Comparing 4-4-0s

[richG]

Here is a comparison photo. The Lady on the right needs more jewelry. The Spectrum on the left is a better looking loco. The loco is on the right is a Roundhouse 4-4-0 with DCC & sound.



Rich

[D.Harrison]

Whose loco is that on the right?

David Harrison

[Atlantic Central]

While there is no argument that the MDC 4-4-0 could be a little more detailed, it should be noted that these two locos are from era's about 20 years apart.

The MDC loco represents an 1880's version and would have considerably less exterior plumbing and fixtures than the turn of the century or later Bachmann model.

Sheldon

[richG]

Whose loco is that on the right?

David Harrison

It is a HO Scale Roundhouse with DCC and sound.

Rich

[richG]

While there is no argument that the MDC 4-4-0 could be a little more detailed, it should be noted that these two locos are from era's about 20 years apart.

The MDC loco represents an 1880's version and would have considerably less exterior plumbing and fixtures than the turn of the century or later Bachmann model.

Sheldon

I found this on trains,com forums.
The Roundhouse comes close to the dimensions of one of the B&O classes of 4-4-0 before the TOC, M-60 of 1893. There were only 9 of them made so it matches something made in the real world.

Most loco photos I have seen from the 1880s show air compressors on the engineers side, not the fireman's side.

Rich

[hminky]

The MDC loco represents an 1880's version and would have considerably less exterior plumbing and fixtures than the turn of the century or later Bachmann model.

Sheldon

The Roundhouse like the Bachmann represents loco designs from the mid-1890's. It is similar in dimensions to the B&O M-60 class 4-4-0 built in 1893. If it were from the 1880's it would look more like this:



An IHC boiler on a Roundhouse chassis with OO scale balloon stack and wood load. The little guy is HO the others are HO. 1880's 4-4-0's had wagon top boilers.

The Roundhouse loco more typifies a locomotive fitted out in the 1890's "clean, sleek look". The Bachmann is fitted out in the Ma&Pa 1920's configuration.

Harold

[Atlantic Central]

Agreed,

My dating was off by a little bit. Fact remains it is like comparing apples to oranges.

And, as noted by others, the Ma & Pa loco does reflect modernizations well past its construction date.

Sheldon

[TonyD]

Hello Harold- I signed your guest book a while ago, your site is loaded with good stuff, I thought I was the only HOer left alive modeling the Victorian age, searched the web for survivors, and found you! So many people- forumites- don't have the gumption to kitbash the way you and I do.... I tried some of your boiler swaps, good results!  Mr Rich, and others I guess... Altho it isn't included anymore, this basic mdc design was suppose to be dress up with the sprew of little parts, so detailing just got harder, and more expensive... AND my guess, is that the fireman's side window was usually hinged, so he could walk out to the running boards, the engineers side wasn't opening big enough to crawl out of, so the pump sat on that side, out of the way. Seems that just didn't matter after 1900 or so....AND again, the mdc boiler was one of those long straight Baldwin jobs rather than the tapered- wagon tops, which only came into the cab a couple feet at most, the Baldwins at that time went to the end of the frame, the fireman stood on the tender platform, and like the engineer,closed a little door behind him as he sat down in the cab. Nice for the engineer- in bad weather. IMHO, I think that is one reason Baldwins weren't popular in New England at that time, almost a camelback...