I model the Nevada mining railroads and my research showed that the Las Vegas and Tonopah had 3 2-8-0's that were built on Harriman Standard designs and after the LV&T folded in 1918 they were taken by the SPLA&SL which becaome part of the UP. I found and old PFM UP 2-8-0 that I picked up for a good price figuring that I could strip it, remotor it and back-date it into some fairly close to these LV&T engines. Since there is only two photos and they are out of focus and taken from far away, I figured it would be fine as a start. The engine arrived last night and it has the most beautiful and well done UP paint job with really good decals that there is no way I can mess with it or strip it. Now I don't know whether to put it back up for sale or keep it, put a can motor and a decoder in it and pretend that the UP leased it to the Tonopah and Tidewater.
First you need to decide what's more important to you. Is modeling the 2 LV&T 2-8-0's where you want to go or having a pretty UP 2-8-0. Did you not know the engine was painted when you bought it? If stripping it and painting it for LV&T isn't an option then just sell it and find a naked engine, add the can motor and paint as LV&T.
oldline1
If it helps make a decision, I propose a slight variation on the lease justification. It would seem possible that one of the LV&T locos needed major work. And LV&T couldn't do it, but the UP shops could. Perhaps LV&T got a loaner while UP was doing the work. It would make sense for UP to lend a matching loco, since the LV&T guys were used to those already.
Ed
the question is did it come that way new or did someone have it painted? if it was the latter then the paint job adds nothing to the collector value.
As a NYC modeler I would have NO problem stripping anything in the UP scheme and repainting it. It's usefulness in my roster, however, would be the larger issue.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I think the loan scenario is feasible. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the "there is a prototype for everything" theory, and I would not be affraid to give a fresh coat of paint on a brass engine if that's what my pike commanded. If its an older brass loco, you should not feel guilty about that...
My two cents...
Simon
The only real advantage to brass, in my eyes, is that it is easy to service, and easy to repaint.
.
Now... as for the DCC decoder thing, why did you go with brass? Installing a DCC decoder is more work than repainting.
I have never felt bad about stripping a good paint job, or anything else I bought for my own use. You bought it for a price so you could use it as you wanted. The quality of the current paint should not effect your decision, unless you paid a premium for it.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190Now... as for the DCC decoder thing, why did you go with brass? Installing a DCC decoder is more work than repainting.
Kevin,
That depends. The unpainted FM H20-44 that I bought already had a can motor and was isolated from the frame. Adding a Loksound decoder and speaker was fairly easy once I figured out how to fit it under the hood:
It was the figuring out that was the challenge. I went through a few iterations before I came up with something that would support the decoder securely, keep the decoder and speaker wires away from the front and rear driveshaft, and fit it all in-between the tabs that held the shell to the frame. I also had to determine which sound decoder and speaker would best fit the space that I had.
Needless to say, repainting the shell would have been a breeze compared to that...
WHat's so hard about putting DCC in a brass loco? The OP has stated he intends to remotor with a can motor, so there goes the "isolate the motor" problem. A keep alive in the tender means no rigging extra pickups to get both sides of the tender and engine to pick up power if it's currently a split pickup (as an old PFM, it will be). Many times all those tired old motors need to get the current draw in line is replace the old magent. And the DC71 type motors - you don't really need to isolate the whole motor - just the one brush which is grounded to the motor frame. Bowser used to sell exactly the part needed, as there was the same issue with their older motors. Though I doubt they still have any left to sell. Doesn't matter though, the replacement motor will take care of that.
As for the OP's real proble, I guess it depends on what I paid for it. If I got it realtively cheap, even though it has a nice paint job, I would go ahead and strip and repaint it to what I needed. If he paid a premium because fo the top quality paint job - I'd turn it around and look for an unpainted version, or one with a less than perfect paint job. If I had zero interest in the road it's painted for, I could easily turn it around and sell it off. If I did have some interest in it, I'd kee it but not repaint, it can always be resold or, if another lesser quality one is found that can be repainted, the good one could be used for parts.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
To clarify, I really try hard to be a prototype modeler and I have attempted to build prototype scenes of Goldfield circa 1914. It is kinda cheating, since there are so few photographs that anyone's guess about a lot of this is ok. It is amazing to me that these little towns way out in the desert had so many railroads serving them. Goldfield had 5 in 1914. All were gone before WWII.
The other problem is that the UP paint scheme is probably closer to the 1940's. I can't tell if it is original or someone did it later, but it is a really professional job. Messing with the paint job just seems wrong to me. I think I will re-motor it but mostly keep in on display. i'll bring it out to play when I feel like it.
If you are going to give her a new motor, let her stretch her legs out.
Why remotor her if she is going to be only a display piece?
If it were me, I would either, remotor and repaint her, so she can be run consistently, or, leave the paint and motor as is, and leave her as a display piece as you intend.
As I said, why remotor a display piece? A display piece doesn't need remotored, or even need any motor for that matter.
No offense meant, but, it just seems silly to do the remotor work on her without any intent of using her consistently.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Nevin Messing with the paint job just seems wrong to me. I think I will re-motor it but mostly keep in on display. i'll bring it out to play when I feel like it.
It sounds to me like you really like the locomotive but don't want to admit it! Just joking!.
If you like to remotor things then do it if only just for the pleasure. I doubt that it will devalue the locomotive. I'll bet that once it is remotored you will want to run it so run it despite the fact that it doesn't fit your era. Always remember that it's your railroad and you can run what you want! If you get bored with it in the future then sell it.
Same thing with the paint. If you want to repaint it then repaint it, again if only for the sense of accomplishment. The only caveat is that if it is a factory paint job then you might want to leave it alone.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Nevin To clarify, I really try hard to be a prototype modeler and I have attempted to build prototype scenes of Goldfield circa 1914. It is kinda cheating, since there are so few photographs that anyone's guess about a lot of this is ok. It is amazing to me that these little towns way out in the desert had so many railroads serving them. Goldfield had 5 in 1914. All were gone before WWII. The other problem is that the UP paint scheme is probably closer to the 1940's. I can't tell if it is original or someone did it later, but it is a really professional job. Messing with the paint job just seems wrong to me. I think I will re-motor it but mostly keep in on display. i'll bring it out to play when I feel like it.
Is the name in any way descriptive, ie, was it a gold mining town? If so, that explains why allt he railroads scrambled to serve it. And when the mines played out, all that was left were the negatives of living in the desert with none of the upsides like producing lots of gold. No work, lots of harships - of course everyone would leave, and then there would be no reason for any railroad to run there either.
Well, I do enjoy reading articles about the silver rush and the abandoned mines (and towns), but I don't think I'll be switching my modeling focus anytime soon. Although doing desert scenery should be easier than tree-covered hills.....
Since I had the whole collection of the AHM/Rivarossi V&T locos, I have a coupel of books on that railroad, and if I DID model it, I would be looking at 1890-1900 timeframe.