didnt expect this, this isnt the Y3, but the USRA design
http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/usra_2882_f
good idea, one step in the "other " railroads engines not made or only brass.
It is a nice looking model. I am curious why Walthers didn’t feel that mentioning that it is a Mallet type engine was important. It was what made the N&W as effective as they were for so many years.
If we can just get a Z of some variant, we will be in heaven.
Oh, and an M. And a K1 or K2 streamlined. [;)]
Oh great! NOW they decide on the ‘other’ USRA after I went and kitbashed my Proto Y-3 to look like a Rio Grande 3500 series! [:O]. Seriously, that’s one good looking 2-8-8-2. My only hope is that it’s a better puller than the first series, though.
Tom [;)]
Wow, the MSRP is $439.98? This is the DCC ready no sound version. Too steep for me.
Don:
Frankly, I agree. I think the Proto steamers are WAY overpriced, especially when it comes to their actual pulling power w/o their ‘optional’ traction tires. They’re beautifully detailed and very smooth running, but if you’re going to put a Big Steamer out on the market, make it one that will also pull Big Loads. Mine sure doesn’t.
Tom
Do they offer the Traction Tired drivers separately yet? I have two older ones that can not pull at all. I would like the traction tires for them, but I don’t want to have to buy new ones just to get the drivers.
Why does the HO 2-8-8-2 have a small 4-wheel truck tender and the N scale 2-8-8-2 the bigger 6-wheel truck tender?
How many freight cars do these new HO 2-8-8-2s by Walthers handle on a 4% grade?
And I wonder why they don´t offer them with a smoking unit, I mean just look at THAT price! Could´ve expected a lil more functions…
Why does the HO 2-8-8-2 have a small 4-wheel truck tender and the N scale 2-8-8-2 the bigger 6-wheel truck tender?
How many freight cars do these new HO 2-8-8-2s by Walthers handle on a 4% grade?
And I wonder why they don´t offer them with a smoking unit, I mean just look at THAT price! Could´ve expected a lil more functions…
Daniel
Daniel–
The new Proto HO 2-8-8-2 has the USRA style 4-wheel tender as delivered to the railroads by the USRA during and after WWI, while the N-scale version is that of the N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2 which was built by the Roanoake and Baldwin shops with a 6-wheel tender. The Y-3 version with the 6-wheel tender is also available in HO. The major cosmetic difference between the two locomotives is that the Y-3 has side-mounted air pumps, while the USRA version has the pumps mounted on the boiler front.
Tom .
Hey Tom,
thanks for the info. I really didn´t know that. You never stop learning…[;)]
Daniel
I agree about the ridiculously high prices on Proto Locomotives. That’s why I haven’t tried and purchased any so far. I do believe the 2-8-82 can be purchased in the neighborhood of $300 from discount stores online so I may consider one someday. I’d hope that their warrantee (and post warrantee) service would be top notch for those list prices! Walthers claims these locos will negotiate #4 turnouts without issues. Anyone tried this yet? I’ll have #5s and #6s in the main yard but it might be nice to be able to run slowly through the industries yard occasionally. I agree with Tom that one can never have too many articulateds!
Capt. Grimek
The Proto’s will negotiate #4’s without any problem, due to their double-articulation. Mine glides through my #5 and #6 turnouts very smoothly. They ARE a very smooth running loco with wonderful slow speed control. My only complaint is that they are very sparse on tractive effort. I can use mine as a helper, but not as a road locomotive (which is fairly prototypical for the railroad I model anyway), as it has a great deal of problems negotiating my 2% grades with any more than 10 or 12 cars. Not what I expect from a 2-8-8-2, especially when I bought it specifically as a heavy-duty drag freight loco. Luckily, I have an older OL ‘Powerhouse’ USRA 2-8-8-2 that can haul the walls off. [:P]
I understand that the newer models with the traction tires are better in the hauling department, but I’m one of those Old Purist Farts that doesn’t like traction tires on my steamers–if they’re properly weighted and balanced, they shouldn’t need them.
Tom [:D]
$549 with sound and DCC! That’ll make a few folks blow coffee through their nose laughing.
Thanks but no thanks Walthers
I wonder how hard it would be to Kitbash a C&O H-7 out of one of these ?
Thanks Tom for the feedback. That’s too bad about the pulling power. I’ll have near 4% grade too. Helper district… I’m curious to see how my Athearn Big Boy and Challenger (with tires) will do but that’s months away… If the 2-8-8-2 gets cheaper a year or two down the road I may try one ('cause they’re “sexy” 
but now I’ll know I’ll need to assign it a helper. I think either (or both) dallasmodelworks.com or trainworld has these listed slightly below $300 but I may have the BLI Cab Forward in mind…I’ll try and check later, I’m on my way out the door.
Terry–
It would be an interesting project, but the USRA model is a compound mallet, and the H-7’s were simple, so you’d have to replace the front cylinders. The drivers should be about the same diameter, though. I also think the H-7’s were longer than the USRA’s, but I could be wrong on that.
Actually, I always thought those neat H-7’s looked more like the Rio Grande simple L-131 2-8-8-2’s. But that’s probably because of the ‘eyebrow’ Elesco FWH system. I know the L-131’s had larger drivers and a lot more tractive effort.
But those H-7’s were sure handsome devils. Too bad the only way you can get them is pretty expensive older brass.
Tom
Not interested. First of all, the thing burns “rocks.”
Mark, who has no need for a stinkin’ coal tower
I have two of these engines a love em great detail good low speed control very nice but I didn’t go the full tilt price. I purchased undecorated and no sound or decoders. I did all of that myslef and still saved a chunk of money.
The more realistic “street” price is $350 in MR ads.