I just bought a Bowser C630 in the Reading paint scheme and straight DC. This is my first Bowser locomotive. I was really impressed. Sharp paint job, nicely detailed, and runs extremely well. I have a short run of 18" radius on my layout...took it without a problem but it does look very awkward. It's a big engine. I'm planning on another C630 and 2 C430's after the holidays.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
So you're looking for a loco with PC over the keystones and still says Pennsylvania? Hmm I'll look through my refernce material but I doubt it, most likely the painting was done at the same time, Course it's your model so...
Still many PC locos never recieved the PC markings, numbers yes but cigar bands were still common up to Conrail.
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
Even though I'm trying to stick to New York Central, I sure have a soft spot for the Pennsy, or the P Company as my dad always refered to it.
My Stewart shells came lettered for Penn Central and I'm thinking of repainting them in Dark Green Locomotive Enamel- DGLE (Brunswick Green for everybody else) Actually, what I'd like to do is a hybrid, Penn Central patch paint over a PRR Brunswick Green and the dulux gold lettering but I can't find an actual photo of such a unit.
Wow, I remember hearing these Alco's lugging hundred car drags of Taconite out of Whiskey Island headed for Pittsburgh... THAT was railroading!
Take a look at my video of a cab ride under the Huletts if you like Pennsy riverbed action...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9drS3Wqyp8
Go ahead, get your Alco's. You will be happy... Ed
Those PRR haulers you saw/rode are what I'm modeling, the old Cleveland and Pittsburgh line from the ore docks (Whiskey Island) to Motor Yard for now. Eventaully I'd like to model all the way to Mingo.
I'm looking at the newer release of the Centuries are they still the Stewart drives? I'm aware that Bowser bought Stewart, I don't know if the new Alcos are the older design.
Hi, Ruderunner
I bought a pair of Alco C-630s when they were still made by Stewart. I thought they were pretty good locomotives. At the time Stewart was "experimenting" with lighting using surface mount LEDs on a PC board. They tried some fancy stuff on the FTs back then, too. So, anyway, the headlight was pretty anemic since it was a greenish/yellow LED chip piped through a lucite rod and they tried to get the classification lights to change colors with direction, etc. Nice effort but just didn't cut it. That would be my only slight about these engines.
SO... I later installed one of the early Tsunami sound boards [at-2000 or something] pretty disapointing!
One day-about a year ago- browsing MB Klein's site (modeltrainstuff.com) I saw that they had the newer Bowser sound equipped C-630 chassis with Loksound installed for a really inexpensive (cheap) price! So I bought a pair of these and I'm quite satisfied with their performance.
Here's the thing, all the Bowser/Stewart engines I see offered feature a Tsunami decoder in them. I guess they are switching to Loksound (YES! ) in the future so I can't figure how I got these sound equipped Loksound chassis at closeout price? Anyway, I am perfectly satisfied with them. I am seeking two body shells for the C-630 to put on my original pair of Stewart drives.
The Pennsy used these heavy haulers in my area and I even got a chance to ride in the cab of one from Cleveland to Alliance so they have a special memory for me. You won't be disappointed!
Take care, Ed
So I'm making out my xmas list and have been wanting to get some big Alco diesels for my fleet. It just so happens that I could use 6 and well well Bowser offers 6 numbers that I can use (PC and PRR)
Has anyone gotten any and how do they run? slow and smooth? Good pullers? (would 2 or 3 be able to handle say 30 cars on a 3% grade?) And would I be asking too much to hope they can negotiate an 18"radius (in switching areas, mainline is 28 or 30)
How about the sound? I'd probably split it between 3 dc and 3 sound.