# The new Mine Engine



## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Seems everything is a flutter in Rogue County these days, what with all the new track working and such. Even got a new mine moved in. Some feller from back east come out and bought up land near the head of Big Lizard Canyon. Ain't nothin' up there worth anything, so says most folks hereabout, so it was a topic of conversation when a new mine loco showed up in town;








Well, sure enough, new track was laid from Rogue way up to near the ridge. Strange, real strange. Nobody seems to know what Eldritch is, probably the name of the fella what owns the mine. 









I'm told it's been heard that he said the name "Miskatonic" comes from some river back east where he used to mine. Never heard of it myself. 









The feller what drives it don't talk much when he's in town. We asked what they was hoping to dig out o' that old hill and alls he said was, "ain't diggin' out, diggin' to..." Didn't make no sense. Curious fella.
Chris


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Both engines are fabulous Chris. You must just lay awake all night dreaming this stuff up. I'd like to see a bit more of the fella running that mining lokie too.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Excellent model Chris , I really like this one alot!


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Uniquely unique!


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Its great. Looks close to a 2 footer. 
What are the ore cars, Chris? 

-Brian


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

C O O L !


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## John Corradini (Jan 2, 2008)

This one looks much better out on the tacks then sitting on the work
bench in your studio.
I really like it.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Wow, that really looks great! I love old mine locos like that. The engineer is pretty cool too.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Very nice! What's the font? 

Later, 

K


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## Don Gage (Jan 4, 2008)

Spectacular work on both the locomotive and the engineer- GREAT STUFF CHRIS! 
For reference the coal cars are from Hartland's value line, Brian. 
Amazing stuff Mr. Walas, simply amazing, 
Don


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## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Don's right, the cars are the much loved Hartland line gondolas with the top board cut down. 
Kevin, the font is called, "Morpheus" and of course, the decals are by Stan. I had originally wanted the name Eldritch Mineral and Excavation, but in my hurried, unthinking mind I gave Stan the wrong dimensions so I had to shorten the name to make room for the frippery. Doh! 
I really like these steam mine locos and there's probably a couple more in the future. But I have a "few" other projects to catch up on first! 
Chris


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Glad to see you making strange stuff again!


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Its great to see you back at work Chris, need to shake this place up a bit


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, it sure is wonderful to see stuff coming to the track that has been in the mind so long.    

Fabulous use of an old LGB 0-4-0....


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm not sure which I like better, the locomotive, or the back story that goes with it. Both are wonderful. 

"ain't diggin' out, diggin' to..." 

Antarctica, perhaps? To find out what really happened to the Miskatonic University Antarctic Expedition....


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## KVBarkley (Jan 9, 2009)

Add a couple of tentacles somewhere and it will be perfect...


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

CJ,

Here's a good spot to ask a quetion that's been in the back of my mind: I see that the engine is an oil burner. So, where was the oil carried on those? Or any other, for that matter, that lack a tender?

Excellent piece of work, by the way.

I may get myself in trouble here, but on the first picture, the camera angle plus shadows made me think the engine driver hung himself with an old sheet or something from the overhead. I thought, "Prob'ly a private joke." I kept going thru the pics and came to the last, and all was made clear. Excellent job on that driver too, btw.

Les


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## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Les, 
It's actually a coal burner, as most of these were. The coal is in a small coal bunker on the fireman side of the cab. As these locos had limited runs to do, it wasn't a problem having a small fuel supply on board. There was very often a coal bin at the minehead for refueling. 
I see what you mean by the driver looking like he's hung himself! 
As far as what's really happening up there in the Eldritch mine.... only time will tell! 
Chris


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## kfrankl3 (Feb 27, 2008)

Wow, now that is some nice work. Maybe they are mining the "the colour out of space". Really nice work. Although maybe that colour is what is causing the engineer to hang himself!


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Well thanks alot Chris, you made me *think* again and we all know how dangerous that is...












At lunch, while doodling in my sketchbook, this little lokie of yours gave me another idea on how to *abuse *a Mack...


The results should be predictable:


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## KVBarkley (Jan 9, 2009)

Actually, when I first looked I thought the engineer had only one cyclopean eye, which seemed appropriate. 

(On a Lovecraft related note, I strongly recommend "The Jennifer Morgue" by Charlie Stross - A satirical James Bond story with Lovecraftian elements.


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## Nohandles (Jan 2, 2009)

I have to say that is way cool!. Beautiful job. What did you bash to make that engine?


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## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic, can't wait to see what you come up with for the new Mack bash! I'm sure it'll be another winner. 
The model is made from the boiler from a Bachmann saddle tank 0-4-0 and the chassis is from the Lehmann Porter. The rest is styrene, wood and wire!

Chris


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Chris, no more eating rich food at bedtime for you! Beautiful work, but way beyond the scope of my very limited imagination.


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## Bills (Feb 20, 2008)

Is the name of the mine a "lord of the rings" refernce?


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## kfrankl3 (Feb 27, 2008)

Iif you haven't read the works of HP Lovecraft you probably missed a lot of the refrences made. The name elldritch is actually a adjective that would best be used to describe horrors, evils, and monsters not of this world; incidentily this is a god description of many of the creatures in HP Lovecraft's works. Miskatonic is a fictional river and region in Massachusetts in which many of HP Lovecraft's works are set. I would highly recommend reading some of Lovecrafts works, although it makes for quite a terrifying read at times. BTW if I got any of this wrong, Chris please corret me. In addition, Chris do you have any in progress photos of your engine? Thanks!


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Chris, 

The body has been exhumed and disected and reassembly has begun, the electrodes are at the ready to be attached...


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## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for jumping in on the explanations, Kevin! Sorry, but I didn't take any progress shots on this one. I'll try to be better about that in the future. 
And to think, Vic, they called you mad back at university! You'll show them!! 
Chris


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

"And to think, Vic, they called you mad back at university! You'll show them!!" 

Yes, you'll show them that they didn't know the half of it.


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