CHALLENGE… Traingineers, can you BUILD AN ENGINE??

What???… “I don’t think so!”

Oh yours truly of little faith – I must admit my first reaction when Chief Traingineer, Roger Farkash and Traingineer, Roy McClellan told me about the New York Historical Societies request was – NO WAY – not in our wheelhouse!

Doubting TrainDame learns another lesson about the incredibly Traintastic skills and ingenuity of our Traingineers!!! I asked Roy to give me a helping hand and relay exactly what it is that was accomplished and made our client – The New York Historical Society absolutely giddy with delight! In Roy’s words…

In the early part of the 20th century, the manufacturers of toy trains designed and sold colorful tinplate interpretations of locomotives and rolling stock. In most cases these whimsical creations had out-sized features and omitted critical elements, yet the overall effect was satisfying to the eye. As an example the Lionel Standard Gauge 400E:

was intended to represent the New York Central railroad’s mighty 4-6-4 Hudson, yet the actual toy was a 4-4-4 wheel arrangement with an out-sized boiler, compressed cab, bright glossy colors (in addition to glossy black), over-sized drive wheels, basic piping (nickel or copper plated!), and a Vanderbilt tender!

In that tradition, TW TrainWorx was selected and contracted to design and build a standard gauge tinplate interpretation of a British Great Western Railways (GWR) Hall Class (4-6-0 US Whyte style classification or 2-3-0 European style of counting axles vs wheels) locomotive. Utilizing and modifying certain components from a modern era 400E (modified frame, modified front pony truck, cylinder casting, modified piping, modified stack, side rods, drive rods, can motor with stainless steel drive wheels), a 392 tender (shell, top casting), and reproduction Lionel #33 wheels, TW TrainWorx presents the GWR 2-3-0 locomotive.

Many parts were modified from existing parts as noted above, custom designed, fabricated, and/or machined, such as the boiler/smoke box/firebox assembly, cab assembly, third driver axle carrier (with ball bearings), side rods for three axles, steam dome, stack ornamental top, front buffers, pilot lanterns/headlamp, smoke-box door locks, three axle tender frame (with ball bearings), tender top, tender upper side rails, tender water and access hatches to name a few. Over 100 custom machined parts combined with a beautiful paint scheme using the latest in automotive urethane paints from the TW TrainWorx paint shop comprise this one-of-kind legacy piece.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!