'USA' tank engine

[Train Crazy]

I am currently building a layout that is set around a fictional preserved railway in England, and as such am using models of engines that are currently preserved - both working and static. One engine I would like to own, if one is available, is of a 'USA' tank engine. Used by the Southern Railway to shunt wagons and materials around Southampton docks prior to the D-Day landings, a number remained in England while others went to France following the landings. Of those that remained, six are currently preserved; the most colourful being at Keighley http://www.kwvr.co.uk/ Would be grateful if anyone knows if a model of this engine is available, either rtr or kit. Regards, Chris.

[brokemoto]

Is there a better photograph of the thing somewhere?  I searched the site to which the link took me and could not find a good photograph.  From the phootgraph, it appears to be a side tanker and it is USA prototype, all right:  you can tell from the smokebox cover, amoung other things.

No one currently makes a side tank US prototype 0-6-0T.  There is a saddle tanker made by Life-Like which is still in production and an 0-4-0T saddle tank that is based on a Baltimore and Ohio oil burner.  The latter was a B-mann product that is currently out of production.

AHM sold a Reading Company 2-6-4T, but that was an aft-tanker.  It was also a pathetic runner. It has been out of production since the late 1960s or early 1970s.

Those are the only N scale US prototype tank engines fo which I am aware.

[Hamish K]

The locomotive is a USATC S100 class. These were produced in WW2 by various US makers for operation in Europe. After the war the UK Southern Railways bought some (other countries also acquired them) and called them the USA class. For more information and photos there is a Wikpedia article on the USATC S100 class. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USATC_S100_Class

I am not aware of any N scale model. There in an HO scale kit by Alexander models.

Hamish

[brokemoto]

WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!!!  d-U-U-U-U-U-H-H-H-H.  There IS an N scale 0-6-0T side tank locomotive in N scale!  THOMAS!  And I have one!  Hmmmmm, looks like someone forgot his coffee....................

It might take a bit of work to get it to look like the USA 0-6-0T, but there is one out there.  I think that MicroAce manufactured it (or one of the Japanese firms).  Mokei Imports brought them into the United States.  They are difficult to find in the United States.  I do not know about Britain.

They run acceptably, but the slow speed control is not the best.  Slow speed control is not a big deal with Thomas, the children just want to see him and Clarabell and Annie run around the track.  If you wanted to make a switcher out of it, you might need a better motor, a flywheel or better gearing.  I do not know as I have never taken mine apart.

I also forgot that Atlas sold a saddle tank 0-6-0T.  In fact, I removed the shell from one and used the motor and chassis for a bashed N scale Thomas. I bought a Thomas bubble stuff toy, hollowed it out and mounted it on the chassis.  The children at the shows liked him.  Sadly,the formward motor bearing cracked and N scale Thomas was no more.  Shortly after that, I found the N scale Thomas and Clarabell and Annie at M.B. Klein.

[fordhamroad]

      -actually, there was a limited run whitemetal body kit of the USATC  S-100 switcher, which was made by Roger Chivers in England about ten years ago. It was designed to fit on a ROCO  BR80 six wheel chassis.. With a bit of tweaking and filing it runs quite well. Good weight. I have one done in WWII  USATC green.
     -I believe he stopped making them, but haunt British e-bay (e-bay uk) occasionally and one may turn up. Try "Chivers Models"
     -it would be nice if someone did a similar body kit  or complete model for the S-160, the Army  2-8-0, which served even more widely and could be found in many countries around the globe. I have suggested it to Bachmann, since they do world wide N scale models. It would fit nicely into a US (tourist or military), British, European Continental, or Chinese layout.

Roger

[curn]

A Japanese company called Micro Ace makes several N scale tank engines of Japanese prototypes that could pass for European. They make a 2-4-0T, 2-6-4T,  and a 0-10-0T that I know of.  I have the 2-4-0 and it runs pretty well considering how small the thing is, and is modeled on a prototype from Vulcan. http://www.enuii.org/vulcan_foundry/photographs/locomotives/no%20614%20Imperial%20Japan%20Railway%20first%20loco%201871.jpg

Kato also makes a Japanese 2-6-4T, that looks the same as the Micro Ace 2-6-4T.