Small steam...

DM:

How modern? I have a kit-built MDC 2-6-0 that I like a lot. I don't know if I'd want to buy an RTR version at the prices Horizon would probably want to charge. I paid about $65 for the kit in 2001 or so.

I have this scary notion, based on good experience remotoring their Teakettle, that Life-Like's Dockside (same drive, I think) is only a motor shy of being a very fine runner.

Bowser has their E6 Atlantic and their 4-6-0. After I get this power- pack thing and this gappy-table thing sorted out, and put down some track, I intend to order one of the 4-6-0s, so if you can wait about a year or so for my thoughts on it...

Cordially yours: Gerard P. President, a box of track and a gappy table.

If your heart is set on an Atlantic, one is still being offered by Bowser and the late Mantua version is regularly found on e-bay. Bowser is Pennsy prototype, but, can easilly be modified (particularly if you're willing to remove the Bellpaire firebox) into something more generic. FWIW despite their four wheel drive, I don't consider any of these as small steam, Personal experience with two of the three leads me to suggest a 20" minimum radius for both operation and appearance.

I've no experience with the Spectrum 4-6-0.

I like the look of the IHM Mogul. I believe it is based on an SP prototype. I own one from a previous incarnation as a Pemco model. At that time the loco was a dummy and the powered wheels were located in the tender, I found that version to be underpowered, but, would expect that the IHM model has gotten around this problem. I liked the looks of my loco except for absence of modern valve gear. That was no problem to bash.

I seem to be thinking along e-bay lines, but, let me suggest the old Varney Casey Jones 4-6-0. These regularly appear and sell at about the $20-30 range. Attractive IMHO with good pulling power. It is a very nice starting point for kit-bashing projects. HTH. Thank you.

Jerry

The IHC 2-6-0 is a very nice little runner. In its first incarnation as a Pemco model, it was the loco that started the plastic steam loco revolution. It has been upgraded a couple of times, but is still somewhat sparse on detail.

IHC's 4-4-0 shares the same boiler and motor, and is also a nice little runner. Both engines are "modern" only in that they represent the look of early 1900s locos, which is about the time the last of these wheel arrangements were built.

There have been complaints about their lack of tractive effort, but the prototypes were not known for hauling long trains, so a six to eight car freight looks just right IMO.

HTH

Duh, whats wrong with me? The Varney Casey Jones 4-6-0 is, of course, still available through Bowser. Sorry.

Jerry

Wasn't there a good article on the web on modifying and detailing one of these into a Wabash Mogul, or maybe a B&M Mogul?

I recall a website featuring an article on kitbashing a M&StL engine...

IMO, this site is a very good example of its kind. The techniques are clearly explained, and the end result is a very nice model.

Cheers,

Mark.

Yep, that's the one; it is a really good article.

WK:

These are interesting little engines, from a period that seems to me somewhat neglected and very interesting; the steam locomotive had become very modern, but most of the classic wheel arrangements were still in use. The early standards had passed, and the USRA and superpower standards hadn't come yet, and there was a great deal of variety. Some locomotives were very awkward-looking, and the IHC 4-4-0 has some of that in its strange rear overhang and top-heavy look (both of which can be seen on various prototypes in THE LOCOMOTIVES THAT BALDWIN BUILT). Others were very clean and elegant in appearance.

I wonder how much room they have for weight to improve that traction? I agree that a 6-8 car freight would look good, but it does bother me a little, knowing that the SP 2-6-0 prototype was able to haul a lot more cars than that on the level. I also wonder how the model's tractive effort will fall off on hills. Still,

8 cars is about as long a train as a lot of small model railroads can handle, and it's a good length for a model peddler freight; enough to have some fun with switching, but not so much that it could turn into a job.

Cordially yours: Gerard P. President, a box of track and a gappy table.

The plastic steamers don't have much room inside for more weight. The makers supply a weight that fills up every nook and cranny of the boiler assembly. If weight for tractive effort is what you crave look to the oldies with the cast Zamac boilers. The IHC Moguls will pull a short peddler freight or a commuter train, but long trains are too much for them. The Bachman Consolidation will handle a somewhat longer train. HO steamers (even the all metal ones) don't pull as well as HO diesels.

David Starr

I reckon! I have the Morning Sun book on the M&StL written by Gene Green

- it would be a great little railroad to model.

Cheers,

Mark.

You're not wrong about that, Gerard. One of my favourite US steam engines is from that period - the W&LE 4-4-2s. Elegant is *exactly* how I'd describe them.

Cheers,

Mark.

I think any 4-4-2 looks good, but the Pennsy's look the best.

Other replies to your post mention the Bowser die cast model of the Pennsy E-6 heavy atlantic as an alternative to the MDC atlantic you mention. Two other non-brass atlantics to consider are by Mantua. The more recent is a circa 1990 product with plastic jacked boiler, plastic cab and tender, but with typical die cast Mantua chassis that is a very creditable representation of the nicely proportioned B&O class A-3 atlantics. Mantua also did a nice Reading P-7 wide firebox atlantic back in the years after WWII that was a combination of die cast and brass parts. These were good runners, and still show up once in while, but now tend to command premium prices due to demand by collectors of "antique" HO. I also seem to recall that a non-brass HO Milwaukee Road Hiawatha streamlined atlanic was briefly offered, perhaps by AHM, but I have never seen one in many years of trains shows.

I wonder about your layout and intended use for this loco. Most atlantics were displaced from first line passenger service by the 1920's, and were almost always relegated to commuter or other secondary passenger services for their remaining useful years. I've seen more than one picture of a once proud atlantic towing a lone combine on a branch line run that more logically could be handled by a doodlebug. But as I draft this, I can't recall seeing a picture of an atlantic in freight service, nor can I think of a short line that used a hand-me-down atlantic for it's mixed train. You say you're not a stickler for prototype, but often doing what the real RR's did tends to make more logical looking model trains. Geezer

Thanks to all of you for the discussion of small steam.

Do any of you know how to determine what a particular model's "version" is? Over the years, AHM has made several revisions to some of their models. Another one that I've always kind of liked was their 0-8-0 IHB switcher. But the one I had a long time ago wasn't a very good runner. Without a flywheel, it tended to stall out a lot. But I'm told that more recent versions have improved mechanisms. Problem is that I have no way of knowing which is which. I've heard references to "red box" locomotives... didn't AHM put some of their final products in red boxes, considerably different from the more familiar blue window box?

Several have asked why I'm interested in smaller steam. It's simply because I don't want to get an oveabundance of larger engines. And, I agree that a

6-8 car train is probably a better fit for most home layouts. While mine is rather large with a 165' mainline, a longer train still doesn't look quite right. Right now, the mallest locos that I have are 2-8-0 IHC Consolidations. Everything else is bigger than that... a couple of Mountains, a few articulateds & soon to arrive Berkshires for my beloved Nickel Plate.

Thanks again for the discussion and feel free to continue to chime in. We learn most by others' sharing.

dlm