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Ex-Estrella & Sonora Grande RR #2 and #3 have found full time work on the TMMC. These great running, beautifully detailed Porter locomotives were originally built by the late Verne Niner for his On30 layout. |
Way back in May of 2014 I first described an engine roster for the TMMC. Quite a few things have changed since then so it's high time for an update. As shown in the top photo, two slots in the roster have now been filled by locomotives acquired from the sadly defunct Estrella & Sonora Grande RR. These little Porters were a labor of love for my friend, the late Verne Niner, and I am thrilled that they have found their way on to the TMMC. No 3, Rattler, has a Keep-Alive capacitor hidden ingeniously below the cab roof, while #2, Estrella, has an auxiliary 4-wheel tender to add additional electrical pick-up. The result is that both of these short wheel-base steamers are excellent runners. Even over less than perfect dirty track, they very seldom ever stall or cut-out. No. 3 was purchased directly from Verne before his untimely passing, while the 2-spot came to me from a third party who had bought the engine from Verne but is now thinning his collection. In the fictional world of Thunder Mesa, these engines were purchased used from the E&SG to replace original locomotives #2 and #3 that were lost in a tragic derailment while pulling a double-header across Calico Canyon High Bridge. The TMMC shops will probably never get around to painting the new locomotives or changing their E&SG livery since I enjoy thinking of Verne every time I run them on the layout.
As for the rest of the roster, I continue my practice of loosely basing locomotives on Disney park prototypes and naming them for past Disney artists and Imagineers whom I admire. The exception is #7, Bud Hurlbut, which is named for the talented mastermind behind Knott's Calico Mine Ride and so many other memorable attractions. As of this writing, there are eight locomotives operating on the TMMC, with at least two more planned or under construction.
No. 1 ~ Marc F. Davis
Wheel arrangement: 0-4-0
Builder: Thunder Mesa Mining Co.
Entered service: 1878
Notes: This unique vertical boiler, single piston steamer was built from the recovered wreckage of a steam launch and the 2-4-0 El Dorado. Placed into service in 1878 to help complete construction of the railroad. Named for the proprietor of the Western River Expedition Company.
Modeling notes: Scratch-built from spare parts on a Bachmann HO cable car power truck. Analog DC power. No sound. Mostly a static model these days, though I might rebuild it in the future on a better chassis with DCC. Click here for more on the Marc F. Davis.
No. 2 ~ Estrella
Wheel arrangement: 0-4-2 w/auxiliary tender
Builder: H.K. Porter Co.
Entered service: 1905
Notes: Purchased used from the Estrella & Sonora Grand RR as a replacement for the original TMMC #2 lost in a wreck on Calico Canyon High Bridge.
Modeling notes: This is a heavily modified Bachmann model built by Verne Niner. The 4-wheel tender was built atop an On30 passenger car truck and provides much needed additional electrical pick-up. Lots of extra weight has also been added. DCC Equipped with Tsunami sound.
No. 3 ~ Rattler
Wheel arrangement: 0-4-0
Builder: H.K. Porter Co.
Entered service: 1905
Notes: Purchased used from the Estrella & Sonora Grand RR as a replacement for the original TMMC #3 lost in a wreck on Calico Canyon High Bridge.
Modeling notes: Another Bachmann Porter modified by Verne Niner. The 3-spot has a Soundtraxx Keep-Alive Capacitor hidden beneath the cab roof. DCC Equipped with Tsunami sound.
No. 4 ~ Earl Vilmer
Wheel arrangement: 4-4-0
Builder: Freelanced
Entered service: 1880
Notes: General duty locomotive named for the first general manager of the TMMC.
Modeling notes: Bachmann On30 inside frame 4-4-0. Inspired by the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad. DCC installed, sound to be added. Earl Vilmer supervised the construction and operation of both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Railroads.
No. 5 ~ Frank Thomas
Wheel arrangement: 0-4-2
Builder: H.K. Porter Co.
Entered service: 1881
Notes: General duty mining locomotive.
Modeling notes: Bachmann On30 0-4-2. Inspired by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. DCC and Tsunami sound on board. Frank Thomas was a legendary Disney animator, one of the Nine Old Men and best friends with Ollie Johnston.
No. 6 ~ Ollie Johnston
Wheel arrangement: 0-4-2
Builder: H.K. Porter Co.
Entered service: 1881
Notes: General duty mining locomotive.
Modeling notes: Bachmann On30 0-4-2. Inspired by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. DCC and Tsunami sound on board. Ollie Johnston was a legendary Disney animator, train enthusiast, one of the Nine Old Men and best friends with Frank Thomas.
No. 7 ~ Bud Hurlbut
Wheel arrangement: 0-4-0
Builder: H.K. Porter Co.
Entered service: 1883
Notes: General duty mining locomotive named for the discoverer of the Calico Mine.
Modeling notes: Bachmann On30 0-4-0. Inspired by Knott's Calico Mine Train. DCC and Tsunami sound on board. Bud Hurlbut was a pioneering theme park designer best remembered for creating the Timber Mountain Log Ride and Calico Mine Train attractions at Knott's Berry Farm.
No. 9 ~ Admiral Fowler
Wheel arrangement: 0-4-2
Builder: H.K. Porter Co.
Entered service: 1885
Notes: General duty mining locomotive.
Modeling notes: Bachmann On30 0-4-2. DCC and Tsunami sound on board. This Porter is named in honor of Admiral Joe Fowler, The man Walt Disney put in charge of Disneyland's construction, and who stayed on as general manager of the park for its first decade. More on this locomotive here.
Where's No. 8?
Good question! Currently, #8 is still in the planning stages and will either be another 4-4-0 or a tiny 2-4-0 or 2-4-2. The only thing I'm certain of is that it will be named for Ward Kimball, Disney's mad genius animator and unparalleled train enthusiast. It's worth noting that the "Ward" might be the only TMMC locomotive that also has a namesake in the parks, engine #5 at Disneyland. My version will be different, but one simply can't do a tribute to Disney railroading without Ward Kimball. (I hear you Disney train nerds out there! Don't worry, Roger Broggie will get his due too.) |
Walt Disney and Ward Kimball with Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad engines #1 and #2. |
There will also likely be an engine #10. It will probably be named in honor of pioneering Disney Imagineer, Claude Coats. In the mythology of Thunder Mesa, Coats is the intrepid explorer who first discovered Rainbow Caverns. In real life, he was the amazing artist who figured out how to do the incredible blacklight water effects on Rainbow Caverns at Disneyland. The famous quote from Walt where he says, "It's kind of fun to do the impossible," comes from a meeting with Claude Coats in the early days of Imagineering. They were trying to tell their boss that the colorful water effects he wanted for the caverns couldn't be done. Coats did the impossible and made it happen.
Ok, friends, I think that should about wrap it up for this time. I haven't updated the blog here as often as I would have liked too in the past few months since life and work keep getting in the way of my train time. A great big "thank you" to those who continue to follow along. More frequent, regular updates can often be found on the Thunder Mesa Facebook Page. Thanks for checking in, amigos. Adios for now!