Static Loco on Display - 2
fence. I chose not to weather the fence in order to provide a
little contrast with the locomotive. I drilled holes in the base
between the rails and wired the engine and tender down to
make it a single portable unit.
I loaned the display to a local historical society for a year.
It is now used on the modular train club layout as part of a
museum scene where it always generates interesting conversa-
tions since it represents the Indiana Harbor Belt, a well-known
local railroad.
If you have any defective or dummy locomotives, cars, or
cabooses that are otherwise interesting, you may want to
2: A close up of the front of the locomotive. Notice how the
ballast is almost nonexistent and the heavy rust on the rails.
The locomotive displays a heavy coat of rust, the result of
years of neglect.
2
consider putting them on display in your own railroad park.
They can be displayed weathered or as “just painted”.
Indiana Harbor Belt U-4 A Class
The Indiana Harbor Belt operated three U-4 A Class switch
engines from 1927 until about 1950. They were numbered 100,
101 & 102. These were claimed to be the most powerful 0-8-0
steam engines ever built.
Constructed by ALCo, they were unusual in that they had a
third cylinder in the center and a booster engine on the ten-
der. The extra exhaust blast from the third cylinder gave the
3: The fence details can clearly be seen. I drilled a hole in the
code 100 rail to insert the top rail of the fence. The gate was
fabricated from brass wire. Tulle was used as the fence fabric
and it was all painted silver
3
MRH-Sep 2013
