Did CB&Q ever use 4-8-4 steam locomotive

The Burlington had 4-8-4s - class O-5 and O-5A. The model you refer to is a 4-8-2. These engines were strictly a Pennsy design.

Bachmann released a version of its 4-8-4 with Burlington markings and numbered 5605. It's not a true O-5A but it might (just) pass the 3 foot rule. The big problem is it's, well, Bachmann. :)

NWSL, EMRS and Alliance all have repower kits for the Bachmann 4-8-4. The body could be kitbashed into a reasonable likeness of the O-5 or O-5A.

Cheers David

Bachmann released a version of its 4-8-4 with Burlington markings and numbered 5605. It's not a true O-5 but it might (just) pass the 3 foot rule. The big problem is it's, well, Bachmann. :)

NWSL, EMRS and Alliance all have repower kits for the Bachmann 4-8-4. The body could be kitbashed into a reasonable likeness of the O-5 or O-5A.

Cheers David

The O-5As were popular engines for preservation,

5633 O-5A Douglas RR Interpretive Ctr, C&NW Depot, Douglas, WY 5631 O-5A CB&Q depot, Sheridan, WY 5614 O-5A City Park in St. Joseph, MO 5629 O-5A Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden, CO

CB&Q once turned 5632 into the worlds largest 'brass engine' by painting it gold.

I didn't realise so many O-5s survived - thanks for the link.

To my eyes, most Burlington steam was rather homely, but the O-5s were handsome big brutes...

I take it that Bachmann quality is not good.

Flower Gardener spake thus:

Like many blanket statements, not necessarily true. The high-end Bachmann stuff is very good. And even some of their lesser-quality models are accurate enough to be good starting points for kitbashing projects.

I don't know into which category this particular Bachmann model falls.

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The Bachmann 4-8-4s are possibly the best of Bachmann's inexpensive steam locomotives. I have several and they run fine and will easily pull more than 40 freight cars on level track.

I have two double-heading my coal train pulling 40 hoppers. They could easily pull more but my layout isn't large enough to do that. Micro- Trains makes a coupler for the front of the locomotive, but since mine have to negotiate an 11" radius, I fashioned a drawbar arrangement to keep them from uncoupling. Mine have the oil tender, but Bachmann now makes models with Vanderbuilt tenders also.

Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:

History of N Scale: Railroad Books, Toys, and Trains: to 1,200 sites:

Bill spake thus:

OK, so they're great pullers: what about the detail, fidelity to original, etc? In other words, how do they look?

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The 4-8-4 was one of Bachmann's first streamers back in 1972. The mechanism has changed a few times, but I believe they are using the same mold work for the body. I have some from the late 1990s and an "oldie" and they appear to be the same. Most of the details are cast in place. They are based on an ATSF prototype. I never attempted to see how faithful they are. As for looks, I'm 72 and eyesight isn't what it once was plus I don't use bright lighting on my layout. When I purchased my 4-8-4s, I paid less than $30 each for them (discounts, sale prices, etc.).

Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:

History of N Scale: Railroad Books, Toys, and Trains: to 1,200 sites:

Bill spake thus:

So based on this, we can pretty much surmise that the detail is none too good, and the fidelity to the prototype is probably questionable. You know, a lot of us *do* care how our models look.

Which is not to say that even these cheaper models don't have merit: as I'm going to expound in a forthcoming posting, it *is* possible to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, at least in this hobby. (Takes some elbow grease, though.)

The detail is mainly moulded onto the shell, but the overall appearance and proportions are fairly good - the model does look like an Santa Fe

4-8-4.

What's the "3-foot rule?" If a steam locomotive wheelbase is within

3', it's usually close enough to work as a stand-in model? ____ Mark

There might be some confusion in this thread (but quite possibly I'm the confused one).

Seems that some people here are talking about N scale Bachmann and others about H0 scale.

You can't compare them - I'm sure their construction and running abilities are quite a bit different. The newer N scale Bachmann steamers are pretty smooth runners but I just hate their toy-like solid plastic disk main drivers. No see-through spokes here. And some of the details are bit oversized and crude. Still, pretty good for a Bachmann. But I think that currently either Model Power or Life- Like steamers are better executed.

I don't know about H0 scale though. Peteski

It's a "close enough". If you hold a model 3 feet (or arm's length) from your eyes and it looks okay, then it passes. You don't normally look at models under a magnifying glass.

Cheers David

Thanks for the reply... that's a good rule... although my modeling requires that I get arm extension surgery.

Nah!!! Just set the model on the edge of the layout, get a yardstick, and back up your chair/stool/whatever to the proper distance. If it passes, just put it in place and forget it!

Chuck Davis