Is Bachmann's green painted Southern Baldwin 2-8-0 fact or fiction?

Started by Searsport, January 08, 2018, 05:09:05 AM

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Searsport

January 08, 2018, 05:09:05 AM
Hi, I am wondering if this paint scheme represents a preserved engine? It seems unlikely that a 2-8-0 would get the passenger paint scheme. Does anyone know? And are the green Baldwin low-boiler 4-6-0 and Baldwin and Richmond 4-4-0s also based on historical fact or preserved locos? They are more credible passenger engines. I would be grateful for any views or evidence.

Thanks,
Bill.

ebtnut

#1
January 08, 2018, 09:42:47 AM
I know some of the 4-4-0's got green paint.  Some other SR expert may comment on Ten-Wheelers.  Back in the SR's steam excursion salad days of the '70's the railroad acquired two ex-SR Consols from the ET&WNC, 630 and 722, for excursion service.  No. 722 did get the green paint job, so it's accurate to that extent.  No. 630 got, and keeps, the freight black. 

Len

#2
January 08, 2018, 09:53:23 AM
Here's what a Southern 2-8-0 should look like:


Just like a lot of models, many preserved non-passenger Southern locos, that should look like the pic, had the green paint slapped on them when it shouldn't have been.

Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.

Trainman203

#3
January 08, 2018, 10:13:58 AM
I'm pretty sure that the 630 was green in the early 70's.   I could be wrong.

Trainman203

#4
January 08, 2018, 10:23:40 AM
The green and gold SR 4-4-0s ran in passenger service over a weight-restricted-bridge line between Mobile and Selma, AL, very late, into the early 50' if I am correct.  The green Bachmann 4-4-0's do not closely resemble them.  But I have one anyway.

The Bach Man deserves credit for offering prototypically painted black SR steam engines in the past.  These included the Richmond 4-4-0, the 4-6-0, the 2-8-0, and the 2-10-2.  I have all of them.

Also, SR painted a number of 4-8-2's green and gold.  I believe Bachmann had that one out years ago.

Len

#5
January 08, 2018, 10:54:31 AM
Here's another shot of '630' in less prestine condition. The boiler jacket may be some weird shade of green. Note the auxillary tender:


Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.

Trainman203

#6
January 08, 2018, 11:39:24 AM
Len, those two photos show how closely that the Bach Man's 2-8-0 resembles certain SR engines.  Move the bell to the smokebox door, put a new steamboat whistle on the left side of the steam dome, and you are 85 percent there!

J3a-614

#7
January 08, 2018, 12:28:41 PM
Southern did paint at least 722 green--but that was for excursion service.  She wouldn't have worn that in her regular service days.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8303/7978045773_f1c3468244_b.jpg

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=47003

ebtnut

#9
January 09, 2018, 11:52:01 AM
J3a - That Flicker shot looks like it might have been taken at Warrenton, VA back when we ran steam trips out of Alexandria back in the day.  Any data on the date and location?

J3a-614

#10
January 09, 2018, 01:44:51 PM
Quote from: ebtnut on January 09, 2018, 11:52:01 AM
J3a - That Flicker shot looks like it might have been taken at Warrenton, VA back when we ran steam trips out of Alexandria back in the day.  Any data on the date and location?

Took a while to find the Flickr shot, but the caption says Front Royal, Va. 1979.

The engine still has plain bearing tender trucks; would it have still had them that late?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28053622@N05/7978045773

Searsport

#13
January 09, 2018, 03:20:47 PM
Hi, thanks for all above. One reason for my asking was that there are a lot of green SOU engines on discount at the moment - the big online retailers clearing their shelves I guess.

On the green Connie, it is clear from all the links that this is a heritage scheme for the 2-8-0. That would not rule it out for me, but Trainman's revelation of a black Spectrum SOU Connie, which I had not known of previously, Spectrum 84503 on the Walthers website, led me, via a quick  google search hoping to find one, back here to the Bachmann parts store where the loco body shell is still in stock, though the tender top is sold out, as is the un-lettered tender top. By chance I have a Rock Island Connie with irreparable body damage, so it now has a new body on the way, and I will sort out the tender later. Anyway the USRA medium coal tender is not quite right, judging by #730. Many thanks for those links. BTW you-tube also yielded Spectrum 2-8-0 SOU #724 in black, which seems to have no sound and so is presumably the plain DC version. So I have left the green Connie on the shelf (at least for now).

On the 4-4-0s, the info about the Mobile - Selma run led via google to the HawkinsRails.net image of #3841 at Selma and on the same page  #3859 at Meridian. As stated by Trainman they are not dead ringers for the Spectrum models, but #3841 is definitely in the right paint scheme, and #3859 is in the right # range, the two Spectrum Baldwins being #3856 and #3858. Anyway I have bagged the pair for $89.99 + $149.99 respectively from my favorite Brooklyn emporium as at those prices I don't expect them to be around for long, and on current form when they are gone we will not see their like again. Spectrum's green Richmond #3863 "Selma" is also broadly in the right # range, but is long gone from the retail shops.

A nice idea for these green 4-4-0s would be as predecessors to the River Street Rambler in Savannah, a role performed by a specially painted SW1500 #1733 from 1966-97 for the SOU and then NS.

Thanks very much for all your help,
Bill.

Trainman203

#14
January 09, 2018, 04:30:02 PM
Bill, steam engines changed tenders like we change socks.  Any tender could hypothetically be OK.
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