Johnson 16 wheeler

[vsmith]

 

[PhilP]

Oh-er! Weird, or what.

I reckon it does not matter what monstrosities we dream-up, there will be a prototype somewhere!

 

[Tony Walsham]

Not to pick too big a nit Vic. Aren't they the Price locos made in New Zealand.

 

[vsmith]

Tony, different companies, Price did make a 16 wheeler but the Johnson is a different beast

Johnson

http://www.trainweb.org/nzgearedlocomotives/johnston.html

Price

http://www.trainweb.org/nzgearedlocomotives/price.html

 

[vsmith]

Didn't want to post anything until I was sure the dang thing would even work, so the teaser pics above. Heres the meat and potatoes cooking away:

Chassis of basswood, pilot wheels from Bachmann Bug Maulers

Wheel articulation, this WILL run on the 21" pizza!

This will be a non-powered pusher engine, with the motor in a trailing car pushing it around the pizza. this set-up allows me to build interesting engines that are not powere-able using conventional sources, more to come.

 

[trammayo]

Interesting geared locos. Are they 2 x 8 wheel trucks or 4 x 4? The top pic seems to have very polished wheels and flanges!

 

[trammayo]

You've answered it as I was posting!

 

[alec dawe]

Vertical engine block in the aft end of the cab? Single acting or double acting?
Looks like the prototype boiler didn't draw all that well with the variations in chimney 'tops'.
A distinctly weird beast, what was the original design used for?

 

[Tony Walsham]

You are quite right Victor.

I stand corrected.

 

[bobg]

NZ, had quite a few "oddities" in the timber trade, here`s another. Not completely geared this one, a combination of gear and chain.

 

[PhilP]

Was it a case of them using redundant/cast-off main-line stock, and building with what they had to hand, or were these made by 'proper' locomotive works?

 

[JRinTawa]

Yep the Johnson 16 wheelers, and pretty much all the other cunning Kiwi locos were used on bush tramway (logging) lines. Some were ugly even to their mothers ??? Oddities for sure.

Price did build some main line locos so they would be termed proper loco builders, others like Johnson being perhaps more like engineering workshops making a variety of machinery for things like the logging, mining and farming industries. Sort of "you need it - we'll build it" often with ex NZR (mainline) boilers but no doubt also built from scratch.

 

[vsmith]

Updates, First round of pics

Marine motor build up, its based on Scientific Toys locomotive pistons glued together with other Plastruct and styrene parts:

Painting begun, Stainz boiler painted Grimy Black overall, dirty paint thinner stained wood deck

Currently working on the cab roof, I will be modeling this as an open cab. Its not going to be an exact prototype model, as there were no two built alike, and mine will be slightly "Americanized" to work within my pizza genre, but overall it will make for a fun addition.

 

[trammayo]

Great stuff Vic! Really intertesting - like the idea of a non-powered loco with a pusher unit too!

 

[Dtsteam]

Well, after a lifetime of making critters you're bound to end up with a drawer full of pony trucks
Love it & can't wait to see it go round a corner !

 

[Corto]

Can't wait for the next step !

 

[vsmith]

Major work finished, cab built, details added, all thats left is the numbering.

Marine motor and detailing

Figures are temporary, I will replace them once I find better

I will add more junk and stuff as time goes on, but its ready for service on the pizza.

 

[gregh]

That's a fantastic piece of work. I'd love to see it running. Nice piece of design to make the centre wheels fixed and the ends pivotting.

 

[vsmith]

Bob Baxter suggested removing the plastic inserts from the pilot wheels to get a more spindly look, Still need to paint them, but it really does look a whole lot better now.

 

[Corto]

Hello vsmith ! As usual very great work.
Could you post some pics of the pusher unit ?