A Numbers question -Warning.. really dumb question

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I have placed a set of champs Western Maryland Fireball decals onto a LL QSI 2-8-8-2. The Tender was successfully completed, the main worry is the rivets creating air pockets under the decals.

While I found no prototype information on WM steam of the kind I am using, I would like to ask a dumb question.

“What series do I number the cab?” Is there a guideline for assigning numbers to units in the railroad? Or was it a random rabbit out of a hat? I dont know if I want to put a three digit or a 4 digit number.

One other twist is I have to inventory the last two digits of my engines so that in DCC I dont want to assign two engines the same two digit address.

I realize that there is a little bit of modeler’s license with this particular engine but others in the hobby surely wrested with this same question.

Thanks for any thoughts you all might have, have a great day!

2

HighIron…

Here’s a great site to check out;
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/wm_steam.html

The 2-8-8-2’s were numbered 901 to 924. (One of my acestors actually fired one and I’m thinking of investing in one to kitbash.)

Digitrax will let you store 4 digit addresses. I have a several Bachmann H7’s and have them numbered 0763, 0755 and so forth. The WM had classes for their 1100’s 1200s and 1400’s. My grandfather was a WMRRy freight agent once mentioned they were a bit superstitious about 1300’s.

Since it’s a fallen flag road, there are alot of folks out there who are very orthodox in terms of modeling…but the Prototype was so innovative given their location and circumstances, history could really have gone any direction for WMRRy. Another words a good freelance could really be fun. [:D]

For that matter…the cover story in MR cou

3

As far as the decals and the rivets, there is a product called “Solvaset” that when applied over decals while wet will cause them to really adhere to their surface. Great Stuff!!

4

Looks like I will be applying #924 to my unit.

Thank you for this info. I did use decal setting solution from Microscale. It did get down into the rivets very well.

I will post an image sometime soon.

5

From what I’ve seen most small railroads number them sequentially, at least in the beginning. If they become large railroads and buy locos in batches they start numbering series, but each road seems to have their own system. My favorite road - the Ma&Pa numbered sequentially, but would occaisionally just jump numbers: 30 to 41 when they acquired their largest 2-8-0’s, 43 to 70 for their first diesel, 70 to 80 for their second diesel then 81, 82,…

If you’re following a particular road like WM, then you have to research how they did it for the time period / locomotive you’re interested in.
Enjoy
Paul

6

So where is the “really dumb question?” Your question is anything but dumb. I have also used Solvaset and have not had problems with rivets.

7
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By all means…please post; I’ll look forward to seeing it!

Mark