Gorre & Daphetid No. 43

One of the first liveries we made for the GD, way back in 2021, out at last! No. 43 is one of only a few surviving original GD locomotives, alongside the famous 4-10-0 No. 34, 4-4-0 No. 8, and 0-4-0 No. 10. John Allen would take it along when visiting other layouts, and like No. 34, it was likely not on the layout when fire destroyed the GD in early 1973. A story in the June 1981 Railroad Model Craftsman recounts how he'd use it in tug-of-war contests against other engines at NMRA shows. His practice of pouring lead into the boilers of his engines gave them astounding pulling power, not to mention weight -- the real GD 43 weighs 1 pound, 14. 3 ounces and could out-pull two other engines pulling against it! Currently, the engine is maintained by Dave Gorelle, who also owns a pair of original GD ore cars and a locomotive from the Tioga Pass, a railroad built by John's friend and collaborator Jim Findley. You can find out more in the July 2012 Model Railroad Hobbyist.