If we were able to see the trucks, they would possibly divulge the secret of this engine's origin.
Update: I've heard indirectly from the THS. As usual, the responses to questions like this beg more questions. I've ask for more info, but this is what I have so far.
The passenger set and the steam lead freight set behind it are one-offs. They were created by the same man. He was a retired Mining engineer for the LC&N Co. (Lehigh Coal and Navigation), and simply loved trains. Both the freight and passenger sets were totally scratch built in the 1930s through 1950s.
What the exact gauge is and whether or not any of these are powered are questions yet to be answered by the THS. I'd love to be able to go back and actually handle them (with appropriate precautions) or get someone there to do so. The fluting has me puzzled, as it does have a golden hue to it. But I seriously doubt actual gold was used. I'm hoping if he went to this much trouble to create all this, that there was trackage involved. Don't know if the museum has any of that or not.
Chris
LVHR
Thanks for the update, which is certainly intriguing. I would have said that the diesel passenger set and the freight cars that are visible in the photos must be later than the museum’s date range, but if not that just makes it more interesting.
I was thinking that the fluting might be anodized aluminum rather than anything else but who knows?
Thanks for the update!
Fluting could be corrugated brass sheet. That was a popular material at that time, for soldered together kits. It was sometimes plated to make it look like steel metal industrial buildings such as in Suydam Kits.
