Some other guy's steam locomotive product

[Dr EMD]

A die-cast Erie Triplex (2-8-8-2) is coming in 2008 as well as a modern K4.
Hint - the company's HQ is in Maryland.

[Dr EMD]

Make that a 2-8-8-8-2.

[SteamGene]

With three numbers to match the three Erie triplexs, plus one Virginian number for a stand in for the Virginian version, which had a different wheel arrangement.
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

Oh great, put me down for a dozen............NOT!

Just what the hobby needed, another model of some big giant there was only a hand full of.

MTH has not sold me a K4 and they will not get my money on this thing either.

Sheldon

[Yukonsam]

Hi
And another K4, I assume it is a PRR locomotive. Nothing wrong about PRR or their fans, but there are other railroads out there too.

What the average modeler need is locomotives not bigger than a 2-8-2 or
4-6-2 (Not Pennsy, sorry  but..)

I may ask for a 2-6-0 and a 4-4-2 and a smaller and older 2-8-0 than Bachmann already offer. That one is a rather large and a modern 2-8-0.

The 2-8-8-8-2 may become a collectors item. Are new models made for the collector or the modeler?

Regards, Yukonsam

[RAM]

I wonder who will be the first to buy one to run on a 4 by 8 layout.

[Guilford Guy]

Not as impressive as a G scale triplex...

[Paul M.]

Do they make G scale triplexes?

[Conrail Quality]

I just hope that if they're willing to make something as unusual as a triplex, they'll make the PRR's FF-1 "Big Liz" prototype in HO like they do in O. After all, its the same sort of failed super-power locomotive concept. It would be a great day for HO electric modelers if their entire O product line was made in HO. GN Z's, PRR P5a's; well, one can dream...

[ta152h0]

Hope they make a long enough rerailer I would imagine you would need a 8 X 32 sheet of plywood 

[Guilford Guy]

Do they make G scale triplexes?

http://www.railking1gauge.com/detail.asp?item=70-3023-1

[r.cprmier]

In terms of a "collector's item"...

A company called "LMB" marketed a 2-8-8-8-2 about forty years past.  Now, THIS would be a collector's item; not some overgrown fishing weight with wheels.

The LMB locomotive was a hand-made, hand-crafted precicion model of a engine that had not many in its numbers.  It was of brass, and looked really good for it's day.  LMB has, I believe, gone the way of the kool-aid pitcher; hence, no more shall ever be produced.

Frankly, I wouldn't be inclined to buy either one for the specific purpose of collecting.  I do think it is a nice-looking model and will warm the cockels of someone's heart, who just happens to be an Erie railfan.  Perhaps if I had 70'' radius curves  on my pike, it might look good, but I already have enough large engines to satisfy my purpose.  Like Sheldon and others, I would like to see a really well-modelled mogul or ten-wheeler produced by those giggly cutsie little Chinese girls who proudly toil for the benefit of us wierdo model railroaders...(as well as kader).

I do have one question for Sheldon, Bob, or whomever may know:  Where did the term "Matt Shay" come from?  It always seemed to go hand in hand with that model.

Rich

[MrMunchkin]

Hey, I actually know the answer to something asked here, will wonders never cease! Matt Shay was the name of an outstanding engineer on the Erie and they gave that name to loco #2603 (and lettered it on the side of the cab) The Erie only made three of these and they were never duplicated as they were not very sucessful (the Virginian made one similar 2-8-8-8-4). "The engine was a six-cylinder compound, all cylinders and drivers having the same dimensions. The firebox was locoted entirely over the drivers of the middle engine unit and in consequence was greatly restricted in depth, as was the ashpan for the same reason. But since the engines were intended only for operation on a grade 11 miles long, it was thought that enough combustion would take place to meet the requirements. Unfortunately, the grade was just a little too long for consistant and satisfactory performance....These locomotives exerted the maximum tractive effort (160,000 lb compound) over short periods ever exerted by a steam locomotive with reciprocating pistons, but they were soon retired from active service." This info is from the book "The Steam Locomotive In America" by Alfred W. Bruce, which also has a photo of it (and about 200 other locos, mostly builders photos) and is a treasure trove of information on the development of steam locomotives.
Although I like the Pennsylvania, I didn't think the K-4 was a good choice for M.T.H. as Bachmann and B.L.I already had it covered pretty well. I know that they claimed that theirs was more accurate, but considering the huge number of these locos that were made I think it's possable that they both were right. When i saw the ad in this month's M.R. showing the Erie Triplex I couldn't believe it, I just can't believe that an expensive model of such an unsucessful and obscure locomotive will ever sell enough to pay for the tooling.  P.M.

[r.cprmier]

When i saw the ad in this month's M.R. showing the Erie Triplex I couldn't believe it, I just can't believe that an expensive model of such an unsucessful and obscure locomotive will ever sell enough to pay for the tooling.  P.M

PM:  A very valid point.  Money is 'most always the deciding factor in production success or failure.  It is interesting, though; that Triplex spent a fair amount of time on the inside back page of MR in the 60's.  Somebody must have been buying them.

Rich

[Woody Elmore]

Rich: Your mention of LMB (Leon M. Blum Co.) brought back memories. I belonged to a club that had two rabid Erie fans. One of them had an LMB triplex. It was a fair locomotive model but didn't compare to PFM imports detailwise. As for its running properties - well it had difficulty on the club's switches - it was great for splitting the points. It may have been that particular engine or the non rp-25 flanges.

I am not saying that the new model will have problems. The LMB model is one collector's piece that should be relegated to the display case.

Die hard Erie fans will have to budget for three of the things, to be prototypical.

By the way, doesn't it cost almost as much to tool up for a small engines as it would for a big articulated?