Steam Donkey

[Tim A.]

Scratchbuilt Single windlass Steam Donkey in 1:20.3 G scale. These engines were used for lifting or moving just about everything back in the day. They came in all sizes, some were stationary and some were mobile like the one I made. It represents one that would have been used in the logging industry. The wood sleds the engines were mounted on were fabed on the spot by hand and axe. Some sleds were huge, dwarfing the men who made them. By rigging up Gin poles these mighty machines could pull themselves around in the woods with the windlass where they could get to the fallen trees for loading onto the trains.
It was made from poplar, styrene, paper and brass.

Tim

 

[Sherman 18]

Fantastic! Great subject.

 

[Kreighshoer]

phantastic!

tim, that's a wonderful masterpiece!

 

[Iron Mike]

Masterpiece indeed!! Holding out on us, eh?

 

[phantom II]

Very nice Tim. You obviously are a man of many talents.

 

[Tim A.]

Thanks Laura, Sherman, Mike and Chris!

I've always been fascinated with these mosters.
I wanted the model to have the possibility of being used as a stationary engine say for a quarry as well so I made the roof and frame removable and the engine able to come off the sled.

The other pics are of a work crew building a sled and a 1:1 donkey that I loosely based mine on.

Tim

 

[tanktrax]

Wow... Nice job and certainly something different and unique. awesome job.

 

[TomN]

Really nice work Tim. I especially like how you treated the wood parts, looks very natural. I love trains too, am building some On30 models in between the armor stuff.

Do you have any in progress pics? Would love to see them.

Are you familiar with the Westlake Publishing Forums? They would be all over this thing.

Great model!
Tom

 

[moon puppy]

I don't know how I over looked this build. Absolutely wonderful! What Tom said, any WIPs? Are you working on anything else like this.

If you were to drive down Hwy 78 somewhere between Aiken and Bamburg SC, you will see, what I think, is one of these stationary steam donkeys on the side of the road.

 

[Tim A.]

Hi Tom and thanks!
Not heard of them. I belong to a great bunch of misfits over at 2guysandsumtrains even though I have'nt posted there in some time.
I modeled in HO for along time then one day discovered the joys of large scale mainly because more 1:1 things can be used to build with. I'm working on a 4-6-0 to a 2-4-2 loco bash....it's on going haha. I'll be posting some pic's of it.

Heres some build pics of the donkey. Apologize for the small images but 2guys forum has a limited size max and they were sized for them.

Tim

 

[moon puppy]

Man..that's great stuff.

BTW, found what i'm talking about on the Google Street View.
Hope the link works.

 

[Tim A.]

Thanks Moon Pup!

Good possibility it is. I've only looked at them in photo's and film clips but would love to see one up close.

Right now all I got going on and off is the Locomotive build I mentioned to Tom. But it's winter time and for some reason I start getting the railroad bug this time of year.

Tim

 

[moon puppy]

I think you said you're in North GA? I know that would be a haul for you but that's the only one I can think of that I have seen. If I'm down there anytime soon I'll stop and take some pictures.

 

[Tim A.]

Cool Moon Puppy, I'd say that's definitely part of a steam engine. Thats jucy stuff I love it!

Tim

 

[jknaus]

That is too cool. Do you have plans or something for your build or do you eyeball it? It would be interesting to try something like this. Always had a soft spot for steam equipment.
James

 

[Tim A.]

Hi James and thanks!

I have line drawings of the boiler and engine itself but not the sled. I eyeballed mine using the 1:20.3 scale and studying photograghs to get a reasonably close size. The nice thing about these is they were not all built the same so some freelancing is acceptible.

Tim

 

[randy_ditton]

Hi Tim, This baby looks GREAT Your work on the sled is outstanding

You are right about this time of year, I do most of my train stuff when the snow starts to fly here in Colorado. I have an open house to view my layouts every Christmas and my buddies expect to see progress

Can't wait to see pics of your loco build......Randy

 

[Tim A.]

Thanks Randy!
I'll bet that is something to see
The only layout I completed to the point that I could call it one was a shelf type in HO scale.
I've dreamed of modeling the Bergen Arch's and a section of the excavation for the New York Central station around the turn of the century But I'm pretty sure that won't happen!

Tim

 

[panzerace007]

HOOD,

Awesome Stuff !! Looks Great !

ERIK

 

[Tim A.]

Thanks Erik!

I did a search for steam powered panzers but nothing came up :laugh:

Tim