Dwight Durkee

1954
BLS Report

Charles A. Purinton

The Miniature Locomotive, July-August 1954

Dwight Durkee Jr. of Cupertino, California, has an excellent start on the Grant, an early American type of locomotive that was popular around 1873.

This is his first attempt at building an engine and, as you can see from the picture, he is doing alright, especially when you start from scratch with only a picture to follow. Patterns and castings were made for the drivers, front wheels and the cylinders, which are 2 inch bore and 3 inch stroke and use "D" valves. The drive wheels are 7-5/8 inch diameter and are sprung with working leaf springs. The side rods have the conventional brasses and working wedges, while the frame and pilt were made up from bar stock and brazed together. H states that he has some 740 hours of work in the engine so far, but also has the boiler and tender underway.

He is a tyro who praises the helpful instructions that Charles Arnold has to offer in his book on boiler making. Dwight has started this engine in 7-1/2 inch gauge and proposes to put down a 500 foot line at his home, where there is plenty of room for expansion and his round house begines to fill up with more locos as his future plans progress.