Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

I looked up Paul Breisch's letter to me about the corliss. The patterns and engine was built by Alvin W. Ray, of Ohio, in about 1935. His wife Eloda checked the drawing dimensions. No castings were available, as the patterns were destroyed in a foundry fire. Paul's father got the drawings from Alvin and made new patterns. 3 sets were made and the patterns were destroyed in a foundry fire. After the war, Charlie Cole was contacting modelers to see if anyone had anything that he could sell. Paul put charlie in touch with Eloda Ray and Charlie made the 3rd set of patterns.

I, too had a set of engine patterns destroyed in a foundry fire, so it was fairly common.