Price Meyer Class Arb

[railrev59]

 I did consider a Price 'Cb', but I didn't want to get into the complication of building a geared locomotive, - or at least not yet anyway.

Hi Annie

I hope you are well

Actually, the Ar was a geared locomotive. The cylinders drove a jackshaft which ran across (or maybe only part-way, so as not to foul the bogie pivot?) the middle of each bogie, which then drove the axles via spur gears. There were 22 teeth on the jackshaft and 45 on the countershafts. The comparative lack of complication came from the fact that there was no longitudinal driveshaft as per the C and its derivatives, and the solitary Heisler-based V (and all Shays as well, for that matter - although of course we never had any of those in NZ), although that was offset by the need for high-pressure flexible steam joints, to supply steam to the cylinders.

I'm fairly certain this was the only geared Meyer ever built in the world.

Regards
Steve

[phelum]

I'm fairly certain this was the only geared Meyer ever built in the world.

Regards
Steve

Hi Steve,

I've just PM'ed Annie because I have a working 5" gauge model of the AR and I'm trying to find any details about it. Price no longer has the drawings. I've found three blurry photos and mention on a TrainWeb page but that is all. Are you aware of any other mentions of this loco ?

I never realised it is the only geared Meyer. This makes it more special I think. Price did come out with modified bogies with angled cylinders (better ground clearance ?) and compensated brakes I believe.

I can post pictures of this model if anyone is interested.

Cheers,
Steven (Sydney, Australia)

[dudeface]

Hi Steven and welcome to the forum. If you click on anyone in this thread's profile and check the "last active" date, you'll notice that they haven't logged in for years, so Annie isn't going to see that PM. That's why replying to old threads like this generally isn't well accepted...

I know nothing about this loco, but it sounds very interesting, please do post pictures of it.

[phelum]

Hi Steven and welcome to the forum. If you click on anyone in this thread's profile and check the "last active" date, you'll notice that they haven't logged in for years, so Annie isn't going to see that PM. That's why replying to old threads like this generally isn't well accepted...

Hi,
Point taken about the age of this thread but I was hoping it might be worth trying. This A&G Price loco (incorrectly numbering 115 I believe) certainly was a rare and virtually unknown beast and it's a credit to Price for making it. I'm not sure why the original builder of this model ever decided to make it because i is much more complicated than a normal 5" loco and too slow for use with other trains on club tracks. I've now got it operational and when I saw Annie's port I figured she might have some knowledge of the plans and other details.

I've just discovered that railsoc.org.nz are the custodians for the old Price drawings so I'm chasing them to see what I can get. It's a great relief to find that the drawings have been saved rather than discarded.

I attach a photo of the model. There are more details at http://banool.phelum.net/Arnie .

Cheers,
Steven