Scratchbuilding by Bob Hogan

The Pacific Lumber Company TPL #37

All photos copyright Robert Hogan; used by permission.

Prototype

The 2-8-2T was the mainline power on the Sugar Pine Railroad (engine #4) out of Fresno, California, into the Sierra Nevada. The railroad had four nearly identical 2-8-2T engines (#1 through #4) and a 2-10-2T #5. #37 still exists and is the property of Timber Heritage Association (Samoa, California). She operated in tourist service for many years in the Delaware area. Currently, she is at the Strasburg Railroad shops awaiting funding for a complete re-build back to operating condition. Plans are for her to run a tourist/museum train at the old Hammond Lumber Co. shops/engine house at Samoa, California. Timber Heritage Association owns several steamers, including #37's sister 2-6-2 #29, the last steamer to operate on the TPL (June 19, 1961). The prototype photos shows the locomotive built in 1925 by Alco.

Model

Bob Hogan built a model of this 2-8-2T tank engine starting with a B.T.S. Ma & Pa #40 2-8-0 kit (because of its small-driver wheel set). Getting the North Yard chassis built and running smoothly was a bit of a challenge. The super-structure of the engine was built using the B.T.S. kit parts, and brass and styrene parts. Although there are always compromises when undertaking a modeling project, Bob believes that his model is 98% accurate. There are no plans available for this engine, so Bob had to rely on his own prototype photos, plus published ones.

External References

• Steam Locomotive Info (scroll down to about mid-way)
• Trainorders.com (Pacific Lumber #37 2-8-2T at Strasburg)
• Trainorders.com (The Pacific Lumber Co. #37 A Big Tank Engine!)
• The Pacific Lumber Company Locomotive Roster