The Home Machinist!

1. Is there a distinct sharing forum for construction & building information for this loco?
2. What modifications to the LE/Banning plans and castings are required to conform to the Ps-4?
3. Have there ever been a printed or online construction series on this loco?
Any help is appreciated!
John Miller

It all depends on how accurate you want it to be.

You can build one from LE castings, just put a 10 inch boiler, the feed water heater, different tender and detail it as a SOU and you've got a decent representation, see the one on DLS at the moment. Also you'll need different domes and smoke stack than the stock LE pacific.

Not all ps4s even had the elesco FWH.

From there it just depends on how much effort you want to put into it to make it more accurate.

Do you want to scratch build a different trailing truck for the LE pacific?

Maybe you'd be able to find a complete set of East Coast/Klamath parts and drawings but who knows.

Other than that, the other alternative would be Roger Goldmann castings.

The most detailed ones Ive seen is one out in SVLS in California from the Klamath castings then there was one in Florida that I think was mostly scratch built for sale on DLS years ago.

Check your PM

Thanks SO much for the quick and expansive reply! No, I don't want to build a museum piece, but a 'decent representation' as you mentioned.

Yes, the one for sale on DLS is from LE castings rebuilt by Steve Alley whom I contacted for comment, and simply confirmed it was only an LE rebuild. Did a beautiful job and the photos and details of components are very helpful. Didn't realize it had a power-reverse.

Yes, plan to replace/scratch-build the Delta trailing truck with a Hodges. Not sure if anyone has castings for this.

Yes on the Elesco FWH, again probably have to scratch-build and make it functional/operational.

I'm aware of Roger Goldmann's castings and machining capability, though haven't contacted him yet. Was going to ask if the USRA design he follows (for the SP Pacific) differs from the ALCO designs for the Ps-4. Maybe not much.

Was unaware of East Coast/Klamath as a supplier. Will have to check that out. Do you have any contact info for them?

BTW I have built and operate an Allen Mogul, but a Ps-4 would be a big jump, so your input is Much Appreciated!

Thanks so much!
John Miller

Out of curiosity, are any of the current PS4 designs/drawings/patterns/castings from those offered during the PS4 building "contest" started by Live Steam in the early 1970s? As I recall those were produced by a guy in Chattanooga named Lee Stephens. I also don't remember ever having a loco called to my attention as a built example of a Stephens PS4.

I had an acquaintance (now deceased) in Louisville KY who was a vintage car collector and he inherited (in a car transaction) a set of what he said were the Stephens PS4 castings, and that's the first and last of those I ever saw.

I am not a fan of Elescos but other than that I always thought the PS4, and the USRA Pacific, was the most beautifully proportioned American locomotive there was.

Honestly, I would not go for a fully working elesco system or working power reverse, but those aren't really ps4 specific details and are things that could be added to many live steamers. More things to have to fix etc. Those are details you can always add at a later date though. I'd focus on collecting the castings and drawings for the chassis.

Klamath/East coast is no longer in business and no idea on contact info for them.

The roger goldman 4-6-2 will be the most accurate off the shelf minus the trailing truck as the Ps-4 was VERY similar to a USRA heavy .

There was an engine in South Carolina built from the lee stephens " tech trainer" castings, but no idea.

Don't think anyone makes castings for a accurate trailing truck now.

Someone on here was building a Erie pacific which looked close to the southern one, maybe try contacting them and see what they used.

http://southern.railfan.net/images/arch ... 2/462.html

This particular engine had a lot of different configurations....I have the book of drawings put out by bill fitt years ago. Some had walschearts valve gear, others had baker gear.

John,
And any other PS4 fans, in going through some old photo files yesterday, I found this photo which I had run across some years ago in the "Shorpy" historical photo archive. There was no indication of location (somewhere in Georgia?) or date, late 1940s I'd suspect, but I thought you might find it interesting.

The original exceeds what I can post here so I've cropped and reduced it, but if anyone wants the full file (1400kb) send me an email and I'll post it to you.

That photo is of the "as built" late 1920s-early/mid 1930s look. With the baker, Crescent lettering, etc

Just a word of warning - If you are going to deal with Roger Goldman he has become very difficult and not very reliable to deal with from the grapevine

I would be very careful - sad to say he use to be very reliable and his castings were very good .

Man what a beautiful engine. Something about that feedwater heater.

It's a shame more USRA locomotives weren't saved, like a USRA mountain, or maybe a C&O F series 4-6-2, certainly anything Erie etc