I saw this model at my LHS and wondered if anyone out there has built one?
I’d like to have 4884 for a static display but don’t want to pay $350 for a peice of scenery. Wondering how detailed a kit it can be for only $20.
loathar
Hey Loathar, are you of the Hill people by any chance?
It is not hugely detailed but looks decent enough; ditto their nonpowered NYC Hudson By the way, Bowser makes a conversion kit so the tender to this static Big Boy can actually be used. – Metal frame and wheels.
“back in the day” there used to be several static model kits of this kind. Hobbyline made a static Nickel Plate berkshire (and an outfit then offered running gear to make it operate) and PRR 0-4-0 which was similar to the John English metal kit, as well as some very cheap freight cars that with some work (and weight) could be used; Kitmaster offered some British locomotives and cars.
Dave Nelson
Interestingly, you can still buy a few of the British Kitmaster locos - now made by Dapol. They also offer some of the old Airfix wagon kits which are still very useful - some of them represent prototypes that nobody else offers, and they’re well-detailed considering their age and prices. www.dapol.co.uk might be of interest here.
PS. There’s a company over here named Branchlines doing exactly as Dave describes with the current Dapol kits - they offer a “package” of the kit, a chassis, motor, wheels, detail parts, etc to build a working model - handy given most of them haven’t yet been produced RTR!
Equal or slightly better than Rivarossi, and you can always add more detail.
TigerStripe
Yes! I possess language and have opossable thumbs!
I just don’t sleep very deeply anymore(those big rocks hurt!)
Matt, I had forgotten about Airfix. We used to see those over here from time to time.
Lionel once offered a Civil War “General” 4-4-0 in unpowered form in a large scale, perhaps 1:25. And somewhere I have an O scale unpowered trolley car offered years ago by a Japanese firm. Corgi is offering beautiful unpowered PCC cars in 1:50 scale, very close to O and I have seen some powered and run on O trolley layouts. I mounted mine on code 100 track and it looks very convincing (the wheels move on their axles so there is no real gauge to the thing).
Maybe the most famous and coveted unpowered train was the steel or cast iron Buddy-L unpowered steam locomotive made to almost “live steam” size standards, with fairly accurate detailing. It was a child’s toy and I have not seen one in years but still … Buddy-L had some massive and sturdy child’s toys decades and decades ago.
Matt’s posting reminds me that that is how AHM originally offered their O scale version of the Indiana Harbor Belt 0-8-0 (a massive switcher of which there were only three prototypes). You could buy it as an unpowered kit and then buy the power kit. I seem to recall however that if you followed the instructions for unpowered – as if you intended to keep it that way – you were in some manner screwed when it came to power the thing. My mind is fuzzy on details.
Dave Nelson
The current Revell Big Boy Model is a reissiue of the old Monogram Static Snap-Tite plastic display model. It builds into a fairly decent model. I have purchased several. I called Bowser and one can puchase their Big Boy kit sans boiler. I thought I would go this rout to power mine up. Given that Rivorossi is now out of Business and Trix is prohibitively expensive, I could get a “Kit Bashers Special” going this rout. An advantage of using the Revell/Monogram-Concor Kit is a decal sheet with all the neccissary lettering is included. I prefer the older Monogram-ConCor release decal sheets because by cutting and splicing all 25 road numbers can be obtained. I am planning on modeling all 25 of these beasties eventually.
Sincerely,
James
I think I’m convinced that I want to get one (or several) of these myself. Does anyone have any suggestions about on-line vendors that offer them at reasonable prices? Thanks (in advance) for the help!
keep watching ebay, as James mentioned, the Monogram versions are the most preferred, followed by the ConCor. Besides decals, another reason is tool wear. The Monogram ones were made when the tool was newest.
Squadron Mail Order
1115 Crowley Drive
Carroliton TX 75011-5010
972-242-8663
squadron.com
These fellows listed the current Revell Germany release in their latest sales flyer, I think they stated it as $19.99. These guys are one of the better mail order suppliers I have delt with and I do most of my model airplane business with these people.
James.