Paul Washburn's Quincy Railroad 2-6-2T #2
Paul Washburn shares photos of his Quincy Railroad Co 2-6-2 #2. All photos are copyright © Paul Washburn; used by permission. Click the photos to see a larger version.
The Prototype
The standard-gauge Quincy Railroad (QRR) was started in 1917 and is still in operation today in the northeastern mountains of California, moving finished lumber out from the Quincy saw mill to its interchange with the Union Pacific track. The railroad is owned by Sierra Pacific Industries. Today the company uses two EMD SW engines, but in the past it had the 2-6-2T tank engine, #2, built by the American Locomotive Company in 1924. A tank engine does not require a separate tender as it can hold both fuel and water onboard due to its short runs. In other words, it can make it back to the water tower before its water supply runs out. #2 was in active service until 1945 when it was relegated to stand-by service when a GE 44-ton switcher engine was bought. #2 was sold in 1970. After several moves, it wound up at the Niles Canyon Railway, where it was restored in 1990 and used in excursion service. It was again overhauled in 2002 and was in excursion, and occasional maintenance-of-way, service until 2017 when its 15-year limit was reached. It is currently stored awaiting another overhaul.
The Model
Paul built the model from brass and styrene. He doesn't describe in detail what he does, but you can deduce from studying his construction photos how he built parts of the model.
