Hi all
Thanks for all the imput.
Most helpfull looks like I can still have a big engine all be it a tank engine and find a sensible excuse oop's I mean reason for it to be there.
regards John
John Busby Trench train is as good a description as any,
I just used the term from the Minitrains description
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
MinitrainS
http://www.minitrains.eu/index.html
An US dealer
https://www.caboosehobbies.com/catalog/index_home.php?manufacturers_id=1371
A Canada dealer
http://www.central-hobbies.com/products/minitrains.html
Bachmann
I found this site (from 2014) discussing announcement of 4mm scale Bachmann 009 gauge
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/87702-bachmann-announce-narrow-gauge-range-led-by-baldwin-4-6-0t/
but have not found them for sale.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Hi G Paine
The pershing cars are minitrains the loco was as well I think.
I don't think the Bachmann Europe WD Baldwins are avalable yet and they are to be 4mm scale I believe.
Trench train is as good a description as any, I was under the impresion steam did not go as far as the trenches, but the petrol / diesle loco's did.
Something about steam advertising its position not a good idea in war time I would have thought.
John BusbyWith models of the WD Baldwins avalable and some thing resembaling Pershing cars avalable RTR as well I wondered is any of the loco's and cars where repatriated to the US after WWI and where they went. As I see these as a possible start to a HOn2 1/2 layout and I am not sure the Maine two footers lasted long enough to have any of these loco's or freight cars
John, are you referring to the Minitrains 2-6-2 "Trench Train"? I have been looking at that as well for the Boothbay Railway Village narrow gauge layout section. Caboose Hobbies will be stocking then soon, I hope. I realize it is not a Maine 2 footer, but finding RTR HO 2-1/2 is difficult, expensive or both.
I recently bought their 0-4-4 Forney. I gave it a short test run, and it seems to be a smooth runner out of the box. My next step is to do a decoder installation on it, just need to get a couple of current projects behind me. Andreas from Minitrains was very helpful with advise on how to remove the loco shell. There are some fine wires inside that need care in handling.
John,
It was more a case of stuff that didn't make it overseas that stayed here. Rolling stock shipped to Europe pretty much stayed there.
Fort Benning in Georgia had a fairly large rail network using this equipment for some years. This came in handy as it was a major training base between the wars. A total of about a dozen posts had some of the 60 cm equipment running, with a dozen or so more proposed, but never really got it.
Much was also sold to civilian buyers in the US.
Overseas, the US Army supplied part of the occupation army by building across no man's land to provide transport of food, etc. Then it was basically turned over to the French, who variously used the lines or sold the equipment off to civilian buyers.
Narrow Gauge to No Man's Land by Richard Dunn is the main reference for US Army 60 cm stuff. Out of print and expensive for some years, recent republication should make getting a copy more affordable and comes highly recommended.
There is also a Yahoo Group called narrowmilitaryrail that will also be of interest.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
From Narrow Gauge to No Man's Land by Richard Dunn
None of the Baldwin 2-6-2T sent to France returned to the US, however 5 never left the States. The Davenport 2-6-2T and the Vulcan 2-6-2T were built to the Baldwin design. Only the Baldwins went oveseas. The Davenports and Vulcans were completed too late.
Locomotives on US Military Bases:
Aberdeen Proving Grounds: Received two Baldwin 60cm gauge gas mechanical locomotives in Dec 1917. They parcicipated in the testing of narrow gauge gun car in 1918.
Fort Banjamim Harrison: Received two Davenport 2-6-2T in Oct 1918 and a 50hp Whitcomb gas mechanical received in Dec 1919.
Fort Benning: Most there throgh WW2: one Baldwin 2-6-2T 1920-1934, 26 Davenport 2-6-2T, 8 Vulcon 2-6-2T , 3 Whitcomb 50hp gas mechanical locos.
Fort Dix: 9 Vulcon 2-6-2T, 2 Vulcan 2-6-2T, 2 Plymouth gas mechanical, one armord gas mechanical (Baldwin or Whitcomb) from mid 1920's to 1941?
Fort Humphries: 3 Baldwin 2-6-2T, 11 Baldwin 50hp gas mechanical
Scholfield Barracks Hawaii until Mar 1933:4 Davenport 2-6-2T, 2 Vulcan 2-6-2T, 2 Baldwin 50hp gas mechanical, 2 Whitcomb 50hp gas mechanical.
Some civilian use in USA:
Monongahela Railroad: may have used Baldwin 2-8-2T in the 1920's (there is a photo of one out of service in 1923.
Kaiser Paving Company: Three Davenport 2-6-2T used on road project in southern California 1923.
Southern Iron an Equipment Company Alanta Georgia: Vulcan 2-6-2T
Lost River Railroad (Winchester Lumber Company) in West Virginia: 5 Vulcan 2-6-2T from 1922-1931.
Most gas mechanical locos retained in the States eventually went to State Highway departments.
Other equipment: "... many of the cars produced never got to France." because the war ended.
The WD Baldwins where used by both the USMRR and the ROD about the only difference seems to be markings the Pershing cars are obviously of US origins as well.
With models of the WD Baldwins avalable and some thing resembaling Pershing cars avalable RTR as well I wondered is any of the loco's and cars where repatriated to the US after WWI and where they went
As I see these as a possible start to a HOn2 1/2 layout and I am not sure the Maine two footers lasted long enough to have any of these loco's or freight cars
I would be interested to know what if any of the RR equipment came back to the US
So I can fudge history a bit for my proposed layout.
I like Forneys but would prefer to vary the loco fleet a little bit even though we are looking at probably a max of 3 loco's total.