Varney (?) Yellowstone Locomotive

[Anonymous]

I recently inherited a Varney kit-built Yellowstone type (2-8-8-4) loco. I believe it is a Varney as the axle cover plates are stamped Varney, although the boiler bears a very close resemblence to Bowser's early Challenger. The cab is enclosed and the oil type tender has 4-wheel trucks. I have searched my collection of MRs back to 1951 but can find no reference to this loco in any ads or articles. Anyone have any information on this loco ?
Thanks,
DGoulbourn

[Anonymous]

I recently inherited a Varney kit-built Yellowstone type (2-8-8-4) loco. I believe it is a Varney as the axle cover plates are stamped Varney, although the boiler bears a very close resemblence to Bowser's early Challenger. The cab is enclosed and the oil type tender has 4-wheel trucks. I have searched my collection of MRs back to 1951 but can find no reference to this loco in any ads or articles. Anyone have any information on this loco ?
Thanks,
DGoulbourn

[Anonymous]

I think that you will have to go back to the 40's to find this unit. I have MR's back to '47 but they are in storage at this time. I'll see if I can dig them out and check it for you.

Doug

[Anonymous]

I think that you will have to go back to the 40's to find this unit. I have MR's back to '47 but they are in storage at this time. I'll see if I can dig them out and check it for you.

Doug

[Anonymous]

DougAF,
Thanks for the help. I appreciate you taking the time to check.

Doug Goulbourn

[Anonymous]

DougAF,
Thanks for the help. I appreciate you taking the time to check.

Doug Goulbourn

[CNJ831]

Varney produced a kit (many partial ones and later some nearly complete or full kits) for the Yellowstone 2-8-8-4 from 1938 until about 1950. I do not believe the Yellowstone was every widely advertised in the hobby press but it did appear in Varney's catalogs. Early examples employed a boiler made of cast bronze. I think the late ones were of cast brass. Varney suggested using this boiler to create other large wheel arrangement locomotives using various Varney parts. Relatively rough in detail by today's standards, the Yellowstone boiler casting is still available from a NYS Varney repro-parts dealer.

CNJ831

[CNJ831]

Varney produced a kit (many partial ones and later some nearly complete or full kits) for the Yellowstone 2-8-8-4 from 1938 until about 1950. I do not believe the Yellowstone was every widely advertised in the hobby press but it did appear in Varney's catalogs. Early examples employed a boiler made of cast bronze. I think the late ones were of cast brass. Varney suggested using this boiler to create other large wheel arrangement locomotives using various Varney parts. Relatively rough in detail by today's standards, the Yellowstone boiler casting is still available from a NYS Varney repro-parts dealer.

CNJ831

[Anonymous]

CNJ831,
Thanks for the info, it really fills in the questions I had about this "brute". My late friend had painted and lettered it for an SP AC-9 and it had been sitting in his basement for maybe 40 - 50 years(!). I agree that by today's standards this loco is pretty crude and it only "represents" an AC-9 in basic form. Amazingly, the motor still tries to turn over but I need to do a lot of cleaning and lubricating to have it run. Again, thanks for the info.
Doug G.

[Anonymous]

CNJ831,
Thanks for the info, it really fills in the questions I had about this "brute". My late friend had painted and lettered it for an SP AC-9 and it had been sitting in his basement for maybe 40 - 50 years(!). I agree that by today's standards this loco is pretty crude and it only "represents" an AC-9 in basic form. Amazingly, the motor still tries to turn over but I need to do a lot of cleaning and lubricating to have it run. Again, thanks for the info.
Doug G.