I am trying to find a Pacific Locomotive, HO gauge, diecast preferred ($$$) , secondarily Brass ( Limited income, retired ). B&M or NYC, preferred, unlettered if need be. MEC, or VC OK also as 3rd choice, for New England pre 1955 period.
I am also considering a kit if I can’t find what I need .
Reccos from the MRR ports of authority???
Thank you in advance for your replies,
GrayFox,
If you want B&M, your options are pretty limited. I collect B&M Late Steam / Early Diesel H.O. scale locomotives. In Boston & Maine you have an IHC 4-6-2 that is pretty plain jane and not really a good representation of any real engine that ever ran the rails in New England. Bachmann sells a 4-6-2 that can be doctored up to look like a B&M, but again, it’s not even close. I just purchased an Overland brass B&M Pacific P2b but it was rather pricey. Overland just announced that they will be making some B&M Pacific P3a that will be available in early Spring, but those are very pricey ($1800 plus). Many years ago Athearn did a B&M P4 that can occasionally be found on Ebay, but it’s not real reliable in terms of it’s running abilities or the way it was built.
Mike
I asked a similiar question earlier trying to find a NYC pacific. Maybe this would work for you:
http://bowser-trains.com/holocos/nyc_k11/nyc_k11.htm
Hope this helps…
Don’t know much about B&M engine but the Bowser boilers have a lot of metal in them and can take some pretty serious downsizing before running out of metal. The only questions would be is the running gear close enough and are you up to removing all that metal?
There’s nothing really available (outside of brass) that would duplicate a B&M, MEC or CV 4-6-2. However, Bowser does make a kit for the NYC K-11. MSRP is $85. Superdetail kit MSRP is $37.00. I’d consider the Bowser kit. You should be able to get both for less online.
Bowser NYC K-11: http://bowser-trains.com/holocos/nyc_k11/nyc_k11.htm
Bowser also makes what they call a USRA Light 4-6-2. Strictly speaking, it’s not a USRA light as it uses the USRA light 2-8-2 boiler which is larger in diameter than the USRA light 4-6-2. Howver, it does make into a nice looking model and retails for $130 (includes superdetails). You can probably also get this for less than MSRP.
http://bowser-trains.com/holocos/usra_light_pacific/usra_light_pacific.htm
Broadway Limited is also bringing out a USRA light 4-6-2. MSRP for the “Stealth” (i.e. straight DC, no sound) is going to be $139.99. They’ll go for less if BLI ever brings 'em in. They’re going to have one lettered for B&M as well as Rutland.
The picture at the BLI/PCM website is of their USRA light 2-8-2, but it’ll give you a pretty good idea of the detailing on the Pacific if and when it comes in.
I know little about the roads you are modelling, but if you can find one, and the design is appropriate, the Athearn Genesis USRA light Pacifics were quite nice little engines. Some of them did have a gear issue, but Athearn had replacement driver sets with gears at last check. The mechanism is a dandy one. They do need a little more weight to pull real well, and they are not mountain engines for certain, but I really like the 2-8-2s and the 4-6-2.
Dick: This is totally doable. Like you I’m an old guy on a budget. The secret here is knowlege, paitence and shopping the used bargin bins of the hobby: shows, ebay & the like, and LHS that deals in used and traded in merchandise. One of your best tools in the hunt is your collection of old issues of MR, so you can recognize what you’re looking at and have an idea of its plus and minuses.
The NYC 4-6-2 is easy. You need to look for a Bowser K-11. There are a lot of them out there, parts are still available, and they are a good reliable engine. The cast on detail is not that bad, and accurate. You can add more detail as you desire I’m almost ashamed to tell you that I picked up a mint unbuilt 50’s vintage kit, complete with an in the wrapper Bowser super motor for less than $35. I’m not bragging (well maybe just a little), but telling you this to encourage you that it can be done.
As far as B&M pacfics go, what you want is the OLD athearn 4-6-2, which was a decent copy of the B&M engine in plastic (At the time it was introduced in the early sixties there was a lot of grousing about Athearn mass producing a engine for this minority road) There are a couple of downsides here. The engine is relatively scarce, and did have mechanism problems, so you’re gonna have to look a lot and do some rebuilding when you find one. There were two types, a rubber band drive, and a geared version. Since you’ll be looking at mechanism work either way, I would say take what you can get in your price range.
Another real prospect is the tyco/matua 4-6-2. There are a lot of these around. They are rugged, and there’s not to much that can’t be fixed on them if missing or broken. Yardbird Trains, which is frequently mentioned on this forum has lots of parts at reasonable prices. This is a free lance engine, and not a real copy of anything in parti
The last MEC 4-6-2’s are a bit smaller than the USRA light Pacific, but a USRA would be visually “close enough” especially if your model is equipped with Baker valve gear. The cabs were smaller on MEC’s C-3b’s than on the USRA. The closest available model cab is the Mantua cab that was used on all their engines except the tank engines. The sand dome on the USRA would need to be moved back a bit on the boiler to more closely resemble the MEC loco. MEC’s final Pacifics were equipped with boosters on Delta trailing trucks and the locos were equipped with Coffin type feedwater heaters buried in the smokebox. The turbopumps for the FWH’s were mounted on the fireman’s side below the front part of the firebox. While the tender on the C-3b’s was a tad smaller than those of the USRA, they are “close” enough if you replace the tender trucks with drop equalizer trucks that are identical to the trucks that come on the Spectrum undecorated light Mountain.
MEC #469: http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/mcr469.Html
Youtube video of MEC #470 rather sadly displayed in Waterville, ME. Video shows both sides of engine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFZAYH0xpYE&feature=related
Hope this helps.
Andre
Thank you guys for the great info!! Very much appreciated. My LHS does have items that are in for re-sale from time to time, and of course the BIG E train show is coming January 26th and 27th, so I can search the tables there also.
I don’t mind kit building either, so Bowser is a great alternative.
Andre…have you been following the weather in your alternate home of Maine? This has been one wild December, the storms have been coming by the feet, Maine is WHITE up to your waist.
Yeah, I have. So far, I’ve had to shell out $120 for driveway plowing and I’m quite sure the bill will be even higher before December ends. That’s on top of the fuel oil to keep the house at 50 degrees (pipes have been blown, but the heating system is BBHW - antifreeze is in the heating circuit). We were hoping to sell the thing last summer, but what with the real estate slump and all…
Andre