Spectrum 2-10-0

[rogertra]

THe Bachmann 2-10-0 prototype was, as most of us know, was built to a set of Russian specs.  The history is rather hazy, but long story short, we got stiffed by Russia; so, left with a supply here, they got sold, mostly to the Frisco, the Central of New Jersey, Erie-Lackawana,  and other, mostly eastern roads.  They went through some "metamorphic" episodes, but never really lost that European look.
My two are good runners.  Eventually, I will give them each a decoder; but am deliberating changing that un-lovely boiler/cab for something a little more "Yankee"...   Anyone's thoughts of using a Bachmann Pacific boiler?  Sounds like a possibility; especially if I can pull off tagging the stern with a delta trailing truck, and re-incarnating  the whole as a "small Santa Fe"...

RIch C.  

You saw what I did with mine Rich?

Still thinking about replacing the cab with something a little more North American.  But it's not high on the "to do" list at the moment.  I have a railroad to build first. 

Roger T.

[Trainman203]

You think the Bachmann version looks Russian, check this out, how they looked for export.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16749798@N08/4072756910

The MP got a couple that looked like this without the deflectors.  It didn't take long to get them Americanized .

[Irbricksceo]

You sure that is a Ye?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_locomotive_class_Ye#/media/File:Parovoz-Ea-629.jpg

Sometimes I feel like the only one who like the 2-10-0 in its russian look... same with my chinese SY

[RAM]

I think it is one of their own.  perhaps one of the L class.

[electrical whiz kid]

I purchased two SY Mikes; Americanized one (the "green card" special), one is still in the box... 
...Now the 'Russians'...that will be a different story.  I am going to try a couple of things to see what is what with a different boiler.

Rich C.

[ebtnut]

A little expansion on the history.  Czarist Russia had ordered several hundred locos.  They were all built to Russia's five foot track gauge.  In the midst of World War I the Communist Revolution occurred, taking Russia out of the war and the new regime cancelled the rest of the loco order.  By that time the U.S. railroads were under government control through the USRA.  The decs were doled out were it was thought they were needed.  They had to be regauged, which was accomplished by shrinking wider tires on the driver centers to make up the 3 1/2" difference in track gauge.  The truck and tender wheels may have simply been re-pressed.  They seem to have been good engines within their capabilities.  The WM still had some on the roster in the early '50's.  A couple hung on down in Georgia very late in the steam era, too.

[wjstix]

Just to refine the history a little, when the Bolsheviks took over Russia and formed the Soviet Union, they were not recognized by the US or UK (both of whom sent troops to Russia in 1918-19 to see if they could help the White Russians fighting the Communists in the Russian civil war) so President Wilson blocked the engines from being exported, so in effect cancelled the order for the engines.

Anyway, I have one that I decorated for the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern, the railroad that ran by my house growing up. The herald from an O scale late steam era boxcar decal set is a pretty close match to the herald used on the MNS engines, it wasn't like the herald later used on MNS diesels.