19th Century Equipment

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

The locos are what I call a Plain Jane next to my Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0. Much better detail on Bachmann locos.

Agreed! No question about it.

(Of course, I'm sometimes reminded of what my dad used to say about automobiles: The more stuff they put on them, the more stuff can break. ...)

Most kids want the sound blasting anyway. Even grown up kids do the same.

[Doneldon]

PSC is suppose to sell a CW HO loco that was used in the Lincoln funeral train but it will cost and arm, leg, first born, etc. Only 75 being made. Wait until they show up on ebay.
I believe it will come with the four truck funeral car.

Rich

Rich-

There have been a couple of the PSC Lincoon funeral trains on eBay already, at prices in the
thousands. Too rich for my blood.
                                                        -- D

[CNE Runner]

I think we are missing the point here: Miniaturization is not only possible...it is here. A fellow resident of our town is an electronics engineer for the aerospace industry (read: military). I posed the question to him; first allowing him to see what a decoder was, an example of the small speakers available and my Bachmann 'Jupiter' 4-4-0. After looking at all these items (as well as a couple of motors) he said; "Hell...that's no problem" A further, limited, conversation [much of what he does is secret] he added; "We have 'stuff' in the final stages of development that make your project look huge."

I'd like to put forth more on this subject but my neighbor signed the Secrecy Act, and will not divulge anything more...nor would I ask him. Suffice it to say the technology is there [Hey Ratheon et. al., how about a little help here?]...the cost factor is another matter. The government/military has your money to 'play with'...how much are you willing to spend?

Interesting idea though,
Ray

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Are the drivers on the Jupiter one single casting or a wheel center with a tire with the flange? I've never examined one up close and feel I can't really tell from photos.

[Doneldon]

J-J:

Separate pieces.

                 -- D

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

J-J:

Separate pieces.

                 -- D

Thanks!

[J3a-614]

This is getting me on a bit of a roll, and got me looking  up stuff on Manua's General:

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9279

Mantua history:

http://www.railstop.com/History/Mantua/MantuaHistory.asp

Can motor, DCC, sound, and an almost invisible drive shaft for this tender-drive model, plus examples of how this can represent other locomotives, even a book on the subject.  Neat!

http://smallmodelrailroads.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/alan-mueller-rebuilding-the-mantua-general/

It turns out this site is generally themed for smaller model railroads, along the lines of the late Carl Arendt's site, and indeed is inspired by it and has links to it.

http://smallmodelrailroads.wordpress.com/

http://smallmodelrailroads.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/carlarendt/

[J3a-614]

Mantua/Tyco also made a 4-6-0 that was inspired by Sierra Railway's No. 3.  In truth, this engine was quite oversized to represent the much smaller No. 3  (drivers are 63" vs. the 57" wheels under the prototype), but it can still stand in with modifications for a fairly large engine from the 1890s, particularly if you go for the straight stack version rather than the fake diamond she wore for years for movie work.  This model came out in the early 1960s, apparently inspired by nothing less than that stalwart TV series, "Petticoat Junction:"

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/toptrain/20120830101126_Mantua%20Tyco%20BO.jpg


http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16390

http://www.ho-scaletrains.net/mantua-locos/id54.html

[J3a-614]

An interesting model from Mantua was a 4-8-0 based on the Sierra 4-6-0, using 50" drivers (switcher size).  Although a free-lanced engine, it does come fairly close to a Southern Pacific 4-8-0 from the 1890s, and some have detailed it to represent that prototype.

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/toptrain/20110728115051_Tyco%20Santa%20Fe%204-8-0.JPG

Somehow this engine looks "right" to me, well proportioned to represent a very heavy drag engine from the 1890s; just need to detail and paint it properly:

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/toptrain/20101028185736_old%20time%20locos%20DRGW%204-8-0.jpg

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/catfordken/20101028191304_LOCO45.jpg

SP had two classes of this prototype; the older and smaller version from the 1890s looks, at least to me, remarkably close to what Mantua made.   What do you think? (from Don's Depot)

http://www.yesteryeardepot.com/SP2940.JPG

From the 1920s:

http://www.yesteryeardepot.com/SP2949.JPG

From the 1930s:

http://www.yesteryeardepot.com/SP2935.JPG

[J3a-614]

It's a smaller engine, but imagine my surprise at finding the New York Central & Hudson River rostered 4-8-0s:

http://www.heilwood.com/photos/NYCHR2611.jpg

While looking for SP 4-8-0s, I came across this image of a compound version built for the Boston & Albany:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=594929

A couple more photos of SP 4-8-0s:

http://spcascades.railfan.net/4-8-0.html

http://spcascades.railfan.net/tomdill/tdJUDKINSX2938westBW.jpg

Generally cool SP site for your enjoyment:

http://spcascades.railfan.net/

[J3a-614]

One of the larger and later (1898) SP 4-8-0s survives in Bakersfield, Ca.:

http://www.kcmuseum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=gal_item_detail&item_id=57#!prettyPhoto

Some other photos, including one of a 4-8-0:

http://lariverrailroads.com/cp_sp_locos.html

Other 4-8-0 shots on SP:

http://www.brasstrains.com/images/products/116345/120829150552-2-1.jpg

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1797724

Enjoy.

[J3a-614]

Something you see but think you shouldn't be seeing--a Southern Pacific freight train, with three 4-8-0s, filmed in 1898 by Thomas Edison:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKnko3mBhWE

More from Edison on the SP in 1898:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMQIBTC8mkE&feature=endscreen&NR=1

Santa Fe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ug8NEzLOOs

Dated 1902 on the UP, but looks older:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=K7Y_QF4q38U

NP, 1897:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=9mCxbvzGrDY&feature=endscreen

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Thanks, J3a! The content of those links is amazing, especially that one on the rebuilds of the "General."

JBJ

[J3a-614]

Still on that roll. . .

Going to real old-time stuff, again from Mantua, the famous Belle of the Eighties:

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/spiderj76/20110127142959_A-4-4-0-BellleOfTheEighties_Emerald.jpg

These early Mantua engines were a combination of die cast and sheet brass parts.  I don't know if you would want to work with something quite this old, but John Allen had one on his famous Gorre & Daphetid, and he made it look pretty good.  Overall, the engine looks a bit large for the 1880s, and I don't think the stack is proportioned quite right, but with some detailing, paint, and TLC such a locomotive would be right at home a little later in the 1890s.

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/loopnhook/Tyco%20Belle%20of%20the%20Eighties%20Sm.jpg

Mantua also made an "8-Ball Mogul," a similar brass and die cast 2-6-0.  Both this engine and the Belle were free-lanced, but they were what was available to early modelers of the 1940s:

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/vintageho/20101028212739_Mantua%208%20Ball%20Mogul.jpg

Here's one that got dressed up a bit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9977705@N05/4285542879/in/set-72157623238233266

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9977705@N05/4286284182/in/set-72157623238233266

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9977705@N05/4285542989/in/set-72157623238233266

[J3a-614]

One other real old-timer that shows up in old issues of Model Railroader is a locomotive called the "Brass Bettsie," made (imported?) by a company called Great Western.

http://www.freerails.com/gallery/589/589_301624_170000000.jpg

http://www.freerails.com/gallery/589/589_301624_170000001.jpg

This is one that is a mystery to me; other than the name and those old photos, I don't know much about this early 2-8-0 model.  Can anyone fill in some details?

Did find a little more on this machine; someone in Great Britain of all places is finding a job or two for these vintage locomotives:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/12280-brass-betsy-for-pennsylvanian-shortline/