# Forney is it real??



## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello All
Since the last few weekends have been wet here on the cape there is still a mountain of leaves all over the layout so to get my train fix I have been watching moviemix DVD's. On these various layouts I have been seeing a lot of Shays which I really like and several Forney's which are really growing on me. Question is I don't think i have ever seen any real life Forneys in any of my books or other DVDs What lines used these engines and where? or did LGB make this one up? 
Todd


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,

Yes they are real locomotives - have a look at the following Wiki site 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forney_locomotive 

The LGB one is another variant of the twin axle loco block, and is quite good but I do't think that tjheir versions are prototype correct! But it make a nice a heavy loco which pulls well. 


Other locomotive builders also used the same wheel plan Baldwin has some in its catalogs w3hich are available as PDF downloads; from Vance Bass's article in the last issue of Garden Railways magazine, goto http://www.archive.org/, and look for 'locomotive catalog'

there is a narrow gauge one for 1877, and also for 1900 I think, I have both and they are bery useful, and have photos of their loco's.

One will be built shortly on the latest LGB(American style) 2 4 0 tender loco chassis.


----------



## Ted Yarbrough (Jan 2, 2008)

Todd, 
Forney's were used a good bit in your area of the country! Maine has several 2 ft. gauge lines that use Forney's. I have two of the LGB locos and they are great runners and pull very well. One of my favorites.


----------



## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Quite a few of them still around and running. A few up in Maine though most are two foot gauge. 










http://www.wwfry.org/index.html 

http://photos.nerail.org/show/?order=byrail&page=2&key=Maine%20Narrow%20Gauge 



-Brian


----------



## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

I knew I would get a quick answer Thank you. 
Nice video of one in action there. 
It would seem that most were narrow gauge engines designed for the short haul considering their lack of a proper tender. 
The ones I have seen in the DVDs have been pulling more then their share of cars. I saw a photo of the underside of one and it had dual traction wheels which is good for pulling power. I will have to start looking for one at a decent price if I can find one. I like the CS with the bear trap and plow. 
my next question would be why the bear trap besides keeping sparks and cinders down.


----------



## Ted Yarbrough (Jan 2, 2008)

Todd, 
You answered your own question. Yes, keeps sparks down.


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Some more webpages of Forney goodness:

SR&RL Number 9 
mostly about my model project, but also contains info about the prototype SR&RL Number 9. 


mylargescale.com steamclass 2004 prototype photo archive 
click on the links on the left side of the page, especially the Baldwin link, for lots of prototype Forney pics.



The LGB forney is currently the only Forney available in Large Scale..
I believe it is loosely based on the "Eustis Engines" that later belonged to the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes:











The prototype of the LGB engine was 2-foot gauge, although the LGB model is (sort-of) 3-foot guage.

There were also plenty of 3-foot gauge, and standard gauge forneys..


Scot


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes Forneys as you can see are real, but sad to say the LGB model technically is more a Mason Bogie, as it has a pivoting drive chassis. Forneys are fixed rigid frames and needed very broad curves, but Masons could operate on much tighter curves as both the drive chassis and the trailing truck could pivot, the steam being delivered to the pistons via a flexible joint in the steam pipe. 

LGB in order to be R1 compliant has made a model of a Forney as a Mason, an then made them every roadname that never ran either a Mason or a Forney.


----------



## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Todd

You might find the following informative...

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_N._Forney[/b][/url]


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Todd, 

The New York Elevated made extensive use of Forney locomotives. 

http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/plate096.Html 

http://www.ahrtp.com/HallofFameOnline2/pages/NYCelevatedRR.htm 

Whaddya know - a Forney Museum page: 
http://forneymuseum.org/ForneyLocomotive.htm


----------



## Tom Daly (Jan 3, 2008)

Hey Todd,

Being a "South Shore-ite" you had probably been to Edaville Railroad in Carver.

I believe they had some Forneys on their roster.

Tom


----------



## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Edaville's Lights are on!!!

http://www.edaville.com/


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 11/16/2008 9:46 PM
Yes Forneys as you can see are real, but sad to say the LGB model technically is more a Mason Bogie, as it has a pivoting drive chassis. Forneys are fixed rigid frames and needed very broad curves, but Masons could operate on much tighter curves as both the drive chassis and the trailing truck could pivot, the steam being delivered to the pistons via a flexible joint in the steam pipe. 

LGB in order to be R1 compliant has made a model of a Forney as a Mason, an then made them every roadname that never ran either a Mason or a Forney.

Yes, technically the LGB _operates _like a Mason Bogie,
but that is only because of tight curves in LGB-land..
the model itself really has nothing to do with prototype Mason Bogies..

the model itself is not actually based on a prototype Mason Bogie..it is based on a prototype forney..
So IMO its not really accurate to describe the LGB model as a "Mason Bogie"..
the ONLY thing the LGB model and real Mason Bogie have in common is the pivoting driver set..

from the "this model locomotive represents a prototype _____" perspective, its a Forney..

Scot


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

(wow..I have no idea what happened to my post above! 
very weird quoting behavior going on..im not going to try to fix it!


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Scottychaos on 11/17/2008 10:13 AM
(wow..I have no idea what happened to my post above! 
very weird quoting behavior going on..im not going to try to fix it! " src="http://www.mylargescale.com/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/wink.gif" align="absMiddle" border="0" />

Just testing to see if the problem is what I think it is. I clicked right after the smelly you put at the end of your missive, hit Enter twice and then started typing this text.

I just typed Enter twice more.

I just typed Enter twice more again.


I just typed the DOWN ARROW key three times in an attempt to get below the "End of quote" marker so this will not be in the odd quoted format that folk get all the time.


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 11/17/2008 10:47 AM
Posted By Scottychaos on 11/17/2008 10:13 AM
(wow..I have no idea what happened to my post above! 
very weird quoting behavior going on..im not going to try to fix it!







" src="http://www.mylargescale.com/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/wink.gif" align="absMiddle" border="0" />

Just testing to see if the problem is what I think it is. I clicked right after the smelly you put at the end of your missive, hit Enter twice and then started typing this text.

I just typed Enter twice more.

I just typed Enter twice more again.


I just typed the DOWN ARROW key three times in an attempt to get below the "End of quote" marker so this will not be in the odd quoted format that folk get all the time.





When you quote text in a reply, ALWAYS type the DOWN ARROW key MANY times to get the insertion cursor well below the END OF QUOTE coding that you cannot see on screen. Then that odd and disturbing format will not occur.


----------



## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

get one youll love it 

first they are relatively short and a relatively small engine- 

they look great with full size lgb NG stock or bachman mine cars etc 

they run smoothly, they pull really well, and quality is great 

all the above is true about the 2ft on a 3 ft , mason pivit versus true forney etc- 
but these are a great G scale engine


----------



## emipapa (Jan 2, 2008)

Hello Todd,
Check your email for pictures of a Forney and YES they are REAL as you will see.
Happy Railroading,
Ron


----------



## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello and Thanks all for the great photos and video. The Forney looks and sounds to be a great little engine, I had plans on buying a bachmann shay real soon but with LGB getting scarce I had better get that Forney sooner than never. Now if I can only find one rigged up in C&S gear. Oh yeah and at a decent price as well. 
Todd


----------



## SlateCreek (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's another Standard Gauge forney .... 

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2008112821375512163.jpg&order=bydate&page=5&key= 

Matthew (OV)


----------



## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

Brian, thanks for posting my WW & F video!







Here's "Part 2" of that ride:


WW&F #10 is about as *small as a "full-sized" steam loco can get *







- she's maybe *slightly longer than my Chrysler minivan!*







- But she's also *quite photogenic! *







*Highly recommend visiting the Wiscasset, Waterville, & Farmington Railway museum - they are rebuilding the WW&F on it's ORIGINAL roadbed!*







Tom


----------

