Brand new member here, and this is my second post. Actually I posted it on one of the other forums yesterday.
I just picked up one of the new Bachmann Spectrum Baldwin HO 4-6-0’s at a train show on Sunday. I’ve been out of the hobby for a couple of years, so I’m not up on all the new developments. I asked the dealer how long this Locomotive had been on the market, since it was the first time I’d seen one. He said he thought for just a few months.
I one of what they’re calling the ‘high boiler’ version, which is the one with the larger drive wheels. What first caught my eye was one of the ‘low boiler’ versions lettered for Maryland & Pacific. It brought back instant nostalgia as I remembered the series of articles MR ran when I was a kid about the Ma & Pa. I sure loved that series.
Anyway, I bought the high boilered version, because I thought it would be a little more useful for small locals and mixed freights on my pike. I’m set in the fifties, but I can always fudge a reason for a nice new steamer. I was lucky and he had a painted but unlettered one. I took it home and cleaned off my track a bit and ran it around the layout for a while.
So. I’m interested in any prototype information available on this Loco. A quick scan of some recent MR’s did not turn up any product reviews. There was no prototype information at all that came with the Loco. I’d be very interested to know anything at all about the prototype, other than the obvious fact that it was made by Baldwin. I’m guessing by the size and style of the engine that the prototype was built sometime in the 1890’s.
Fred Westing’s book: The Locomotives that Baldwin Built, 1831-1932 or;
The Locomotive Cyclopedia, compiled by the editors of Mainline Model Railroading.
Second: Go to the Bachman website and ask the “Bach Man” about the design history of the engine you own.
Third: See o
f the railroad you are interested in owned such engines from Baldwin and what their history was with the line. Many of the larger/more interesting railroads have both archives and websites with more or less complete locomotive rosters and pictures of individual examples.
If any of the suggested approaches turns up a prototype for the Bachmann high-boilered Ten-Wheeler I’d be glad to hear about it, and I hope you will post it here. I tried to find a specific prototype when I reviewed this model for MODEL RAILROADER, but I couldn’t pin it down, at least not within the time I had. Although we have a very complete railroad reference library, I didn’t find an engine that was a close match for the Bachmann model. The low-boiler version is very close to the Ma & Pa 4-6-0s shown in the 'MR Cyclopedia, V. 1, Steam Locomotives." In my experience Bachmann has been unwilling to make specific statements about prototypes for some of its locomotives. So good luck, and let us know what you find.
I cannot help but smile at your joy in your new engine acquisition. I must gently remind you that the full name of the road is “Maryland and Pennsylvania” Railroad. Not “Maryland and Pacific” However there is nothing wrong with “Pacific” in model work. =)
They did use these engines and 2-8-0’s in service along the line. As well as 0-6-0’s MR did write an article in the mid 70’s regarding the Ma and Pa.
One of the “other” magazines listed what the high-boiler job was modeled after, but I don’t remember. The low -boiler was the Ma & Pa engine. The high boiler might work for a CMStP&P G6ps, same 63" drivers, some other stuff to be changed (tender, headlight position). Just number 1 above what they had.
I can’t add anything to the original inquiry, but I would be interested in learning more about the Ma & Pa. Can someone site the referenced MR article issues which featured the Ma & Pa? A brief article on it was written in the Kalmbach book “Railroads you can Model”, but I don’t know if this was extracted from the orginal MR magazine article(s).
Phil
I believe that Canadian Pacific made extensive use of 4-6-0s in branchline service up to and including the 1950s - pretty much to the end of steam. What version, I am not sure…
Way back in ancient history the Ma and Pa was the MR layout article series. I am going to guess prior to 1970 and think it was early 60’s. That should also have some reference material as well as a plan which was round and round as I remember.