Remarkably little is known about the little locomotive shown in the accompanying photo. Indeed, were it not for the photograph, I might be tempted to consider the whole thing a narrow-gauge leg pull The photo was copied from a publication entitled "lierausgegeben sum Funfzigjahrigen beetehon der A.G. Hohenzollern, 1872-1922", a book commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Hohenzollern company, and illustrates a 'Feldbahnbetrieb' locomotive built in 1888 ('Peldbehnbetrieb' can roughly be translated as 'Field-rellway-service.). According to the book, this tiny locomotive was built for work on a plantation in Hawaii: though exactly what good a 2.2.2 would in the operation of a plantation is not clear when you consider the total weight in working order was 2.8 tons, with its correspondingly low haulage capacity. An extensive search of all the known books on Hawaiian lines has failed to turn up any further information or photographs, perhaps our American readers could help further? In an effort to elicit further information I commissioned Ted Wade to produce the 16 mm/1 ft scale drawing which accompanies this article.
Mike South.
Mike South.
