Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

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KidAmato
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 9:31 pm

Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by KidAmato »

Howdy Everyone,
Been awfully busy making progress on the little forney (will update soon), and developing my other projects. Some of you may have come across my last little inquiry under the "live steam" section requesting information about a Uintah locomotive. Also hinting at the development of a little locomotive. Well... I'm terrible at keeping secrets, so it's about time I spill the beans.

Over 10 years ago, I was formally introduced to the hobby by a couple of gentlemen in the gauge 1 community. I was invited to a "summer steam up" at the Strauss residence. Eric, the owner, had a fantastic elevated line for gauge 1 with easily 20 people all waiting to get a crack at the mainline. After talking with him for a while, LALS came up in conversation and how he was building a locomotive to run there. Looking in awe, we made our way over to the garage/shop at which point he pulled the covers off of his locomotive. Sure enough, it was the Fitchburg Northern by Allen Models.

Long story short, I had been interested for about a decade to help Eric finish it. Growing up as a teenager, I planned on taking drawings with me to make parts from raw stock after hours. Unfortunately, Eric passed last year and we never got to work on it together. VERY fortunately however, I always had a great relationship and stayed in contact with his wife, Marie. She always knew I wanted to work on that locomotive and see it run some day. Keeping that present, and seeing my capabilities develop over the years, she felt it was appropriate to let me finish what Eric had started.

He was very inspired by Tom Rhodes, and often referenced Tom in his work. I still have faxes from 1991 going back and forth with Marty Knox talking about the boiler construction mentioning how Tom had a particular stay bolt design. Funny how just earlier today Marty and I were discussing boiler design for it as well! Keeping what Tom Rhodes did in mind, I think it was only appropriate to replicate his approach to the creation of the Fitchburg Northern. Only this time, I'm not looking at a tank engine to make a tender engine. I am looking back to turn this tender engine into a tank engine again!

The concept started with wanting to cross my two favorite Allen engines, the Chloe and the Fitchburg Northern. I loved the look and compact size of the Chloe but admired the slightly increased capacities of the FN as well. So just recently it dawned on me, If I'm already converting 1 locomotive to be a tank engine, why not give this one the same treatment and finally create what I wanted?

Seeing as there were few 2-6-2T's that caught my interest, I took a break from searching for a prototype. A few Sundays ago, a buddy showed me this flat car he scratch built and mentioned it was based on one from the Uintah Railway. For some reason, the name clicked on the spot and I ran off to do some research. Sure enough, my memory didn't fail me and I came across what I originally had thought to have been an 0-6-2T. *I'm sure most of you see where this is going.*

I'm relying on a few prototypes to reference, but mainly the Uintah #20. The goal is to show yet another variation of locomotive that can be achieved using the same castings Steve already offers through Allen Models. I'm even going to hopefully incorporate the trailing truck from the Chloe as well. Not reinventing the wheel, merely machining just a few of them to make a new locomotive :lol: .

Eric, i wish you were still around but this one is for you.


Nico
Attachments
Arriving to pick up the FN
Arriving to pick up the FN
IMG-2751.JPG
7-1/2” gauge 5” scale 2-4-4t
7-1/2” gauge Fitchburg Northern
4-3/4” gauge 1.5” scale 0-4-4t
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NP317
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by NP317 »

Welcome to the Steam Fray.
Looking forward to watching your progress.
RN
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Benjamin Maggi
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Location: Albany, NY

Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Benjamin Maggi »

Any updates?
"One cannot learn to swim without getting his feet wet." - Benjamin Maggi
- Building: 7.25" gauge "Sweet Pea" named "Catherine"
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Harold_V
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Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Harold_V »

Benjamin Maggi wrote: Wed Dec 28, 2022 10:30 am Any updates?
We can only hope. He hasn't made an appearance on the board since last June.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Andypullen »

Harold_V wrote: Wed Dec 28, 2022 4:45 pm
Benjamin Maggi wrote: Wed Dec 28, 2022 10:30 am Any updates?
We can only hope. He hasn't made an appearance on the board since last June.

H
I talk to him from time to time. He’s very busy with work. He works for the company making the engines for the moon rockets.

Andy Pullen
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
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Harold_V
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Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Harold_V »

Thanks, Andy. His job sounds quite interesting.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Andypullen »

Harold_V wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2022 4:40 pm Thanks, Andy. His job sounds quite interesting.

H
You’re welcome Harold!

Nico is a sharp guy. He does programming in MasterCAM.

I’ll mention the questions about his progress to him.

A
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
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Bill Shields
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Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Bill Shields »

Andypullen wrote: Fri Dec 30, 2022 5:07 pm
Harold_V wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2022 4:40 pm Thanks, Andy. His job sounds quite interesting.

H
Nico is a sharp guy. He does programming in MasterCAM.
If he was really smart, he would use GibbsCAM
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Andypullen »

Bill Shields wrote: Fri Dec 30, 2022 7:39 pm
Andypullen wrote: Fri Dec 30, 2022 5:07 pm
Harold_V wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2022 4:40 pm Thanks, Andy. His job sounds quite interesting.

H
Nico is a sharp guy. He does programming in MasterCAM.
If he was really smart, he would use GibbsCAM
If he was a billionaire maybe.
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
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Benjamin Maggi
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Location: Albany, NY

Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Benjamin Maggi »

But building engines isn't rocket science...
"One cannot learn to swim without getting his feet wet." - Benjamin Maggi
- Building: 7.25" gauge "Sweet Pea" named "Catherine"
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Bill Shields
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Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Bill Shields »

some make it appear so.

i have cranked out quite a few being little more than a 'high tech blacksmith'....
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Mike Walsh
Posts: 955
Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 10:14 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: Fitchburg Chloe: The Best of Both Worlds

Post by Mike Walsh »

Benjamin Maggi wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 2:34 pm But building engines isn't rocket science...
Being in Utah, I assume he's working for Thiokol... Which would be Solid Rocket Boosters... And those are rocket motors, not rocket engines ;)

Meanwhile here's a little rocket motor eye candy... A nozzle for a 6" diameter rocket motor machined by yours truly. Phenolic carrier with a graphite insert. Throat is 2" diameter. This nozzle was used to lift a scale model of Marvin the Martian's rocket weighing 500 lbs to 500 feet. Good stuff!
Marvin Nozzle Entry Side 2.jpg
Marvin Nozzle Entry Side.jpg
Marvin Nozzle Exit Side.jpg
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