Resurrecting the Major Grey

[SteveM]

Back in the 1970's, my dad bought a mogul chassis running on air, extended it to a 2-6-4 and built a 1" scale, 3-1/2" gauge British / Indian styled tank engine.

He named it the "Major Grey" after his favorite chutney.

Those of you that were members of PVLS, LILS and NJLS back in the 1970's might rememebr it.

It hasn't run in decades. It spent it's retirement on a shelf in the living room.

It's time to bring it out of retirement.

One of the obvious first steps is a hydro test.

Next would be lubricating things, then making sure everything that is supposed to move actually does move.

Beyond that, what will I need to do?

This engine spent it's life fired by propane, and I have the burner my dad made for it, which should be fine for now. I might want to try to make something more efficient (it looks like a torch head where the flames come out of the sides and the front).

I might try to see if coal firing is in it's future, but for now, I just want to get it on the track and running.

Steve

Steve

[Bill Shields]

coal running is difficult with these short engines...tough to reach in with a shovel around the coal bunker..hence the propane.

The TORCH HEAD you describe works very well (I have a couple from that time period)...getting something up / under / in from the grate area on these critters is very difficult...Jim and I looked at what it would take to heat a TICH with propane..and found that the TORCH HEAD thingy was about the only way to do it.