Looking forward to a USRA 4-6-2 Pacific

[bnoem1]

With the tremendous steam that Bachmann has turned out lately including the K-4, one question begs to be asked.
Will we/can we expect to see a 4-6-2 come from Bachmann soon?  Say in a variety of roadnames? B & O for one, in green and gold trim? or maybe even a Streamlined?  Just wondering (begging really).

[Bucksco]

No plans at the moment but we will put it into the suggestion file.

[gatrhumpy]

Don't hold your breath. Right now MRC has that market cornered, like it or not.

[spookshow]

I wouldn't bet against it (not for that reason anyway). Bachmann tends to march to the beat of their own drummer when it comes to releasing locomotive models that have already been done by other manufacturers (GP7, GG1, SD45, NW2, F7, RS-3, B23-7, to name a few).

Cheers,
-Mark

[brokemoto]

^^^^^^^^^It did a 2-6-0, which MP, Atlas  and MDC/Athearn also did.   B-mann's 2-6-0 is quite different from the others, but it is there.

B-mann has announced a USRA light 2-8-2 in HO.   Athearn and Mantua, at least, have done that one in HO.  There may have been others.  I do hope to see the USRA light 2-8-2 in N, as well.   Given B-mann's use of separately applied details and all-wheels-live tenders, and, given MRC's continuation of MP's cast-on details and half-wheels-live tender (aka 1970s construction methods), I would expect that the B-mann model would be superior to the MP/MRC.

I would hope for a B&O version in N, as B&O had one-hundred of these things.   In fact, the first USRA locomotive was a light 2-8-2 built for the B&O.   It still exists, although it does not run.   B&O ran into Philadelphia, from whence B-mann comes.

I would like to see a USRA heavy 4-6-2, as well.  Only Erie had originals, but several roads had copies.   I forget the driver size on the K-4.  It was seventy-two inches on the USRAs.  I am not sure of the wheelbase or other measurements on the K-4 vs. USRA heavy, either.  B-mann tends to undersize the drivers, anyhow.  I wonder if it does this to allow the locomotives to pass through the sharp curves on many model railroads.

[kewatin]

 there was a good discussion on this pacific loco last summer . with the basic frame &running gear so many locos could be produced , ie steam lined shroud, semi stream lined and all kinds of conventional types.with all kind of road applications BACHMANN could produce all kinds of off casts and never run out of models to make.but the question comes down to what the modelling community wants and will it sell enough to justify tooling &mfg costs to make it to market.i could be wrong ,but look at every thing they have done in HO scale and it most always shows up in n scale. looking forward to their mikado showing up soon.also a new run of pacifics in road names other than pennsy. and what happened to the un decorated models.even model power with their new line of dcc&sound have undecorated models and looking at some of the e tailers they are selling well.
regards&later KEWATIN

[ryeguyisme]

Speaking to representatives at the Springfield train show I am told that the competitor 4-4-0/2-6-0/4-6-2/2-8-2's are being upgraded for a release towards the later part of the year with DCC/Sound and dual pickup tender trucks. While I'm all for newer Bachmann steam, I can see them doing a USRA 2-8-2 before a 4-6-2 though I wouldn't hold my breath for anything recent. Right now I'd imagine they're currently capitalizing on the K4 and the Berk at the present moment, the 2-10-2 is a very lovely engine and runs very well, I love mine.

As far as I'm concerned Bachmann is the best in N scale steam variety and quality, setting the standards for the market.

I'm always looking forward to more steam releases, the Berkshire is really nice, I might have to grab one or two of them. Currently in the market for a Spectrum  J 4-8-4 at the moment

[railtwister]

Didn't the prototype Pennsylvania L1 mikado use the same boiler/cab/tender as the k4 Pacific? Seems like a Pennsy mikado would be a good candidate for a future release...

Bill in FtL

[ryeguyisme]

Didn't the prototype Pennsylvania L1 mikado use the same boiler/cab/tender as the k4 Pacific? Seems like a Pennsy mikado would be a good candidate for a future release...

Bill in FtL

For those interested, there is a way you can make an L-1 PRR Mikado using 3D print technology: https://www.shapeways.com/product/MAS2SW4NK/n-scale-prr-l1-shell-for-kato-mikado-mechanism?li=search-results-5&optionId=58367928

Fits right on a Kato Mikado  chassis

[gatrhumpy]

Nice! That's awesome!

[in_eden]

Model Power/MRC all-metal line made by Samhongsa in Korea, have been upgraded with DCC and sound. They are good locos, good runners, but all-in-all pale in comparison to the Bachmann offerings lately (PRR K4, 2-8-4).

Having a good 4-6-2 platform, the options are many.
I'm hoping one day for a good Bachmann P7 model, either streamlined "Cincinnatian" or standard. Pretty much every Class I on the planed used a Heavy 4-6-2 for passenger movement at some point, and most were based on the ALCO 50,000 prototype (including the PRR K4, Erie K4, B&O P7...)

Being a B&O guy (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the EM-1 by the way) I'm also salivating for a sound-equipped return of the Heavy Mountain. See B&O T3 class... think it over.

The Model Power/MRC Light Pacific is nice, molded on details, good puller (anything you want over flat track, 8 heavyweights up a 3 percent grade). Sound is not as good as the K4 or Berkshire.
The B&O model comes in green w/ red and gold trim, or with a Vanderbilt tender black on silver.

N Scale steam has come a long way in the last few years, and I think we are just beginning to scratch the surface as to what is possible. A lot of us will buy something even though it's not our "core" focus. All of my diesels are B&O, but I've got steam in many eastern roads (N&W J, PRR, NYC, B&O) and Southern Pacific (the daylight is just too pretty).

[ryeguyisme]

Model Power/MRC all-metal line made by Samhongsa in Korea, have been upgraded with DCC and sound. They are good locos, good runners, but all-in-all pale in comparison to the Bachmann offerings lately (PRR K4, 2-8-4).

They're made by Ajin, not Samhongsa  or else they would probably be held up to better standards.


As for the B&O models, I wouldn't doubt they'd go that route but they would probably do it in HO before doing it in N first. USRA Mikado is probably next on the drawing board, it makes practical sense considering their offering in HO

[in_eden]

You're right, not Samhongsa...
I also miss-typed, Erie K5, not K4.

I'll take a nice 2-8-2 as well. As long as they keep churning out N Scale Steam, I'm all for it!
Never hurts to make up a wish list!

[brokemoto]

It is funny, but I did notice that B&O was not one of the road names listed for the HO version.  I do hope that B-mann adds B&O for N.  If it went and took any measurements of an actual USRA light 2-8-2, I would expect that it took it from the one at the B&O Museum, which is the first USRA locomotive ever built.   B&O ran into Philadelphia.  In fact, Q-3s ran into Philadelphia.  There were not too many places on the B&O where a Q-3 could not go.

Someone did do a shrouded B&O Cincinnatian pacific in brass and a train.  The locomotive was supposed to be quite slippery and supposedly would not even pull the train.

That T class does look bashable from the USRA heavy.   You would need the cab from the EM-1 and the tender.   The USRA sand dome looks close enough, but would you need to move it?   Same for the steam dome.   Some other minor modifications would be to add the air tanks and move the compressor to the pilot deck and put the protective covering over it.  Oddly enough, you would not need to move the headlight, as this one had a center mount, a variation from B&O practice.

[ryeguyisme]

You're right, not Samhongsa...
I also miss-typed, Erie K5, not K4.

I'll take a nice 2-8-2 as well. As long as they keep churning out N Scale Steam, I'm all for it!
Never hurts to make up a wish list!

Hear! Hear! I'm all for more  new steam in N scale, even if the PRR stuff isn't my taste. Was planning on making a Southern Pacific Ex-B&M 2-8-4 from the Bachmann Berk.

Those B&O streamlined pacifics look wonderful, I would definitely not mind one of those! In HO as well.