Whilst we wait for the new and accurate Athearn Mt4, here’s what I’ve been running in the meantime. It’s not a brilliant recreation of a pre-skyline Mt1, the tender is probably wrong too, and it’s still missing the front number boards - but it is “good enough” for me. I used a Bachmann light mountain, got rid of the original coal tender and replaced it with a Bachmann oil-fuel SP C4 (?), and moved the bell. The original coal tender circuit board was also installed in the new tender as the replacment was not compatible with the loco. SP 4310 was the last to remain in original condition, not getting its skyline casing until about 1950 or thereabouts (when I think it also picked up a pair of boxpok main drivers). Anyway, it’s a bit closer to the original than the current Bachmann SP heavy mountain, and a Loksound 3.5 sound decoder fits snugly in the tender.
Brian
Mt-1 #4310 (Alco-built) was the second to last SP Mountain to be “skylined.” That was done May 19, 1950. The last was Mt-5 #4368 (SP-built) on June 16, 1950.
I understand the initial Athearn production of Mt-4s will be pre-skyline and will be lettered “Southern Pacific Lines” which became obsolete in 1946. The latest photo I’ve seen with an Mt. lettered “Southern Pacific Lines” was Mt-4 #4351 (before it was skylined) pulling the Klamath at Pinole, CA on March 3, 1946 (page 135 of Robert J. Church’s The 4300 4-8-2s Southern Pacific’s Mt-Class Locomotives published by Signature Press). The majority of Mts were skylined before the 1946 relettering. See pages 232-235 of Diebert/Strapac’s Southern Pacific Company Steam Locomotive Compendium (out of print).
Mark
perhaps you could explain the term “skylined” for those of us (including me!) who are SP challenged [:)]
heck of a nice model even if it isn’t as accurate as you’d like
I think skyline means that streamline cap across the length of the boiler. Sort of like the GS class had. The Athearn mock-up doesn’t have it.
Brian, that is really sharp. Any rivet counter who knocks that needs to have his head examined.
Skyline casings were extensions of the boiler jacket that covered the upper part of the boiler. The jacketing was the full length of the boiler and covered most of the top, hiding almost all boiler “detail.” SP had them on the Mountains (Mts), most Northerns (GSs), some of the Pacifics (Ps), and the “cab-backward” Yellowstones (AC-9s). I believe it was the purchase of GS-3s(?) that started the practice on the SP.
Mark
Thanks, everyone. And to Mark for the further notes. I am not alone in the anticipation I feel for buying several of the skyline casing locos when they finally appear - probably my favourite SP loco class.
Brian