OK this is for the steam fans out there. We run a modern era on our layout. No steam. The wee chessie fan wants a steam loco. Im unusually comfortable with the idea. I love diesels. Im down with it but I know nothing about steam. I have 18" curves and want a C&O unit. So here is where youse people help. Gimmie some Ideas of loco types that will run on 18" curves. Thanks …
J.W. …pirate looking for steam
If you’re doing the 1970s, best prototypical option is the Reading T-1 that ran in Chessie colors - last month’s MR had a product review that will give details like minimum radius. There may be a video on this website somewhere -
Most everything out today will run 18" curves with the exception of BLI’s T1 2-10-4 (it’s a beast that best runs on 22+ (24 really))
The later steam is best. Like the H-8 and 0-8-0 ran well into the 50’s (the 0-8-0 were used as yard switchers)
In 1977, Chessie had the Steam Excursion special (train# 2101) which used a reading T1 4-8-4. It was painted up in the chessie system colors. (Many people cringed at this.)
I’ve got the C&O 2-10-4 and it can do 22" if the curves are done well. I’ve also got the LIfe Like C&O 2-8-4. It will do 18" curves quite well.
Fergie
Broadway Limited also has C&O in light and heavy Mikado 2-8-2 with and without sound.
The USRA 0-8-0 would be a good choice for a late steam era Chessie loco that could handle an 18 inch radius without looking too improbable. Baldwin built 30 of them in 1948. A few years later, when Chessie went to diesels for yard switching, they were sold to the Norfolk and Western, thereby becoming the full-scale prototypes for the very last steam locomotive built in the United States when Roanoke erected 45 copies of the design.
The nice thing about a switcher is that it can legitimately be coupled to anything.
Chuck
2-6-2 or a 2-8-4
As you can tell, it depends on how you’d like the steamer to “fit”. If it is a revenue-generating mainliner, then a 4-8-4 would be super. Just be aware, up front, that it will look quite toy-like on those tight curves. If that is okay with you, there ya go.
If you would like an old, reliable, still useful steam switcher, I can think of no better than the latest release of the Heritage Proto 2000 eight-coupled switcher (0-8-0), ideally with sound if you are already into DCC.
-Crandell
A Like Like P2K Berkshire painted up for Pere Marquette 1225 would be appropriate for current excursion service. http://www.mstrp.com/
The BLI Reading T-1 4-8-4 painted up for the Chessie Steam Special would be appropriate for the late 70s excursion service. http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/reading/
C&O 614, a 4-8-4 is also currently operational. http://www.co614.com/index.htm