IHC Hudson, Mike, Consol., and 0-8-0

[Locomotive10]

Hey Ya'll,

I'm back. For those of you who can't guess who I am, I used to be Thomas Fan and then GW-2-10-0#90 or something like that. I decided to re-register with my screen name from just about everyforum I am on.

I have been admiring IHC's steamers for a while, and I am consiering buying a Southern Railroad 2-8-0, as well as a Mike, and the 0-8-0.

But in the recent Model Railroader, I saw a Southern Streamlined Hudson in IHC's add and I have already locked up $100 so I won't spend it.



How do IHC's locos run? Detail isn't a big thing, as I can always re-paint the locos and add detail parts, which I planned to do with all but the Hudson.

Weather or not it runs good I'm buying the Hudson to have, but if the others run good then I'll ckeck them out too.

Loco10

[ebtbob]

Loco 10,

       Over the past 10 years,  I have owned 2 IHC 2-8-0s,  2 @4-8-2s
1@2-8-2,  1@0-8-0,  and 2@2-10-2s.     Everyone of these engines was a quiet smooth runner.   Now,   all are on the light side,  so the pullng power will not match that of some of the more expensive steamers out on the market today.    But....the 2-8-0s pulled as well as the Spectrum 2-8-0s that I have and ran at exactly the same speed.   The 4-8-2s outpulled the Spectrum light 4-8-2s by about 15% on my shallow grade.   The mikado I have nothing to compare it to expect for the 2-8-0s and it was their equal.
The 0-8-0 was a good runner although,  once converted to DCC had some quirky problems with some of my Peco turnouts,  on the main when running thru the straight part of the turnout and I never could figure out why.
       All these engines,  save the 2-10-2s have been sold off and replaced by BLI engines.   The 2@2-10-2 still hold down heavy freight service here on the Philadelphia and Reading Shortline.   I have them both retrofited with operating KD couplers on the pilots to double head them and Tsunami sound decoders.
        All the IHC steamers that I had,  save the 2-10-2s had oversized flanges,  so you will want code 100 rail on your railroad.   Now in another post this past week the discussion came up about IHC flange sizes and there may be move afoot from IHC to retrofit their other steamers with RP25 flanges,  thus allowing the use on code 83 or 70.
       Other engines that IHC makes that I never owned but have had heard about.   The smaller engines,  the 2-6-0 and 4-4-0(I think) run smooth and quiet but are poor pullers,   maybe 5-7 cars total.
        The motors are equipped with flywheels that are in the cab,  but basically not seen as they are blackened.
        From an appearence perspective,   I replaced bells and whistles.  Added LaBelle crews,  and painted all the handrails black.   There were assorted other small detail parts that were put on some of the engines,  but in general,  that is all the modifications I made.   
        One last thing,  the 2-8-0s in their day,  were the only engines out there with operating couplers on the pilot and as far as I know,  IHC has not changed that.

Bob

[SteamGene]

Let me second that.  I have one each of the IHC 4-8-2, 0-8-0, 2-8-0, 2-10-2, and two 4-6-4s.  All are very nice, but do need to have rails painted, as Bob said, and only the 0-8-0 and 2-8-0 have operating front couplers.  They are mostly generic but may have some detail that reflects a specific railroad.  For instance the clear vision tender of the 0-8-0 is nowhere near the C&O clear vision, but it is specific for another road, which I can't remember.   The "semi-streamlining" looks very Canadian to me. 
The 4-8-2 is a good model of the C&O J-2 and the IHC model pulls as well as the Bachmann version.
Gene

[Locomotive10]

Thanks,

The Mike was a maybe, sinse BLI now has a light Mike as well as a Heavy Mike, so I'd rather buy that one.

As for the lightness, I'll see about adding weight to the 0-8-0 and Consol afetr I detail and repaint them if I choose to do so.

The Hudson will be bought regardless of running problems, even if I have to keep in on the mantel above my fireplace.

Thanks Alot,
Loco10

[ebtbob]

Loco 10,

     If you are going to purchase a BLI mike,  get the light mike.   It is actually a better puller than the heavy and comes with the operating coupler on the pilot.

Bob

[SteamGene]

Before I added weight to either one, I'd check on the pulling ability on your layout or on a layout on which you run.   You may find you don't need to add anything.  Remember, the 2-8-0 in real life did not pull what a 2-8-2 pulled - hence the appearance of the 2-8-2.
Gene

[Locomotive10]

Yeah,

Well, I tore down my Thomas layout and I would like to start and around the wall layout.

I was hoping to use code 80 track from Atlas, but I can deal with Code 100.

I really don't plan on running, say an 80 car Coal Drag of Reefer Hotshot, 30 cars would be my maximum, maybe 40, depending on what the locos can pull without slipping.

I really don't expect to pull 40 cars behing the IHC 2-8-0 or Mike if they can't pull it. I'd just give engines what they can pull.

Loco10

[SteamGene]

The BLI Mikes do a great job without traction tires.  I've no clue what traction tires would do for them.
Gene

[Locomotive10]

Well,

In reviews of BLI locos I've seen that with the traction tires added the Loco can pull noticably more on the charts.

Loco10

[lanny]

My current 'roste' of steam consists of Spectrum, BLI and IHC.

I am impressed with the running quality of the IHC line, though details are nearly so good as Spectrume or BLI.

I have a couple IHC 2-10-2s which are very, very good haulers and runners. I also have an IHC 2-6-0, 4-6-2, 4-8-2 and a 2-8-0 (all waiting the 'kit basher's torch' to turn them into ICRR steam).

These locomotives are, for the money, very good runners (bought them on eBay and got what I consider very good deals on all of them...all 'new, mint' condition).

I honestly feel, however, that the Spectrum heavy 4-8-2, 2-8-0 and 2-6-6-2 are all smoother, better runners, and the details are much better.

The same for the BLI heavy Mikado I have and with the added sound for DC/Analog, it is a 'no brainer' for me, even though it is a USRA rather than Harriamn style locomotive. With traction tires added it is hands down one of my top three locomotive haulers.

Of course, you will have to pay a substantial amount more for a BLI (sound) than an IHC. If your budget can handle it, go for Spectrum or BLI, if not, you won't be sorry with IHC.

I use code 100 rail, so the wheel flanges are not an issue to me, they all track very well.

I terms of kit bashing and adding details, I am finding with my Spectrum 2-8-0 that cleaning off unneeded details and adding others is easier because the locomotive is already very well and prototypically detailed.

When I kit bashed my IHC 2-10-2 into an ICRR 2-10-2, almost every detail had to 'go', many of them not being prototypically correct in the first place. Thanks to advice and encoruagement from Ray Breyer (and Brad), it still turned out pretty well.

Bottom line (in my opinion) ... you won't be sorry with an IHC, but you'll probably be happier with Spectrum or BLI in the long run.

Remember this also (I 'think' this is correct) ... only the IHC 2-10-2 is 'DCC ready'. I don't know if DCC can be incorporated into the other models or not ... but my understanding is that they are not DCC ready for a decoder plug in as the come in the box.

lanny nicolet

[Locomotive10]

Hmmm,

Well, I'm getting the 2-8-0 simply because I like it's looks and I wanted to detail it anyway, same for the 0-8-0, but, detail is not a big issue and pulling power isn't too much of an issue.

I was also planning on Buying a 2-10-2, but it was going to be the Life Like 2-10-2.

Loco10

[kevin2083]

I have the mike, and I love it. the flanges on the tender were a little large, so I ground them down and I haven't had any problems since. DCC is very easy to install, the decoder can fit in the cab and the wiring is easy to get to. It does not come with an opperating coupler on front, but there was an article in MR on how to do it (I can't remember which one though). Pulling could be better, but my layout isn't really big enough to have it matter much.