HO 0-4-0 Chassis

Hi. I am interested in trying to bash a porter in HO. Are there any 0-4-0 chassis that would be appropriate? Thanks. John Hudson.

Reply to
HICJHH
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It depends a little on what Porter you are planning to model. Do you have plans? What is the wheelbase? What is the driver diameter? The typical Porter would have used slide valves, inside Stephenson valve gear, and have earlier circular shaped driver counterweights (where the inside counterweight semi circle shares the driver center as its center, as opposed to the later crescent shaped counterweights). Not many ready-to-run models or kits match this combination - two that come to mind are the old Arbour models 0-4-0 kit and the Rivarossi old-time 0-4-0 switcher, both, I believe, generally based on a Pennsy A-3. Another possibility might be to use an

0-6-0 mechanism, and discard one set of drivers and shorten the frame, although an 0-6-0 would typically have more closely spaced drivers than an 0-4-0. You might be able to overcome this by using the shortened chassis for a larger drivered loco, like the MDC 2-6-0 or 4-6-0, and substitute smaller 48" (or whatever your prototype requires) drivers. Gary Q
Reply to
Geezer

Gentlemen, You could overcome the counterweight problem by attaching a thin styrene or brass overlay. Those earlier counterweights were just bolted on anyway. In that case practically any 0-4-0 chassis would be all right, at least for a HO standard gauge engine.

Old Mantua 0-4-0 engines are still cheap and common. Bowser also has an 0-4-0T you could chop up. You could even buy some cheapy 19.95 0-4-0 trainset engine and use it. Some of them don't run all that badly. Cordially yours, Gerard P.

Reply to
Gerard Pawlowski

True, but the Mantua and Bowser/English or Bowser/Varney 0-4-0's all have piston valve cylinders. Every picture I've seen of Porters had slide valves. The original poster could also replace the cylinder block, but it's another thing to change. The Arbour and Rivarossi A-3 models could almost pass for Porter products as-is. Gary Q

Reply to
Geezer

Re the 0-4-0 chassis. Thanks for all replys. John hudson.

Reply to
HICJHH

Dear 'Geezer', True, the cylinders are wrong, but those are easy enough to change. I think MDC slide-valve cylinders would fit in with a little fitting. The Arbour and Rivarossi engines are neat little units, but I'd rather not use them. The only Arbour engine I had, their SC 4-6-0, never turned a wheel. The driver axles were too big to fit the slots, and the tender-mounted motor was designed to drive the engine via a 1" long piece of tubing that also served as drawbar! It did not work. Maybe the A3 is better.

The Rivarossi engine is actually capable of running, and pretty well, but I would rather start with an old-style kit engine for a kitbash because they are sturdier. Cordially yours, Gerard P.

Reply to
Gerard Pawlowski

Which ones have you experienced good running with?

Will

Reply to
wseehorn

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