B&O Capitol Limited steam loco in HO needed

[Anonymous]

My husband and I have inherited an HO collection of B&O Capitol Limited heavyweight Pullman passenger cars. The cars are a deep Royal Blue with gold lettering. These were an Athrean/BevBel project of about 15 or 20 years ago. We want to find an appropriate steam locomotive to pull this beautiful train. I have been to several B&O theme websites but have not learned much. I would like to find a 'passable' loco, one that could be easily re-detailed or painted if needed and try to keep it under $150 or so, as compared to a near perfect high dollar brass reproduction. [ We want to preserve our brass budget for our On3 interests] There is a ready-to-run loco for the B&O Presidents currently available, but it is a 2 tone light and medium blue, and lettered for the Presidents, not at all a match for the Capitol Limited. Can anyone with B&O knowledge please help us find a loco for our train? We live out in SP country, so non of our friends can help. Jennifer [and Mike]

[jrbernier]

IIRC, the B&O had a entire class of 4-6-2 engines painted dark blue and named for presidents - the President class. Mantua/Tyco made one at one time - the detail was basically cast on, but the running qualities were not too bad. The two-tone paint scheme you mentioned sound like something fictional....

Jim Bernier

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jennifer RR

My husband and I have inherited an HO collection of B&O Capitol Limited heavyweight Pullman passenger cars. The cars are a deep Royal Blue with gold lettering. These were an Athrean/BevBel project of about 15 or 20 years ago. We want to find an appropriate steam locomotive to pull this beautiful train. I have been to several B&O theme websites but have not learned much. I would like to find a 'passable' loco, one that could be easily re-detailed or painted if needed and try to keep it under $150 or so, as compared to a near perfect high dollar brass reproduction. [ We want to preserve our brass budget for our On3 interests] There is a ready-to-run loco for the B&O Presidents currently available, but it is a 2 tone light and medium blue, and lettered for the Presidents, not at all a match for the Capitol Limited. Can anyone with B&O knowledge please help us find a loco for our train? We live out in SP country, so non of our friends can help. Jennifer [and Mike]

In addition to the Mantua 4-6-2 (which was based on a modernized B&O P-7), you could also use a Rivarossi USRA Heavy 4-6-2. Rivarossi made a couple of versions decorated for the B&O. In actual fact, the Mantua is very close to a modernized P-7 except for the cab. If you could find a junker Rivarossi USRA heavy and use the cab on the Mantua loco, it would be virtually dead on.

Andre

[M636C]

Jennifer,

You say the Capitol Limited cars are Royal Blue with Gold lettering. I believe that this would date the prototype to before about 1937, when the blue and grey scheme was introduced on the second streamlined "Royal Blue" train.

I think the most accurate locomotive would be a B&O "President" (P-7) class in dark olive green, the colours they were built with.

However, there is no doubt that the Royal Blue P-7 as modernised and described by andre above would look best, although these locomotives were painted this way in the mid 1940s. The Mantua Pacific would be your best starting point, and I personally wouldn't worry about changing the cab, but check out photos if you can. The Kalmbach "Locomotive Cyclopedia Vol 1" (I think this is out of print, but might be in a library) or Staufer's "B&O Power" (I think this is still available) include many useful photos of P-7 locomotives.

The "President" names were removed when the locos were painted blue. A small number of the P-7 class were streamlined, but as far as I know, no mass production models were made, and they too date from the mid to late 1940s, the "Blue and Grey" era.

So, in summary a dark blue Mantua Pacific, or Rivarossi Heavy Pacific would be your best bet, but try to check photos.

The B&O Museum, now they have overcome their own major problems, might be able to help with photos!

Peter

[nfmisso]

The Kalmbach "Locomotive Cyclopedia Vol 1" is currently in print:

See: http://store.yahoo.net/kalmbachcatalog/01001.html

Take a look at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=19137&item=5931020366&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=19137&item=5929667366&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=19137&item=5930586873&rd=1

Model Power purchase Mantua a couple of years ago, and to date has not re-released the Pacific.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the information! This IS what we have needed to start the project. Being out on the west coast has its merits, but getting 'local' information about Eastern roads is not one of them. Jennifer and Mike

[Anonymous]

WOW ! I found a real great web site on the B&O Presidents Class locomotives. You might want to check this out. I just learned a LOT about this series of locos here. Jennifer

http://www.ironhorse129.com/Friends/DavyCormack/BO_Presidents.htm