Longhorn Valley Railroad

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hey, I’m new here. Back in February I purchased a locomotive off ebay from a seller with several other highly detailed models lettered for the same railroad. There were 5 other identical pacifics to the one I purchased, plus many other locomotives with detailing done to the same standard. Mainly mantua, bowser, mdc, etc.

I have come to the forums in search of answers, and if anyone has any information on this railroad. I’d love to know the full story. The quality of the paint and overall craftsmanship, as well as the presumably custom decals makes me believe this engine was made recently.

Since I aquired the engine, I have added jewels to the headlight and markers, as well as performing some minor touch up and a servicing. It runs great! Hard to believe this was a stock mantua/tyco pacific.

Alex

2

That locomotive is definitely not “stock”, as many of the cast-on details have been removed (likely with a file) and replaced with brass castings from Cal-Scale and/or Kemtron, or Precision Scale.

Those details include the Worthington Type-S fwh, the number boards, class lights, lubricators on the valve gear, the front-end throttle, check valves blow-off cocks, the Pyle headlight and an aftermarket pilot. The auxiliary dome, with the whistle and pop valves is also an add-on, as is the bell and generator.

I’d also guess that on the fireman’s side of the loco, there’s a cold water pump under the cab, and a hot water pump under the walkway, in the area above the valve gear. Somewhere in between those two there’s also an air pump, either above, below, or interrupting the walkway.

The cab is from Kemtron, available as a kit, in plastic or brass.

It also looks like the stock coal tender has been converted into an oil tender, a fairly simple task for anyone who has done a little scratchbuilding.

I did the loco, below, for a friend, but he wanted some of the original cast-on parts left in-place, which made the job easier. It was a Mantua Pacific, but he wanted it to be a Hudson, as evidenced by the four-wheel trailing truck. The tender is from Bachmann, a USRA “long” one. It looks pretty-much “stock”, but it’s filled with equipment to allow the loco to be operated with “dead-rail” technology (battery powered and controlled remotely by a wireless hand-held throttle.

…here it is after painting…

3

Just a guess, but I suspect that the “Longhorn Valley” is a fictitious freelance model railroad. The Logo doesn’t look like anything a professional graphic artist would have created.

Ray

4

I had a quick search through the list of reporting marks, and while there was “The Longhorn RR”; reporting mark, LHRR, I would also think that “The Longhorn Valley Railroad” is fictious.

As I also model a fictious railroad, I don’t think it’s a big deal, and as Wayne has pointed out, you appear to have acquired a well detailed, good running locomotive.

Have Fun.
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]

5

Alex, that is a handsome locomotive.

Hard to believe someone did all that work, as Wayne pointed out, but did not decal the number boards… I am guilty of that too…

[:D]

-Kevin