I really like the look of engines with Elesco Water Heaters. Considering how many engines were fitted with them I’m surprised that no one manufactures engines with them.
Hi Ferg, good to see you’re back in range, missed you the last week or so. Been rather quiet here. All the forums have been slow, must be the weather.
Hate to say it, but I am rather ignorant when it comes to steam. Thanks for giving guys like me a place to wimp out in your poll.[swg]
Thankfully, the NKP used Elescos on some of their Mikes, so I get to add a few to my roster. Unfortunately, most NKP Mikes had Worthington BL’s, so the rest are getting that treatment.
Either way, the more pipes on a steamer, the better!
I would prefer my steam engines to be relatively clean and generic looking so that I can detail them to taste. I really don’t like the thought of having to scrape off, patch, and fill Elesco details to install a Worthington!
I believe one or another of the detail manufacturers makes Elesco feedwater heaters that can be added to existing models.
I really like the looks of the Elesco heater sitting down slightly into the top of the smokebox. More importantly, so did the Master Mechanics of the Southern Railway. It was a very common installation on lots of their steamers. Fortunately both Cal Scale and Precision Scale make the needed pieces and they aren’t hard to work with. One note of caution - location, mounting and piping varied widely from railroad to railroad, and sometimes from shop to shop on the same road.
Have Fun,
Tom Watkins
The Norfolk & Western did not use Elesco feedwater heaters…
EXACTLY!
Aint she Sweeeeeeeet! Now that’s what I call a heater!
Tom Watkins brings up an interesting point about Elesco Feedwater heaters varying between RR’s. If you look at CN northerns and Mikes variances between classes let alone engines was quite interesting.
No, that’s what I call a heater on steroids![;)]
The Q used Elescos on a lot of it’s steamers until they started replacing them with more efficient Worthington BLs in the mid 1950s. I think Cary (owned by Bowser) makes 3 versions of Elesco heaters.
YES! bring 'em on! . I’ve resorted to risking bidding wars on eBay just to get one or two items out of a whole box of someone elses leftovers. Might have to learn how to make my own lost-wax castings!
LOL