Has anyone considered modeling that train on the TV shows: Green Acers and pettiecoat junction. all you would need is an MDC old timer steamer and one combine. I am going to try to model this funny little train. has anyone else tried this ? any pics ?
wasn’t this brought up like 4 months ago as well? I remember reading about this before.
A search of the forum would bring up several discussions about this, the history of the show and the history of the engine and combine from the Sierra RR. Yes this tends to be a popular topic.
Actually, as I remember, some years back TYCO actually merchandised an HO trainset called the ‘hooterville cannonball’. The TYCO 4-6-0 was based upon the Sierra Railroad #5 Rogers 4-6-0 that pulled the train on the TV series. Does MDC make a 4-6-0 other than the Harriman? All I’ve seen in their ‘old timer’ series is a 2-6-0 and a 2-8-0, and they’re both D&RGW prototypes (or close enough). I think that whoever is now distributing Mantua may still distribute that ex-TYCO 4-6-0. Have no idea how well it runs, though I’ve heard it was a pretty good loco. And it would be fairly authentic. As to the coaches, MDC still makes the “Sierra” shorties, and that would be what you want behind the loco. As I remember, it was the combine. You’re right, though, Oklahoma, the train would be cute as all get-out.
I had one of those old TYCO 4-6-0’s it ran just ok, not a great “slow” engine though…but hey, its the “cannonball” right?
Tyco locos were taken over by MANTUA, and they went under and were taken over by Model Power (I think). They are running some of the old Mantua production(see their web-site.), but I didn’t see the Rogers 4-6-0 or their GENERAL. I ask them via e-mail if they were going to and they said “no plans at this time”. pity. I got my “Cannonball” at a Swap meet. Runs OK. It is on my “to do” list to upgrade it, even with a decoder maybe. Motors and Flywheels are available for it. The Mantua Combine is closer than the MDC shorties to the Cannonball. Look for CF&S Rr. on letterboard & tender.
Check Swap Meets. Those Tyco/Mantua units are tough little beasts, and I often see fleets of them at the meets. [:)]
Check the mag. index. NG&SLG ran an article a year or two ago about the replacement of the Johnstown Water Tank. IHC has a delightful plastic Old Time Open Top Water Tank. (See MR’'s Alkai Central project RR.) Give it a paint job per Kalmbach’s Loco Serv. manual. The petticoats you will have to secure yourself, although Cambell/Weston does make a pile of ladies clothing! [;)]
R.B.C.
The Tyco/Mantua engine was made close to 1:76 proportion, more or less OO on HO track. Thus it would be oversize compared to a scale model of the Sierra RR original (which I think was produced in a metal kit by Arbour). In fact I seem to recall the original Model Railroader review of the Tyco engine suggesting it might be used for Sn3 1/2.
Dave Nelson
Probably right, there, Dknelson, as I remember, looking at it many years ago in my LHS case, it was a BIG loco for HO. But I suppose, if you’re going to model a fictional train, you mght as well start with a fictional loco. For myself, I wouldn’t mind seeing an actual Rogers #5 4-6-0 in true HO scale. One of my pet peeves is that Sierra sold their other ‘movie loco’, a handsome 2-8-0 to a used car dealer here in Sacramento, who stripped it down, applied red paint and turned it into a junkyard. This is the loco that appeared in classic films such as “Dodge City,” “Santa Fe Trail” and “Duel in the Sun.”
long before #5 was even heard about. I think it was built by Baldwin about 1900, but I’m probably mistaken. I don’t even think that the chassis is around, anymore. Talk about waste!
To OTN: What a great idea, it’s about time someone created an obscure train idea like this, this is called thinking out of the box (regardless of the theme) I think a lot of model railroaders take themselves just a bit too seriously at times and will scoff at your project as foolishness. Wouldn’t it be great to attend some big train show and see the look on some faces in the crowd when instead of another Mallet, shooting out of a tunnel came the “Hooterville Cannonball” Carry on and have a few laughs and good times, best of luck.
RE: tatans’ post, while fun to do for your home layout as an inside joke, the problem with specific “tv prototypes” used on display layouts at shows is that unless the viewer were a real fan of that particular tv show, they are unlikely to recognize what the model represents.
Worse yet are modules representing specific movie/tv scenes, especially if the film/show is no longer current or in wide spread reruns. The public’s memory today is very short. MDC once made a replica of the circus train that appeared in an Indiana Jones film - but I haven’t seen an example of the model yet! I also recall a truly excellent HO module based on the town in “Fried Green Tomatoes.” Would anyone recognize that today?
Perhaps the most successful choice with this sort of theme would be one based on a truly classic film that appears repeatedly on tv. An excellent example I saw presented in RMC some years ago was the town of Bedford Falls from “It’s A Wonderful Life.” All the key structures from the film were represented and the setting was Christmas eve, the ground covered with snow, and all the Christmas lights on the town’s main street illuminated. Displayed around the holidays, I’m sure that one caused quite a stir among its viewers.
CNJ831
I am going to try and get some used equipment from the train show in a couple months.
Should be real neat. Make sure you show pics when you get the stuff together. I’d definately be interested in seeing them.
Noah
Is OTN going to include the three girls in the water tank that opened the Petticoat Jct show? It just wouldn’t seem like Hooterville without the, um, the … um. Is this Forum monitored?
By the way i just remembered that when Tyco came out with the Sierra 4-6-0 they included interchangable stacks, and if memory serves a choice of wood or coal for the tender – at the time that was considered a jaw droppingly fantasic bit of detail.
Dave Nelson
Take a look at this site
http://www.maggiore.net/greenacres/ScaleModel.asp
Dave
Dave, Welcome to the forums and thanks for the link, those are some cool models!!
Noah
One of my favorite TV shows was Green Acres. I also watched Petticoat Junction a lot, so when I decided to join our church’s train club that my husband was in I chose to make a Green Acres/Petticoat Junction layout. It took a lot of research, work and time, but I love it, and it gets rave reviews at train shows. You would be surprised at how many people loved those old shows. Even teenagers who watch TV Land get to see Green Acres. (Thanks TV Land for putting it back on). And by the way dknelson, I do have the girls in the water tower. After the first show I took my layout too, I decided it needed Pixley added, so I extended the layout and added the town. I first bought a Spirit of 76 Mantua 4-6-0, which was a duplicate of the Tyco Cannonball, and painted it to look like the Cannonball. But it didn’t run well, so I kept watching e-bay and just last week bought a Tyco Cannonball. It arrived on Friday, and we had a train show yesterday (Sunday). After cleaning the wheels and giving her a little push she ran great. I’m always thinking of things to add. It’s been great fun.
What a fun thread! This really takes me back to my childhood. My sisters FORCED me to watch whatever they wanted on the TV. Happily, at least Green Acres and Petticoat Junction featured trains from time to time.
Green Acres…it was so funny, we couldn’t turn it off.
Here are some relevant links.
http://www.csrmf.org/railtown/default.asp
http://www.csrmf.org/railtown/doc.asp?id=14
Check out these links:
://us.imdb.com/title/tt0056780/
http://petticoat.topcities.com/page1.htm
[:D]