georgia-market.com moderated newsgroup and market bazzar > Albany
> Building the live steam falk no.1 locomotive logging
Building the live steam falk no.1 locomotive logging
bounce, yer money order will get lost in the mail and yer dog won't come home.
click on our "Contact Us" icon above for the quickest response to your questions.
BUILDING THE LIVE STEAM FALK NO.1 LOCOMOTIVE LOGGING
BUILDING THE LIVE STEAM FALK NO.1 LOCOMOTIVE LOGGING
BUILDING THE LIVE STEAM FALK NO.1 LOCOMOTIVE LOGGING
BUILDING THE LIVE STEAM FALK NO.1 LOCOMOTIVE LOGGING
BUILDING THE LIVE STEAM FALK NO.1 LOCOMOTIVE LOGGING
BUILDING THE LIVE STEAM FALK NO.1 LOCOMOTIVE LOGGING
BUILDING THE LIVE STEAM FALK NO.1 LOCOMOTIVE LOGGING
BUILDING THE LIVE STEAM FALK NO.1 LOCOMOTIVE LOGGING
Elk River Mill & Lumber Company
A most unsual and fun live steam project!
How many guys do you know has built one of these?
You can easily build the Falk No. 1 from Bill's fully dimensioned working plans and meticulous instructions!
Here's Bill to tell you how this project came to be:
"I first saw the logging locomotive Falk No. 1 in the pages of TimberBeast, the logging historical magazine.
The next time I saw this little engine was in the pages of the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette (January/ February and March/April 1985 issues).
Al Armitage's fine drawings of Falk No. 1 drummed up even more interest.
Then I purchased the VHS tape of Vancouver's EXPO '86 and saw the little engine on parade under its own steam.
At that point I seriously considered building a live steam model of it.
This little 1884 standard gauge logging locomotive is so diminutive it almost appears to be a caricature of a tiny steam engine, but was quite a "workhorse of the woods."
Not only capable of hauling cars of timber to the mill, it could employ its gypsy winch in many hauling and hoisting situations.
In later years, it was used for yarding work.
Falk No. 1 is actually a 10-ton 0-4-O T-rod engine with Stephenson reversing gear.
It has a gypsy double-spool winch driven by a third separate steam cylinder.
The gypsy winch, with its big bull gear, greatly enhances the looks and charm of the endearingly small locomotive.
By this time the wheels of thought were rolling in my mind.
In June of 1991, I was returning from Portland, Oregon and just had to switch from I-5 and head for Eureka, California, the present home of Falk No. 1.
The locomotive is well sheltered in the Fort Humbolt State Historica Park in Eureka.
Its own engine house is too confining for picture taking, but Sam Rich, the park ranger, was very obliging and alloweed me access to the Falk engine for taking measurements.
The next day, Bill Fahey, president of the Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Association, was helpful and gave me encouragement to design Falk No. 1 in live steam.
I decided that 1-1/2" scale for this standard gauge engine would be the most popular size, since about 80% of model trackage is 7-1/2" gauge.
Even in 1-1/2" scale, Falk No. 1 will be a small engine - easy to lift and carry in the auto trunk.
Falk No. 1 deserves a little attention to its colorful historical background.
The locomotive was purchased by Noah Falk, president of the Elk River Mill and Lumber Company, from Marschutz and Cantrell, San Francisco, California.
It was put to work hauling logs on four-wheeled "bobbies" (link and pin railroad cars) over a three-mile railroad for the Falk mill.
It was used for this work until 1903, at which time it was replaced by a 20-ton Baldwin locomotive.
After 1903 and until 1928, it was used continuously for switching and general logging camp chores.
In 1928, a Heisler locomotive was purchased to replace the Baldwin.
She later replaced Falk No. 1, which was placed on a siding with the idea of sending it to the junkyard.
At the time of the 1936 General Grant Celebration held in Eureka, California, a committee of Eureka citizens requested the Falk locomotive for use in the parade.
After serving this purpose, the Elk River Mill & Lumber Company offered it as a gift to the City of Eureka.
It was accepted and placed at Fort Humbolt for museum purposes. For years it was left in the open, and was gradually becoming a pile of rust.
The Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Association members were instrumental in saving and restoring this relic of the redwood lumber industry.
I had the pleasure of riding in the cab of Falk No. 1 during the annual Donkey Days celebration.
Thanks to the hardworking members of the NCLIA for bringing this lovable little locomotive back to life!"
8-1/4" X 10-3/4", Soft cover, 56 pages, complete set of dimensioned working plans and instructions.
Visit my MarketplaceAdvisor Gallery! Power Tools for Power Sellers!
Phone: (***) 744-4449 M-F 9:00 to 4:00 Pacific Standard Time
This item has been seen by alt people!
