Dave:
I agree that the trailing trucks appear identical, but they were a
standard prototype design that, if modelled accurately by two
different manufacturers, would be the same on both locomotives. I am
not very familiar with the Miller Backyard trains even though they
were manufactured within 60 miles of here, but I seem to recall they
were 7.25" gauge. The most famous U.S. prototype 2.5" gauge
locomotive is the B&O P-7 Pacific, designed by Harry Coventry (an
Englishman!) and sold in kits beginning in the late '20. My father
built one, which I still have, and I occasionally hear about
castings still being around. There are several completed engines of
that type in closets here and there. The 2.5"G Association has
drawings for that locomotive in 17/32" scale.

Regards,
Bob Thomas




--- In halfinchlivesteamforum@..., "davidqueener"
<DavidQueener@j...> wrote:
>
> Bob,
>
> Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Indeed there are some
> differences upon closer examination. Still, the trailing truck
casting
> looks almost identical with the Little Engines one. Perhaps there
was
> some cross-pollenization between the two. I had been told years
ago by
> the editor of Garden Railways magazine that the Miller Backyard RR
> product line was the basis for the Little Engines 1/2" scale
locos.
> Perhaps that is the origin of these drawings and would explain
both
> the similarites and differences between the two.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Dave Queener
> Knoxville, TN
>