Steam Locomotive

During the 1930s, on both sides of the Atlantic, the race was on to design and build the world's fastest steam train. In the UK it was the LNER Mallard that won the day. The London and North Eastern Railway can thank Nigel Gresley for the amazing streamlined marvel that achieved a world record speed of 126mph (it scooped up water for the boiler as it raced along).

On the other side of the pond, Henry Dreyfuss created a similar streamlined wonder for the New York Central Railway. The NYC Hudson that he designed achieved a US speed record of 110mph. It was the shrouding that gave these locomotives their distinctive "modern" look.

The golden age of steam was interrupted by WW2. Diesel and heavy oil engines replaced steam in the ships that were the key to winning the logistics side of the war. Diesel technology evolved, replaced the more cumbersome steam engines that powered trains.

The static model of the Hudson above evokes this creative epoch. The real challenge with a wood model of a locomotive is just how much detail to include. For this version, the focus is on the parts of a steam train that make it so distinctive — the wheels. Combining mahogany and maple highlights the other details. Along the way, you’ll learn some interesting terms and finesse some useful skills.

Techniques for WHEELS & AXLES

A steam locomotive is described by the number and arrangement of the wheels. This one is a 4-6-4. Four unpowered leading wheels guide the train, then come the six large driving wheels. These are followed by another set of four unpowered wheels to support the cab and firebox at the back. Since they define the locomotive so much, it’s the place I started building.

All the wheels in the locomotive and tender share the same construction, as shown in the left drawing. So it makes sense to make all of them (and a few extras) at the same time.

The wheels are made in two parts: a shell and an insert. The box on the next page highlights the steps you need to make