I have had this for a very long time - it was in our house for as long as I can remember. Any steam engine experts have some insight on the manufacturer, age, use?
I came accross this site in my travels around the net: http://johno.myiglou.com/steammain.html You may find some answers ther.
Becky
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
It looks to me like some kind of salesman's sample of a steam engine, or a toy version of same. When I was a kid I had a German made toy steam engine somewhat similar to what you're showing. However, mine was complete with a boiler.
Could you put a ruler alongside to give us an idea of the scale?
It's old though, that's for sure. The fit, finish, paint, and overall patina just shout late 19th or early 20th Century.
I have found out a few things. Regarding size, it is 14.5" across the base and the wheel is 6" in diameter. It is quite old, these where made by the G. Sipp Company of Paterson, NJ. It is a one quarter horsepower working engine and they were offered both as a complete module as well as a kit from 1895 to 1940. An expert I found on these says he is very sure this was built from a kit.
Supposedly pretty desirable, and the boiler that came with - considerably more desirable.
It looks like a hyper used by duPont to pump high pressure gasses.
In lieu of a boiler you could probably hook it up to a small air compressor, say for an air brush, and run it that way.
True. A fellow who has several of these showed a video of one of his hooked to compressed air powering a player piano type device.running a
A quick search found an old catalog, an advertisement, and pictures of the restoration of another engine.
Larry
TrainLarry A quick search found an old catalog, an advertisement, and pictures of the restoration of another engine. Larry
Thanks - pretty amazing stuff.
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