OK, have to have some fun with this one.
The Climax A313 Class A Climax restoration is proceeding along at Corry, PA, the home of Climax until 1928. This is the only surviving intact Class A, it was 'frozen' in Alaska off the Wild Goose Railroad in the Seward Peninsula, has been returned to Corry and is being rebuilt piece by piece, using the deteriorated wooden parts as templates.
I was there last Saturday.
Website:
https://corryrails.com/323-2/For the record, yes, this is 'darn close' to the Class A I make the resin kit for, so there's the disclaimer. It had a more enclosed body, but other than that, same locomotive.
It's a 3-foot gauge locomotive. But what's truly unique on it are the wheels. Climax would do about anything for a price. In this case, you're running on 3' gauge in Alaska, over semi-frozen frost-heaved tundra, and in a hostile environment. So track is compromised, to be polite. Wide treads and deep flanges are in order.
This is pretty outrageous, actually, when you look at it. All of the Wild Goose equipment was similarly equipped.
Link:
http://www.randgust.com/Climax%20A313%20wheelsetsm.jpgThat's about a 2" flange and a 4" tread! And if you look close, there's a visible cut line on the outer edge of the tread. Did they simply turn down stock pole-road double-flanged wheels?
You be the judge..... But it survived without blowing up or wrecking..... Hey, Pizza Cutters work, I still use 'em, physics rule.
Link:
https://www.myflyertrains.net/Albums/Don%20Munsey%27s%20Stuff/Poleroads/slides/CLIMAX_no391_8ft_gauge_PoleRoad_loco_later_converted_to_standard_gauge_for_steel_rail.jpg
