new locomotive suggestion

[pdlethbridge]

The recent desire for a 4-8-0 got me thinking. How about one of these? A warbaby J with slab rods and no stream lining. This is one awesome piece of steel

Or one of these, a stream lined K

[Michigan Railfan]

Hmm. That's a pretty nifty looking engine there PD. What manufacturer made those? Baldwin? Just curious.
Off topic, but, is it any suprise to anyone that almost every school in metro detroit has a snow day? The snow's crazy right now. 4 inches atleast, and supposed to get more overnight. But, I don't like the storm because its delaying my P42 order from Modeltrainstuff.com. Theres always a downside.

[pdlethbridge]

The 4-8-4 J's were built in Roanoke, Va at the N&W shops. I'm not sure about the 4-8-2 K's.

[Nigel]

Heavy USRA 4-8-2s built by Alco's Brooks works in 1919 (K-2, 116-125) and Baldwin (K-2a, 126-137) in 1923. from:
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/mountain/?page=nw

and rebuilt in 1946 with streamlining added.

The N&W had so much trouble with the J1's availability compared to the standard J's due to it's heavy rod, that the War Production Board allowed them to be rebuilt during WWII to J standards with light weight Timken side rods - and even allowed the streamlining.

A very nice model of the streamlined K2/K2a locomotive can be made from the original Bachmann J shell (also used on the Plus model), on a USRA Mountain chassis (Light or Heavy).  A while back there were some photos here of an example, not sure if they still are.

[ryeguyisme]

I would so buy a warbaby Class J that locomotive looks soo beastly matter of fact put me down for like 3 

[jettrainfan]

Wow! they do exist!!!

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1181966

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=102699

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1181158

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1181987

Those are just a few! i thought your picture was photoshoped! (I've seen a few...)

[BestSnowman]

Tough question... why not both

Seriously though it would be a tough call to choose just one though I guess I'd have to go with the warbaby J because the picture you posted was taken 40 years to the day before my birthday

[pdlethbridge]

Actually the photos came from here
http://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/browse.php?folio_ID=/trans/nss/loco/ste

[adreynolds]

How about the Best Friend of Charleston in HO?

[ryeguyisme]

Well at least with the Warbaby J they don't have to change up their tooling that much, they'd only need a new boiler casting and some minor details and boom u got it

[NWsteam]

I'm still stuck on that M class. But boy I would love a non brass streamlined K2 or K2a.

-Brad

[ABC]

Too bad for you guys, Bachmann will never make any in a million years, maybe BLI will do a limited run sometime.

[GN.2-6-8-0]

I'm with NWsteam if yeah have to do another do something unique not another BB or Northern or pacific do something thats never been done before.

[Pacific Northern]

I would buy several 4-8-0's for my layout.

These were the largest engines used by Great Northern Railroad on their many miles of trackage in Southern British Coumbia for their coal and copper ore trains.

They were only surpased by the GN 2-6-6-2's which were developed a few years later.  some of the GN 4-8-0's lasted well into the 1950's

[J3a-614]

Interestingly, both engines have much of what would be needed in current Bachmann and BLI lines.  The principle requirement for both engines would be a new superstructure.  The Ja, based on a current J mechanism, would also require a set of slab rods; the current J tender could be used.  The streamlined K-2 would require the superstructure, and possibly a new cylinder block, all based on the USRA heavy 4-8-2.  A new tank, similar to that of the J but with rivets, would also be needed.  Would it be possible for Bachmann to buy N&W Y-6b or A tanks from BLI?  This would cut down on initial tooling costs.

Of the two, I would be inclined to pick the streamlined K-2.  The unstreamlined Ja only ran in that configuration for 3 or 4 years during WWII, and got streamlining and roller rods right after the war.  The K-2s were rebuilt around 1947 or so, and ran that way until the end of their operations in about 1957.

Of course, the 4-8-0 has the marketing advantage of being a "contemporary" (currently visible and running) engine; it's also one that N&W fans can use multiple examples of.  The Strasburg's engine is even currently coupled to an original N&W K-2 tender, which Bachmann currently makes.  The disadvantage is that it hasn't been made before, which means more tooling costs. 

I'll let Bachmann's management make the choice.