There is a steam engine that runs regularly at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. I would like to have an operating model of an engine that looks somewhat like it. Does anyone know of an HO engine that would look somewhat similar to this, it doesn't have to be an exact match? I don't mind modifying an existing engine a little bit but I don't want to start from scratch. What I know of the engine is that it was reconstructed by Henry Ford from pieces of several other engines from the late 1800's or early 1900's. It is a 4-4-0 steam engine with a 4 wheel tender that hauls coal (I have never seen a 4 wheel tender in HO scale). Thanks for any help.
Tyco made or makes a model of the General that is very close with the exception of the stack which should be a fairly easy conversion. The motor is in the tender and it won't pull a huge train but from what I remember it is pretty close. NWSL imported some stripped down cheaper brass 4-4-0 engines in the late 60's or eary 70's if you can find one. E Bay may be the best bet for either one.
I would start with an IHC or Bachmann 4-4-0. Get the underframe from a bobber caboose or an old time passenger car truck and cut away everything but the pedestals and the top frame. mount the "guts" of the 4-4-0 tender to the bobber frame and modify the tender shell to sit on top. The cab could be modified to more closely resemble the Weiser RR engine by filing the cab to a closer shape (rounded eaves) or putting on a styrene or brass wrapper on the existing cab.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Only other geezers would remember when Aristo Craft offered the Texas 4-4-0 in HO, and except for the tender it looked fairly close to the Ford engine. The drivers look close in size than those for the Mantua General
Here is a catalog page from the wonderful HO Seeker website with a small photo
http://www.hoseeker.org/aristocraft/aristocraftcatalog1958pg10.jpg
I have a recollection that Aristo Craft also had one engine with a four wheel tender of this sort but the idea of using a boober caboose frame makes total sense. The tender from an old AHM Bowker would be close to correct size with the new frame.
Dave Nelson
dknelsonOnly other geezers would remember when Aristo Craft offered the Texas 4-4-0 in HO, and except for the tender it looked fairly close to the Ford engine. The drivers look close in size than those for the Mantua General Here is a catalog page from the wonderful HO Seeker website with a small photo http://www.hoseeker.org/aristocraft/aristocraftcatalog1958pg10.jpg I have a recollection that Aristo Craft also had one engine with a four wheel tender of this sort but the idea of using a boober caboose frame makes total sense. The tender from an old AHM Bowker would be close to correct size with the new frame. Dave Nelson
it looks to me like the Aristo 4-4-0 is the same as all the other 'motor in tender' 4-4-0s out there . i have no idea who made it first but i guess the moulds and dies have been passed from hand to hand over the years and just about every company who manufactures locos has had a shot at producing them
on ebay you can find them made by tyco , IHC , bachmann , mantua , and rivarossi .
you probably won't have to pay more than $40 for one
here is a link showing how it looks with a dcc sound decoder installed
http://66.39.158.142/Forums/viewtopic/p=37791.html thanks hminky!
unfortunately the link to the installation instructions was to hminky's old web site and no longer works
ernie
ereimer about every company who manufactures locos has had a shot at producing them on ebay you can find them made by tyco , IHC , bachmann , mantua , and rivarossi . you probably won't have to pay more than $40 for one ernie
about every company who manufactures locos has had a shot at producing them
I have them made by AHM, IHC (really the same co) and Rivarossi. The AHM barely runs, but makes good scenery! The IHC is slightly better at running, but more accurate as scenery, as the color scheme of the CP & 119 has been corrected. The Rivarossi, on the other hand, is a very good runner (DC) and is painted black with simple lettering, which would lend itself better to copying the Ford loco. My