I am looking to model this little consolidation as she was in the 1980's in excursion service out of Logansport, IN. Rode behind her several times, one of my very first if not the first cab ride I ever had in a steam locomotive. I was probably 7 or 8 yrs old at the time, so I only have my memories and pictures dad took of me. Engine is ex Buffalo Creek & Gauley #13. I looked at the Bachmann 2-8-0, it has the wrong valve gear but isnt far off other than that part and the odd driver spacing. But what I do have is an old Tyco, early brown box era Chatanooga 2-8-0 that is about halfway thru the process of getting a NWSL gear box and coreless motor mounted in the boiler. The valve gear is much closer and with an upgraded headlight, is much closer. Still need to make a new floor for the tender out of a spare boxcar chassis I am using for the bolsters. Would love to somehow simulate the two automobile headlights they put one above the other inside the glass of the headlight as the mirror and bulb were gone I suspect. Going to have Cederleaf graphics do the decals for me. Unless someone has another 2-8-0 to suggest that is. Since I have the half done project engine, figure it would be my cheapest route. Mike P.S. I did notice that Broadway Limited does the Ohio Central #13, which is the Eel River engine as she is today, but $350 for a locomotive isnt in the budget.
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Fun fact time.
The 13 spot was based on C&O's G9 2-8-0.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I wondered about that as she also resembles the B&O connies as well in some ways I figured it was some eastern railroad prototype she was patterned after. Atleast she still lives over on the OC right now. ERrr has been offered her back, they just do not have ways to afford that right now. That may change in the not to distant future. Be nice to see an iron horse back at the festival again. Spend many years as a kid there with my dad riding that train. Mike
Buffalo Creek & Gauley number 13 began life as Kelley's Creek & Northwestern number 9, built by Alco (Dunkirk) to plans cribbed directly from the C&O. As such, she is the only surviving C&O G-9, even though C&O never owned her. BC&G bought her in 1949. After her service on the BC&G, she went to a succession of later owners. At least three versions of C&O G-9 2-8-0's were released by Overland as HO scale brass imports several years ago. I don't know whether they were ever produced in other scales. If $350 is not in the budget, then the Overland engine might break your bank.
The old Varney Old Lady is fairly close in many respects, but the boiler should ride higher. Appearance would be improved with different cylinders and smaller drivers.
The engine stil exists in the collection of the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio. She's one of my favorites.
Tom
The Logansport groop has had a standing offer to buy her back, maybe someday they can. That festival was a huge deal back in the 1980's when I was a kid. She had a "hooter" style whistle back then, closer to the PRR freight whistles. And she carried a PRR style keystone number plate but with L&ER letters. My little old Tyco will be close enough after repaint with custom decals. Much cheaper to! Bet the OMI brass one is close to $1K if one can be found. Right now the museum in Noblesville is teaming up with the Logansport group. While its stated to be a second location for ITM, we all see it as thier exit stragity for the mess they are in right now. But that is a whole nother story!! Here is No1 in all her glory in the 1980's. Mike
In HO scale, the going price for an Overland G-9 should be a lot less than $1K. The problem is finding somebody who has one and is willing to sell. As older modelers pass on, they sometimes show up in estate liquidations.
I found a OMI G9 for sale, so I have put several things up for sale over on FB to try and knock the price down a bit. Looks like I would need to remove the wierd angled number boards in front of the stack, and mount a shelf/headlight up high and the boilerface PRR style Keystone. Tender is a touch shorter and the OMI model lacks the open spot where the BC&G had a second cross compound air compresser, which was just a blank spot on the L&ER #1 in the pics I have seen. Both minor details to me and once painted should look great. Have to think how to simulate the twin "automobile" rectangular headlights mounted in a white plate that she had. Funky but its how they gave her working lights while there! Wonder how it did after dark? I know they ran the last runs of the day into the twilight as we headed home, I remember begging dad to pace her one year they ran south to Anoka Junction instead of France Park. So we waited just south of Logan where STRD 35 starts to follow the line. Mike
Overland offered versions of the G-9 with a couple different versions of the cab. You'll want the original large cab. I also have two G-9's that are intended to be modified for specific engines. Many of those details can be altered with a little care and effort. You'll also want to add an N&W pilot.
I got the one with the "sports" cab, looks the closest overall in my opinion, espicaly once the funky number box in front of the stack is replaced with the high headlight and keystone number plate. The slightly shorter tender is an "ok" comprimise for me. On a small layout, she will fit right in. Also just got an early run (tank drive) GP35 for $75 new in the box. She will be my proto-freelanced diesel power for the line. She will sport PRR DGLE paint soon and the same lettering as the steamers tender on her long hood. L&ER keystone will adorn her short hood nose. I plan to model her as an ex-PRR engine yanked out of a Conrail deadline and rebuilt. The bigger cab is a bit closer to prototype, but the tender is still short (I found a pic of that version) The smaller cab helps keep the tender a bit more in check visualy in my mind. Once painted, I think it will look good, already got someone thats going to make a twin surface mount LED headlight plate once I have the light on hand and get an internal diameter.
Mike
In researching the OMI models further. The larger cab version was made by RoK AM, where as the later runs were from Ajin. I think the later runs should be of better quality over the early run by RoK AM. My early run GP35 tank drive is built by Ajin. Mike