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Charlie Purinton sighting, 2/8/09

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:12 am
by JohnK
Here's me with Charlie Purinton, Sunday Feb. 8th 2009, at a meeting of our local steam club (held in Marblehead, MA).

Charlie's father was Carl Purinton (1898-1999) who founded the Brotherhood of Live Steamers in 1932. Charlie was 10 in 1932.

Charlie remembers late 1920s meetings of the old Boston Society of Model Engineers being held at his parents' home at Marblehead; he remembers LBSC's 1930 visit to the USA (met LBSC, too); was probably the youngest live steamer at the 1938 Brotherhood meet at the New England Live Steamers at Danvers, MA (age 16); built his first engine when he was a teenager; was in the Navy in WWII; built a 2-1/2" and 3-1/2" track in Massachusetts; and, in the 1980s, taught me how to "run and fire" on a highline.

He knew Lester and Joe Friend of Yankee Shop; he has designed and built more than a dozen engines in 3/4" and 1-1/2" scales (mostly 3/4", just one in 1-1/2"); he makes his 3/4" trucks out of PINE with axles running directly in the holes in the wood; for couplers he uses a set of two "screen window hooks + eyes" hooked into each other; he describes engines that run out of steam out on his mainline as "constipating" his track, and I could just go on and on and on.

I've known Charlie since I was 12.

-John K.

Re: Charlie Purinton sighting, 2/8/09

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:04 am
by FLtenwheeler
Here's me with Charlie Purinton, Sunday Feb. 8th 2009, at a meeting of our local steam club (held in Marblehead, MA).
Hi John

You need to get a video camera rolling. I am sure he has some great stories.


Tim

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:36 am
by pwcphoto
Hi John,

You might want to read this. It mentions Charlie Purinton in the "old days" and gives a little history about IBLS.

One of our members is documenting the history of our club and live steaming. This was the first installment of his story.

Phil

http://www.southerncalifornialivesteame ... p.asp?ID=1

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:43 am
by tsph6500
pwcphoto wrote:It mentions Charlie Purinton in the "old days" and gives a little history about IBLS.

One of our members is documenting the history of our club and live steaming. This was the first installment of his story.
Well written history of the club and early live steaming. One correction though, that would be Carl Purinton, not Charlie, his son.

Please tell us when the next instalment is published.

Re: Charlie Purinton sighting, 2/8/09

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:23 am
by tsph6500
JohnK wrote:Charlie was probably the youngest live steamer at the 1938 Brotherhood meet at the New England Live Steamers at Danvers, MA (age 16)
Hey John,

Good to see folks visiting Charlie. I think I've got you on the youngest live steamer at the Danvers Meet in 1938. My late Dad was also there and he would have been 11 years old. He was good friends with Charlie. Here's a photo of them together at the meet on a drizzly day. I've included a close-up of two of the locomotives for the viewers more interested in the hardware than the software. I have no information on the engines. Looks like the engine Charlie is sitting behind is a Yankee Shop B&A 4-6-6T.

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:20 pm
by pwcphoto
Jim,

Thanks for the correction, I changed it from Charlie to Carl in the articles.

If any of you can offer any other details you can add to it at this address.

http://www.southerncalifornialivesteame ... d_Tips.asp


I am sure that Harlan could use any help in remembering the details from so many years ago. I wonder where that picture book ended up.

Phil

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:07 pm
by LVRR2095
pwcphoto wrote:Jim,

I wonder where that picture book ended up.

Phil
The Wandering Locomotive Books (I think there are three of them) are still in the Purinton family's possesion.
Keith

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:27 pm
by pwcphoto
The Wandering Locomotive Books (I think there are three of them) are still in the Purinton family's possesion.
Keith
Would really be great to scan some of those old images in that book and put them on line for all to enjoy.


Phil

Danvers

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:42 pm
by Steve Bratina
Hey Jim, the close up picture you posted is (I think) Fred Jerrome's Timken 4-8-4 with your Grandfather's tender behind it. I believe I read (or maybe made this up) in one of my early Model Maker Mags about that meet. It was a very poor day weather wise but Mr Jerrome, Harry Sait and Charlie took to the track for some speed trials.
That reminds me! Since your Berk will be high ballin' at the 75th, I should increase the size of my tail end flasher. Don't want to have another incident like they had a Vaughn Mississipi!.

Re: Danvers

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:49 pm
by tsph6500
Steve Bratina wrote:the close up picture you posted is (I think) Fred Jerrome's Timken 4-8-4 with your Grandfather's tender behind it. I believe I read (or maybe made this up) in one of my early Model Maker Mags about that meet. It was a very poor day weather wise but Mr Jerrome, Harry Sait and Charlie took to the track for some speed trials.
Funny you should say that because I looked real close and came to the same conclusion. I couldn't quite make out the 1111 on the cab of the Northern (Jerome's)
Steve Bratina wrote:That reminds me! Since your Berk will be high ballin' at the 75th, I should increase the size of my tail end flasher.
That will depend on who's at the trailing end of the Berk's throttle rod!

Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:06 am
by rwmorris
And depends on what is resting in the "Tender Stabilizer......." Good times..... Good times..... High Ball!!!

Cheers,

Robert M. :)

Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:55 am
by LVRR2095
In Jim's photos you can see what looks like two 2 - 1/2" gauge locomotives, I wish there were more tracks that would accept 1/2" scale models.
Also...I'm just guessing, but I would bet that is not a "Friend's" B&A Tanker, but Harry Sait's B&A Tanker, which was the prototype for what later became the Friend's engine. If it is...that locomotive is now owned by Charlie Purinton. There are differences, such as the Sait prototype having a fabricated truck under the tender tank, and not the cast truck that Friend's sold. This reminds me of folks referring to the "Friend's" 3/4" scale Hudson. Friends Models just sold the Hudson castings, it was designed and first sold by Mr. L.D. Langworthy, of Westerly, Rhode Island.
Keith