Friday, March 14, 2014

A Stanton drive and Thaddeus Lowe’s personal trolley

I’m out of the groove model building wise these days. I did manage to put in an order for a small (33 inch diameter wheels and 7 feet between wheel centres) Stanton drive from NWSL. I’m trying to figure out how I can build some sort of model of Thaddeus Lowe’s personal trolley. It’ll likely be more caricature than replica – first of all, his car was narrow-gauge, and the Stanton drive is standard gauge. I’ve never scratchbuilt a piece of rolling stock, let alone anything powered, so it’ll be an adventure. All I can say is that from all the reading of old model train magazines I’ve been doing for the E. L. Moore series, some model railroaders of earlier generations didn’t seem at all reticent to attempt to scratchbuild running locos or trolleys, so maybe there’s hope for this project :-) Right now it’s just dreaming and planning until I can get back to ‘serious’ model building.
[Sourced from the excellent Thaddeus Lowe website. They state the photo is from the Los Angeles County Library]

5 comments:

  1. I'm playing with a Stanton drive as well for my first scratch built locomotive. Works pretty well in testing.

    Is Thaddeus a relative?

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    1. That's good to hear about the Stanton drive. It's seems quite well engineered.

      No, from what I know of our family history I'd say it's unlikely. Although, I'd like to imagine some distant link to the gentleman who created the railroad he did.

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  2. Very impressed with Blog and with your modelling skills - vastly superior to mine in both senses. Will keep viewing. Tony Morris

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    2. Thanks Tony. I enjoy reading your updates. I'm enjoying your posts on building the diners at the cafe.

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