# Otter Creek Porter



## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

The Belden Falls Ry has formed a subsidiary, the Otter Creek Brickworks, to exploit the excellent clay beds along the line here in Weybridge, VT. A fleet of 4-wheel rock dumps has been refurbished for hauling the raw clay to the kilns five miles away, but it was decided that an additional locomotive should be obtained for these line hauls. After much shopping, a Porter 0-6-4 in good condition was located.

Real-life background: A few decades ago, I came across a picture of Godchaux Sugar #7, a 36" gauge 0-6-4 built in 1911 by Porter, and the thought of building this engine has stayed with me. After completing the conversion of my Roundhouse SR# 24 into Belden Falls #12 earlier this year, it was time to finally do it. BTW,after the Louisiana sugar mill shut down around 1956, the prototype still exists 98 years later in dire need of overhaul after seeing service as an amusement ride engine. After discussing this project at a NJLS meet last year, an envelope arrived from fellow G1 steamer Bob McHale, containing 3/8" scale drawings of this engine, done by Ed Gebhardt in 1995. A trip to the copier shop in town and I had 1:20.3 sized elevations on card stock for layout. Not getting any younger, I wanted to use available chassis and boiler components as available. A boiler and burner/fuel system from Roundhouse was a must, but they did not have many chassis parts to suit this engine. I had been looking at various Regner engines when their 2009 online catalog came out featuring a new item, an 0-6-0 chassis kit that had the important features: inside frame with spoked drivers of the correct 28" diameter, outside valve motion (more later) and American outline slide valve cylinders. One was ordered from Ken at The Train Dept. Then, while my wife and I were visiting London in September,on a side trip to the Roundhouse facility in Doncaster with drawings in hand, a Silver Lady boiler and all the things that go with it were ordered. Warning: visiting there is a challenge to the charge card, with engines on display to drool over, pegboard racks of parts, a "seconds" bin--Q: why is there a completed SR 24 tender in there? A: because (unnamed culprit) forgot to emboss all the rivets!. You cannot find a nicer bunch of folks to do business with. Everything ordered for the Porter is now on the workbench, ready to start.


BF company photographer Llyn was here today to get shots of things as they are now. I promise this time to post my progress, instead of waiting until things are finished ready for paint, as I did with BF #12.

Larry


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

Below are three photos of the basic building blocks for Larry's latest project. The piece of copper tube standing on end in front of the loco will become the smokebox. Look at that massive water sight glass! I'm looking forward to seeing how that works out.

Llyn


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks like teflon pistons(regner mastered the technik :good seal/hot or cold zylinders)great water glass design,great project in all!!! 
Keep us updated! 
Manfred Diel


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## D&RGW 461 (Jun 4, 2009)

Hello Larry, I just recently saw #7 while visiting a friend in Convent, Louisiana. She is looking pretty ragged lately, It would be nice if the owners would give her a little attention. I always wanted to model #7, But just never got to it. Keep us posted on your progress. Brother in steam, Chris Sortina


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## ETSRRCo (Aug 19, 2008)

Wouldnt happen to be this engine would it? 
http://www.trains-trams-trolleys.com/home/3011.htm


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## Seans_World (Aug 14, 2009)

That will really neat to see when it is done.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Eric, yes it is. 

Larry


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like a great project - keep it coming!


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