Connor 4+4 Beam Engine

[bill4227]

Has anyone built the Connor 4+4 Beam engine and what do you think of it? Any photos?

[jkimberln]

We have a brand new Connor at GGLS. It looks pretty good and ran fine on its first outing a couple weeks ago. It looked to me like a fairly easy loco to build but YMMV depending on your experience. The owner is an MD with no machining experience and little time so it took awhile before it came for its first run. I don't think he had any serious issues with it other than a couple leaky valve stems. I'm sure there will be some pictures eventually but I don't know of any right now. You could check the GGLS website....

[Pontiacguy1]

I don't think that Bill Conner himself built more than 3 or 4 of the 8-wheeled version of the locomotive. If you look at how the power transfers to down to the trucks, it's pretty ingenious, and simple. He started building the original 4-wheel version back in the 1970s. The 8 wheel version didn't come along until up into the 90's maybe even late 90's at that, going by my own memory of when he first brought it to the track. Bill died in 2014 at age 91. I don't recall him doing much building in the last 10 years of his life.

I believe that the main differences, other than the longer chassis and two swivel trucks, were slightly larger cylinders and boiler. That's really about it, and even that may not be any different. Those machines were rugged, smooth, and powerful for their size. They steamed very freely. There used to be 4 or 5 of them seemed like at every MSLS meet. Now you might see one, or maybe none. You know they are all still out there somewhere...

[Berkman]

Always thought the 4+4 was a super neat engine. Amazing how powerful they are, easy to run and maintain. Rarely see one that's out of action due to something breaking etc.

If I were going to build one, without a doubt definitely go for the 4+4 over the 0-4-0, so much more power. I'm 99% sure the 4+4 used a 12inch boiler vs a 10 inch, then it had larger cylinders and a lower gear ratio. The one of DLS that was owned by Bill Cody had a thicker frame, by how much I'm not sure, but certainly added weight for pulling power.

I've seen photos of one with spoked wheels which looked really neat. Have no idea what castings were used. You could easily detail one more as a freelance logging locomotive with a wood pilot beam, added detail etc.

Here's a vid from youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2AFiZ8KUVk

[steamingon]

Are the drawings still available for either loco ? If so from who..

[Pontiacguy1]

At one point, Bill gave someone permission to draw the locomotive into CAD. I don't know if it was just the 0-4-0 version or both of them. I don't know who either. At one point though, you could buy all the CAD files for the locomotive. Bill only offered the locomotives ready-to-run, and never published any drawings for them that I am aware of. He didn't use any castings, either.

[Pontiacguy1]

I did a quick search and found this from back in 2013:

I would recommend David Phillips (517-262-8413 or 517-688-5024) for prints to build the Bill Conner 4+4 beam engine. This engine does not require castings of any type, it's all bar and flat stock. All readily available at most any good sized metal vendor.

May not be up to date, but at least there is a name and a somewhere to start looking.

[Berkman]

I apologize ahead if I'm incorrect, but I thought I heard that David Phillips passed away a few years ago.

I think Bill's grandson Matt is involved at the track in Columbia. I'd find a way to get ahold of him, I bet he could point you in the right direction.

[bill4227]

Mat Irwin is Bill's grandson. here is his contact info. He provided me with the drawings that I have.
Matt Irwin
615-504-9126
Matt.irwin@comcast.net
I might be willing to sell my copy of the 0-4-0 as I have both sets and am planning to build the 4x4

[Pontiacguy1]

Matt Irwin, Bill's grandson, is currently the President of the Mid-South Live Steamers. He's a great guy to deal with. Here's another e-mail for him: matt@midsouthlivesteamers.com

I didn't hear that Mr. Phillips had passed away. Sorry about that.

[Berkman]

Again, I'm not 100% sure on that, but fairly certain I had heard that. Again I greatly apologize if that isn't the case about Mr. Phillips.

[pat1027]

Dave Phillips passed in 2017.