Another thing to keep in mind about less-detailed locomotives is that it’s not really all that difficult to scrape-off moulded-on details, such as piping, and simply replace it with pipe bent from wire. I don’t always remove moulded-on details unless they bother me, though.
However, in cases where you want to represent a real locomotive (especially one for which you have good photos of the prototype) then re-doing the details is almost always necessary, although each of us will have a limit as to how far we wish (or are able) to go with that process.
I found this one, long-sought by a friend, for a project I had offered to do if we ever came across a useful starting point. It turned out to be a second-hand model of a USRA prototype, which was the same as the 10 locos that were used by the CNR (bought, secondhand, from the B&A) to create their T-3-a class of 2-10-2s.
…once I got into the project, I started to learn how to create what was shown in the photos of the real locomotives, and I discovered that it wasn’t really all that difficult to do. (I had done some freelance upgrades to steam locomotives in the past, but it was much easier working from photos of real locomotives and being able to trace the path of various piping to understand where it originated and terminated, generally resulting in a more accurate model.)
…the fireman’s side of most steam locomotives is often the most interesting…
Here’s a site with good information on the original Bachmann 2-8-2, which was a model of a Chinese SY class engine. One was bought by Iowa’s Boone & Scenic Valley in 1989 to run on fantrips.
Well I bought them. The 4-6-2 had a slight hickup when first put on the tracks but it was gone before it had made one breakin round. Everything fine and even tried the close couple and still no problems. The 2-8-2 had an issue but only when close coupled and I had to shorten the wires by pushing them back in the tender. This engine is going to take some time to break in but is already showing better running, even on my 18" radius curves. It dosn’t like a run around that I have a my harbor but that is not the main line, still it is the only one who can’t make it. It has alot more power than my 2-6-0 and can take 7 weighted boxcars up my 2 percent grades (proubly could handle more but that ia all I have unpacked at the moment). Also the engine are long. sound is great. Also of note is the bigger engine has a squeak, I will have to run that down but it is already running smothly in just the time it took to write this.
Bachmann modified some of their Bachmann China line tooling to produce stock for the American market.
Their Class 22 hard seat tooling was modified into the coach “William Jackson Palmer” for the Royal Gorge train set, which utilized the same swing and NEM couplings as the Class 22.
The Bachmann SY Mikados lettered for American roads were released in the US for only a brief period in time, and are harder to find than Chinese road names, which can be found on places like Ebay for a reasonable price.
All my stuff was american prototype or at least the body was, still not bad for a sound and DCC engine. They say sound value but I have noticed I only use the basic sounds anyway as I have an MTH diesel with all the bells and whistles but only use the horn and lights on that one, though I have tried them all out, don’t know about their powered coupler, works well only half the time.
