What better way to celebrate my first HO purchase in 30 years then to score a used Westside Models SP 4-10-2 in running condition for under 200 bucks, It’s not much too look at with the most god awfull heavy handed weathering job in the history of the hobby. No doubt a good mechanical inspection and tune up plus a new paint job will prove beneficial!
Dave
WOW! That is good buy. That should keep you busy for a few days.
That is quite a deal you got there! Westside steam engines were usually made to a very high level of quality. If you can strip and repaint your new 4-10-2, you’ll definitely have a very nice steam engine, and you’ll probably double its value too!
Always good to hear when someone scores a great deal, congrats and please postt some pics
Dave:
Please—PLEASE, some photos. I BEG YOU! [:P]
I’ve got several Westside locomotives, two of the Rio Grande L-105 Challengers and a couple of SP F-3 2-10-2’s, and they are among the smoothest running, most powerful brass lokies I own. That reduction gearing that Westside used is still among the best reduction gear mechanisms I’ve ever seen, period!
And those locos are SOLID! I mean, like proverbial TANKS, LOL! Hook them up to whatever you want as far as number of cars and just let them crawl out of the yard with a crack of the throttle.
I have no idea what the minimum radius of that 4-10-2 is, but I’d bet that it’s relatively reasonable. I know my Westsides will take my 34" minimum radius with no problem (and not much of an overhang on the Challengers, BTW) and no hanging up on the curves. And as far as the ‘overweathering’–well, a couple of coats of Jasco will get it back to the brass so you can get THAT part of it cured, LOL.
Dang, I envy you. At that price, it wasn’t a ‘steal’, it was a GIFT! [^]
Tom [bow]
Up front it appears you got a fair deal. I’ve noticed more and more brass coming up for sale, many with sentimental values attached, some priced for quick sale. I prefer buying used locos with “issues” myself, and then making whatever parts needed to upgrade and repair. Most require stripping off old finishes and weathering, which helps with operating issues right off the bat, and cleaning all the wheels and contact areas. I remember stripping my cab forward of what I can only describe as undercoating. It did a great job of preventing shorts but was playing heck on the running gear. Last night I stripped a SD-45 that was painted at least twice. That thick paint can really obscure the details. Now comes the hard part with it, deciding what colors to make it, since it really doesn’t fit in with the rest of my fleet.