35-year-old display piece sees the light of day!

[AnthonyDuarte]

Today I picked up a gorgeous 3/4" scale pacific that has been sitting in front of a fireplace for over three decades.
According to the previous owner, it was built by Al Kolmer in the late 50's in Buffalo, NY.
The markings on the cylinder castings read "BIRCH"
The grates really rock to get rid of ash build up, and the axle pump looks like a booster engine. The smokebox cover unscrews out of the smokebox cylinder, which will hopefully keep paint from chipping off every time it's removed for cleaning.
Lots of neat little things.

As with any piece of machinery that's been sitting for 30+ years, valves and other things need to be looked over and cleaned. But it should be a good runner!
Expect to see it out at GGLS in the near future.

[SilverSanJuan]

WOW!!! She's a real beauty. Nice find, Anthony. Let us know how she looks during your inspection.

Todd

[DianneB]

What a pretty engine. I am green with envy!

[PRR G5s]

Anthony,

You are correct about the builder. I've attached a scan of a photo and letter he sent to Pershing "Scotty" Scott of Iowa. I obtained the photo and letter when I purchased a 3/4" Friends atlantic from Scotty several years ago. They were inside an envelope of plans that Scotty sent along with the engine. I've always wondered what happened to the engine. Based off the drawings and picture, it appears Kollmar started with a Coventry PRR K4s pacific, and modified it. It looks like someone re-numbered the engine at some point.

Eric L.

[LVRR2095]

Anthony,

Based off the drawings and picture, it appears Kollmar started with a Coventry PRR K4s pacific, and modified it. It looks like someone re-numbered the engine at some point.

Eric L.

Those are not Coventry castings. Frank Birch of Ontario, Canada also sold castings for 1/2" and 3/4" scale locomotives and I know that he offered castings for a number of engines including a K-4. It appears that the only casting from the K-4 used was the trailing truck frame as the cylinders and valve gear are very different.
That is a really fine looking locomotive. It appeared on the cover of an issue of the Modelmaker Magazine in the 1930's.

Keith

[tsph6500]

A fine addition to the Tinkerbell Society roster. Glad to see such a nice locomotive come off the mantle.

[Stuie]

What a beautiful locomotive! Nice to see a change for once instead of some little engines product. Nothing against them, they are just too numerous. You truly are lucky! Hopefully you can make a trip out near me, would love to see it! Nudge nudge

[cp4449]

How does one find these hidden gems? I would like to know what happened to so old stuff that an at LALS years ago.

Stunning locomotive. I hope to see it at the National Small Scales Meet next year if it is at GGLS

[10 Wheeler Rob]

Nice to hear of another wonderful looking 3/4" engine headed back to steam on the track. These are great running locomotives, with lots of power.

I was blessed with the opportunity to buy a B & O Presidential Class P7 Pacific built by Joe & Herb Hild, construction was started in 1927. The smoke box front cover was pressed in and out using a slide hammer on this one, which I found to be a little to violent to my liking and is the only modification I have made was to eliminate the interference fit and add a couple of hidden #4 button head screws to secure.

Hope you enjoy yours as much as I am mine. Steam it almost ever weekend form May to October.

Rob

[AnthonyDuarte]

Apparently, the previous owner visited the Finger Lakes Live Steamers group a few years ago (without the engine) and got the contact info of one of our members, Ed McConnel. A few weeks ago he called Ed out of the blue and said he's moving and has a steam engine that he didn't bring with him. I found out about it during the fall meet and went to see it, and consequently did whatever necessary to make sure it would be in my truck headed to CA.

I'm the 4th owner, including the builder. The previous owner, John Mahoney, apparently knew Al Kollmar and had seen the locomotive in construction. When it went up for sale, a mutual friend beat him to it. I couldn't understand the name of the 2nd owner over the phone. Bolcott, I think? Does that ring a bell to anyone?

I left New York early monday morning. Currently I am in Laramie, Wyoming, getting ready for another day's driving. Still another 1,155 miles 'til I arrive in the Bay Area.

If all goes well I'll bring her to the GGLS fall meet this weekend for a real test run.

So, what happened to Birch's patterns? Did they get bought by L.E. or Friends?

[LVRR2095]

So, what happened to Birch's patterns? Did they get bought by L.E. or Friends?

Neither.....I believe the patterns for all of Frank Birch's locomotives have disappeared.

Keith

[David Powell]

I have seen some " Hoffman Hudsons " with some castings having Birch on them. I do not know whether or not some of Frank Birch's patterns and castings ended up with the Hoffman's or whether some builders used castings from both sources. Hope this helps David Powell.