blueprints for old steam locomotives are still around and/or are being preserved. I am conserned more about locomotives that don't exist any more rather than locomotives that are still running. Not because these locomotives are unimportant just that my thought was if the paperwork can be saved... Is it possible to build a fullscale replica of these long lost pieces of our history? Would such an idea even be feisable? While I have a particular locomotive in mind (PRR 6200) I ask the question about any/all lost steam locomotives.

Thank you for your time.

[AltonFan]

I understand some railroads donated their blueprints and related documents to the Smithsonian, but last I heard, these papers are still uncataloged and unavailable for study.  I have no idea if the PRR preserved any of their papers.

As for bulding a full-scale (working?) replica of an old locomotive, I don't see it happening.  Merely rebuilding/maintaining existing boilers often runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and requires the use of equipment, skills, and facilities that are now extremely rare, and if available, very expensive.  What's more, a lot of the fittings and auxiliary machinery (air pumps, headlights, etc.) would have to be custome built, as their suppliers either went out of business, or moved on to other products long ago.

A non-working static replica might be more feasible.  Think of it as an exercise in 12" to the Foot scale.

[TomDiehl]

I tried searching for this topic to no avail. So please pardon me if this was already discussed. I was wondering if the original builders schematics/blueprints for old steam locomotives are still around and/or are being preserved. I am conserned more about locomotives that don't exist any more rather than locomotives that are still running. Not because these locomotives are unimportant just that my thought was if the paperwork can be saved... Is it possible to build a fullscale replica of these long lost pieces of our history? Would such an idea even be feisable? While I have a particular locomotive in mind (PRR 6200) I ask the question about any/all lost steam locomotives.

Thank you for your time.

Since you're looking for a Pennsy locomotive blueprint, let me make a few suggestions:

The Altoona Railroader's Memorial Museum

http://www.trainweb.org/horseshoecurve-nrhs/coalb.htm

Te Pennsylvania State Railroad Museum in Strasburg, PA

http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/

The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society

http://www.prrths.com/

 

[JonathanS]

While some of the original shop drawings have been preserved it would be impractical to save all locomotive drawings from any of the major builders.  Every single different part on each class of locomotive would have at least one drawing, and sometimes several.  A complete set of drawings needed to build a locomotive would easily fill a large drawing case. 

Just a for instance using the drivers on an 8 coupled locomotive.  The two main driver wheels would have a drawing so the foundry could cast the centers (There actually may be many drawings to show the detail of each of the openings on a Boxpox or Scullen Disc center).  The other two middle drivers would be on a separate drawing for the driver centers (if there are no detail take offs).  And if you are lucky, the end drivers are identical and you get 4 driver centers for one drawing (or one set of drawings if there are detail drawings).  And to top that off you need another drawing for the tires for all eight drivers.  So we have at least 4 (or more) drawings and only 16 of the thousands of parts.  We haven't even gotten to the axles, rods, pins, bearings, shims, crossheads, the nuts that hold the rods, the cotter pins that hold the nuts, etc. Each one of those that is even slightly different than any of the others needs a separate drawing or drawings depending on the complexity of the part.

Then there is all the parts that go into the leading and training trucks and the rest of the locomotive.

Granted that a number of drawings will be common to a number of different types of locomotives.  But if you want the drawing set to recreate a "modern" steam locomotive you will be dealing with many hundreds of drawings.

 

[J. Edgar]

cost being no object.....in 1935 the German State Railways had built from original drawings a replica of the first steam locomotive to operate in Germany the Adler...it was a Robert Stephenson Patentee type built in 1835   no detail on cost and i know its  realy no comparison between a 20th century superpower locomotive and Robert Stephenson's 19th century designs in a new industry but its been done on a 12" to the foot scale.....also theres a formerly operational full size replica of Stephenson's Rocket in the Henry Ford that Henry Ford had built from "known prints" of the original in the early 20's.....IMHO the largest hurdle would be the largest piece....casting the engine bed with intergergal cylinders.....everything else realy is just plate steel bar steel and round stock stamped machined riveted and welded.....i do that in my back yard fixin the lawn mower.........it boils down to money....and the original question....i would try the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian...in person would give the best results but both websites give good info