Hello, I’m new to these forums. I was wondering if anyone has ever made an HO scale model of the Milwaukee Road 261. With the release of the Milwaukee cars from walthers, I would love to model this train in an excursion timeframe. I have searched tirelessly online but have found no reference of one. I figured if anyone would know it would be the people on this forum. Thanks in advance! Mike
Yes, there have been several made, but…, all of them brass models. NWSL imported one in the late 1960’s, a well built version, then Overland imported 2 runs in the 80’s and 90’s. One built by Dong Jin of questionable quality but reasonably priced most of the time, the other by Ajin is of exceptional quality and will bring seriously more money “most” of the time.
PFM also imported one in the 1960’s in their “Crown” series but although it is very high quality it is also very expensive because of it’s rarity, figure $1000 plus for the PFM version. One the other hand you could check with Broadway Limited and ask if they have any future plans to import one of these, seems logical considering Walthers has built the passenger train.
Mark
If there was, it would be in Brass.
I’ve been looking though, and Bachmann did a trainset Alco 4-8-4 in UP for a set. (The Overland freight one) There’s a few differences, but I’ve been wondering if that wouldn’t be a bad place to start a kitbash. If you’ve got the talent, start there. Sorry I’m not mrore help.
And, [#welcome] beware of the nuts. They are rampant here.
There’s only one big problem with the Bachmann engine, it’s a Santa Fe protoype, and secondly unless it’s one of the new versions with the “metal” axles on the drivers it’s a piece of “crap”. I have 2 of them I bought at train shows to try to rehabilitate and they’re still laying in a parts box as a tribute to Bachmann quality…
Mark
Thanks to all of you! I found this: http://www.brasstrains.com/classic/product/detail/015335/HO-OMI-Milwaukee-S2a-4-8-4-235 Pricey, but not impossibly expensive. Is this the right type of model to be re-numbered as the 261? And how hard would it be to put a DCC decoder inside?
That depends on which version it is, the Dong Jin version was offered 3 ways, original, post war, and final version. The Ajin version was only offered in a “final” version as far as I know.
As for a DCC decoder,I’m not that familiar with DCC as I don’t use it but I do know it requires a fully insulated motor which means a “can” motor, all Overland engines came equipped with “can” motors so your DCC conversion should not be a problem, of course it is not DCC ready so soldering will be required, as to what and where I do not know but that shouldn’t be a major issue.
Mark
The S2 Northerns are larger than the S3 Northerns. The S3 is basically a wartime copy of the RI R-67 Northern, IIRC. With the real 261 going through another rebuild, and then on the road again next year:: I suspect maybe a HO model may be issued. I might be interested in one!
Jim
Is it? It doesn’t look like the Northerns sold seperately. Though the cab is slightly off, and in comparing the engien to 261, as is the pilot (fixable-with work) the Smokebox front (slap on a brass piece), it needs a lot of plumbing on the roof (simple) and then a longer square dome, sand I think. (Not so easy…)
Or you can go with that, although the plastic-sleeved axles will do pretty well until they fail.
And I think, though I could be wrong, but I think there may actually be two engine styles for the Overland.
EDIT: Yes, there are two styles of Overland.
This is the current one, that I have in front of me. I can tell by the price, and it feels like a solid axle. You notice, the boiler is too clean for 261, and the headlight is badly misplaced.
Or there’s this one,w ith the split axle. However, it is also closer to 261, with the centered headlight and mor epiping on top. Cabs are still wrong though. In both mockups, the tender is almost perfect, however. If you can add in the styrene squaring at the front of it.
Very interesting. I have never done much in the way of kit-bashing, but this might be one i will have to have a go at. Does Bachmann sell that Northern separate from the trainset?
Fraid not, though I bet if you looked in the train shows, or Ebay, you could turn up eoth version for 70 bucks or less than 100. Really, the entire set for MSRP of 180 is not bad for a DC engine. While you get a bunch of “Trainset” cars with it (cgood for practing painting on) the bachmann steamer is not that bad of an engine. Looking onlyine, you WILL get it cheaper than 180, and dependent on how overboard you go on parts, The entire project shouldn’t run much more than 200. (This assumes ~165-170 for the set and 30-40 for the brass parts & motor decoder. A Motor decoder is 25, sound is a whole nother ballpark) And PS, the Bachmanns will be easir to DCC, since the shells are plastic and non-conductive.
In looking at the 261, I’d be inclined to go for the model with th higher light mount. You can use that port for her red-light, and move the headlight down to the bump-out. And, the cleaner body gives you an easier canvas to add in the the steam valves, dynamos, and other doohickies I know nothing about.
That is exactly what I was thinking. Most of the clutter on the top of the loco would be inaccurate for the 261 anyways. And it might be more easy to find. (Leaves to search Ebay and Google…)
It looks to me as though on the top on they used the NYC 4-8-4 boiler, on the bottom one they used the Santa Fe 4-8-4 boiler, neither of those cabs look like NYC or Santa Fe.
It looks more like something designed by the famous “committee” and they just went to the parts bin and started assembling anything that woud fit together. Here, try this one!! Nope, well, try that one!!! Darn, something has to fit!!!
Mark
Back when Bowser had their generic 4-8-4 metal kit I recall seeing one detailed and painted to resemble an S-3. Not exact … but if you get the tender, enclosed cab and front end right, the brain takes over and convinces you.
Distant and unreliable memory is that one of the popular brass Milwaukee Road 4-8-4s came out with sand domes that were grossly wrong in size and proportion and for many modelers it was the first time they had ever taken a soldering iron to their brass locomotive! I don’t remember if that was an S-2 or S-3 model.
Dave Nelson
I’ve thought to myself that a Bachmann Santa Fe 4-8-4 with the Spectrum Hicken tender wouldn’t be a bad starting point for a kitbash of 261.
The newer “DCC equipped” Northerns got a pretty good review in Model Railroad News a year or two back.
I’ve often wondered why model manufacturers don’t make it a point to issue models of steam engines that are still in use, since they could be selling them to two markets - one, modellers of the steam age, and two, people modelling “today” but who would like to have an occasional, realistic steam fan trip run on their line. I’m sure many modellers have bought models of UP 3985 to run on their modern layouts for example. Why not a model of 261?? As noted, it would even have an extra potential since it’s basically a copy of a Rock Island design, it could be offered in both MILW and CRIP lettering.
I think that’s the body on the old Overland engine.
That is the most obvious issue with the Overland model is the sand dome. The Santa Fe Northern is closer, but not quite there. I am using this as a comparison photo: http://www.littleriverbooks.com/photos/MilwaukeeRoad261Nowack.jpg I almost like that the Overland is cleaner, as it means I can just add what I want and not have to take much stuff off. The sand dome will be issue number one on my list.
Well from what i have heard mth ho or either brodway limited making the 261 im hopin its mth but i could be wrong on the mth part
Slightly OT but the latest Lionel 2010 (part II) catalog shows an O scale 261 that looks mighty nice. I’d have no use for the fancy electronics but as a mantlepiece model it has its possibilities.
Dave Nelson
Well, if one’s doing her, hopefully the other is as well. I’ll look into it.
Hmm, there’s a comment on their Facebook page, it looks like it’s MTH. Ho boy.
Where’s Walthers wehn you need them to open the Heritage line?
Haha, I had nearly forgotten about this. 
I would love it if Broadway did a 261, that would make my day! 
Seems like a logical loco for them to model too… I’m getting the Friends of the 261’s cars anyways, as they look good for any type of excursion train, especially now that they loan them out! As for the kitbash, I would still be willing to try it, but if I did, I would probably still use the clean-boiler Overland just because I don’t want to spend to much $$$ for something that could in all likelihood end up in the trash! But if anyone has any other alternatives in mind, I’d be happy to hear them!