Paul3 Ed,I might be in on that MassCentral NW5 as I've seen it a bunch of times while railfanning in Palmer, Mass. Actually, I personally think the NW5 will get made in RTR plastic some day. The appeal of GN, BN and SOU are pretty good. And besides, there's been at least two brass models (by Overland and Division Point) and a 3d printed version made of NW5's (plus etched details parts from KV Models).By comparison, there have been no brass models of DEY-2's, no 3D printed shells, and no detail parts made. Your NW5 model is a lot closer to reality than my DEY-2, that's for sure!
Ed,I might be in on that MassCentral NW5 as I've seen it a bunch of times while railfanning in Palmer, Mass. Actually, I personally think the NW5 will get made in RTR plastic some day. The appeal of GN, BN and SOU are pretty good. And besides, there's been at least two brass models (by Overland and Division Point) and a 3d printed version made of NW5's (plus etched details parts from KV Models).By comparison, there have been no brass models of DEY-2's, no 3D printed shells, and no detail parts made. Your NW5 model is a lot closer to reality than my DEY-2, that's for sure!
That photo of the MassCentral wasn't randomly chosen. It's amazing how many outfits ended up owning these later. Switchers, with a little bit of maintenance, last forever.
Yup, yer right on all counts--hopefully including the "plastic" comment.
Me, I might need a home-road switcher to turn my eventual MERCHANTS LIMITED, and that little NH fella would do nicely.
Ed
doctorwayne,A friend of mine was onboard and got a cab ride on #47 when she moved under her own steam for the very last time. My friend and his father went to Steamtown to ride an excursion behind this very engine. Steamtown had it all steamed up and ready to go when my friend (as a kid) went over to the engine with his father to admire #47. As they did so, someone from Steamtown came up to the engineer and told him to put the engine back. The FRA had just pulled their permission to operate #47 due to a lack of paperwork (apparently, when Blount purchased it, CN hadn't included all the appropriate inspection paperwork; without a proper paper trail, it would no longer be allowed to operate). The engineer looked down, saw my friend, and said, "Want a ride?" Next thing he knows, my friend is climbing into the cab and gets a ride back into the Steamtown engine facility. The fireman drops #47's fire into the ash pit, and they move her to the storage area and blow down the steam. And that's it; #47 has never been steamed up again. Not because anything was wrong with her but due to red tape.
That's the one that I was trying to think of, Ed. Thanks for posting that picture.
Paul, thanks for your anecdote concerning the 47. Nelson Blount certainly saved a lot of locomotives, but it's a pity that so many of them are now gone.
I wonder if the issue with the paperwork will come up again if Steam Town attempts to revive it? A friend, who volunteers at Steam town, was my source for that info, although I often wonder how they're progressing on the Boston & Maine 3713 (a Pacific also known as The Constitution).
Wayne
doctorwayne,You're welcome! As for 3713, the latest update from them was in May 2021:http://www.project3713.com/2021/05/26/may-2021-3713-restoration-update/I have seen 3713 three different times at Steamtown since 2006, and they've made a whole lot of progress since those early days. When I first went there, they were trying to fix the old firebox by welding over the old staybolt holes and drilling for new ones. Now they have an entirely brand new firebox.
SeeYou190 emdmike what engines do you think we will never see in mass produced RTR plastic. Southgate 2 The one-off Cummins center cab. Everyone missed their chance to sell me that model. It is off of my "buy" list. -Kevin
emdmike what engines do you think we will never see in mass produced RTR plastic.
Southgate 2 The one-off Cummins center cab.
Everyone missed their chance to sell me that model. It is off of my "buy" list.
-Kevin
Ok. I'll take two then!
Dan
Thanks for that link, Paul.
The progress they've made on that locomotive since I last saw it is very impressive, as the rebuild is much more extensive than I had expected at that time. That day, the weather was miserable and visitors few and far between. The tour guide asked if we (just three of us, and all there solo) would like a more in-depth tour than the normal larger groups usually got. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and had a nice conversation with one of the workers regarding Coffin feedwater heaters, and specifically the routing possibilities of the piping, as at that time I was acquiring parts for a model that used an exposed Coffin feedwater heater.
I know that there's lots more work to be done, but hope to be there when it goes back into service.
We Pennsy modelers have been blessed with lots of road-specific power in recent years. That said, I don't think we'll see the S2 Turbine or the Q2 duplexes in plastic anytime soon.
I also don't think we'll see any of the Long Island Rail Road/Metro North EMUs.
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com
Great Northern Fan 54The Great Northern's Z1s
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present.
Norfolk Southern (original rr) F-1 2-8-4.
oldline1
Missouri Kansas-Texas 2-8-2's (Oil Burner Tenders)
Southern Pacific AC-9 "Gila Monster"
A mantua steam locomotive
Two Alco diesels, the DH-643 and the C-855. Only three were ever built of each. There were recently some rumors that Bowser might build the the DH-643, but my batting average with rumors is quite low.
It seemed like the RSD39 would never be made, but ST is producing them in their museum line. So you never know, maybe even a Pooch will be made someday.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Shapeways has nw5, prr baldwin center cab, ge65t Km ml4000 both hood and first version. And a few others. Becoming the go to place for the odd balls
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
A lot of the railroads with smaller number of follwers such as the C&O have a lot of engines that will never see plastic models made of them
On the C&O we have severl 2-8-0 classes that have an unusually spacing of the domes and or the extra distance between the 3rd and 4th driver. o 0-0-0--0 kind of thing. So brass is the only option
The C&O K3 2-8-2s with the iconic flying pumps and feadwater heater would look great in plastic (and cpuld probably share a USRA 2-8-2 running gear or at least be. lose enough)
C&O H7 class of simple 2-8-8-2s are another example. These had the flying pumps and feedwater heater like the K3s. You cant kitbash these either as the plastic 2-8-8-2s are conpund with the latge front cylinders but the H7s were sinpke with small front cylinders. Some of these were sold to the UP, so you would think that would help but..
And other various engines such as a good 4-6-2 or 4-6-4.
Actully with the way things are now i expect we will see plastic engines (steam) slowing down.
I may just be grumpy, but anything that was built before 1900 that is not a 4-4-0 or 2-6-0.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
ATSFGuy Southern Pacific AC-9 "Gila Monster"
Kinda hoping you're right on this. After nearly 20 years of waiting about for BLI or MTH or even more likely, as they must be 70% of the way there with their AC-12, Intermountain to make one I had to buy one of the new Sunset ones. No doubt your perfect $600 AC-9 will be arriving any month now!
SpaceMouse I may just be grumpy, but anything that was built before 1900 that is not a 4-4-0 or 2-6-0.
But your wish was already granted in 1962 (in metal, not plastic). Aristo-Craft brought in a goodly variety of oldies back then. I remember seeing them for sale in my local drug store.
For fun, you should check out the catalog on HOSeeker.
There are some for sale right now on Ebay.
Athearn made an old time 2-8-0 a while back.
SpaceMouseI may just be grumpy, but anything that was built before 1900 that is not a 4-4-0 or 2-6-0.
Modeling the 19th century is certainly a challenge. There was the "old lady" consolidation that could be backdated even further with different cabs and domes.
Even in brass, there is not much other than 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s.
There is an appeal to 1890s to 1910s railroading for me, especially the shorter trains, but I will never do it. I appreciate seeing the work of the modelers that accept this challenge.
Living the dream.
Pocher/Rivarossi did a 2-4-0 a while back. Mantua did an oldtime 4-6-0. Bachmann produced some early steam sets. But the best running remains the Civil war Bachmann 4-4-0 with new tooling, from what I've read.
Simon
"Name an engine that we will probably never see in plastic ?"
One for $25.00 NEW, like they should be!
Less importantly and already mentioned, I think an EMD FL9-A from Athearn or Atlas would be outstanding! One by Kato would be my next choice.
An EMD GP40X-2 in an R-T-R by Athearn/Atlas (or Kato). I know there are shells available to mate to existing chassis, but thats not being availavble as "R-T-R".
An EMD NW5 would be a nice one too! Im not 100% sure but i dont think thats been made in plastic. If so, that one got by me!
Now its been a while, but if im not mistaken, wasnt EMD making a "TR" model? Big sideframes - center cabs. Switcher type i recall. Even some of their first boxcabs would be nice models to have avail. (I know, MDC did that already. But that was a track cleaner, not a loco! per se)
Then again, Athearn's (and the lot) prolly thinking NAW, who wants those old horses. Everyone likes those ugly as sin safety cab looking behemoths they have now a days. Slap some bluetooth in it so you dont have to put your phone down and a $500 price tag on it and go!
Model Railroading is FUN!
Let me know when those GP40X's show up - Id like half dozen of them please! In EMD Black if its not too much trouble.
PMR