MB Austin SP 2-6-0 M21

[Trainman440]

Does anyone know ANYTHING about these engines? I know theyre really old, but that's it. Are they accurate to prototypes? Do they have any major flaws? I plan to use overhaul the gears and motor if I do decide to get it. 

Charles

[dknelson]

MB Austin is a name that goes way back.  The Model Railroader review of this engine (Yes MR regularly reviewed brass back in the day because for the most part brass was an in-stock, on your hobby dealer's shelves sort of thing, not the limited run it is today) was in the December 1958 issue.  The photo shows a rather crude level of detailing by later brass standards - the pilot seems bent down and the brass of the firebox and boiler looks perhaps formed by hand.  Major piping appears rather oversized.  The tender looks good but the locomotive has a vaguely awkward look. 

However engines went through multiple "runs" back then, often lasting in the catalogs for years so perhaps your engine is better constructed from a later run.  The review notes that a few fittings (whatever they meant by that) are neither brass nor metal castings.  The general proportions of the model compared favorably to prototype drawings that MR published in the December 1955 issue - "dimensions are very accurate."

The review noted that the motor was large by Japanese brass locomotive standards, giving it real heft (as the prototype had), that it had "excellent" running characteristics and could pull a decent 11 average weight freight cars (and that is when most HO scale trucks rolled rather roughly, and I bet you could almost double that amount once delrin trucks were introduced).  "Among the smoothest and quietest models we have ever seen."  And yes the review noted that while the general appearance was good "the workmanship on the superstructure does not approach the excellence of the mechanism ... the model can be improved with some slight reworking."  That price by the way was $33.50.  

Dave Nelson

[emdmike]

I had one a couple years ago(reget selling it).  But it ran really well, only needing a can motor.  The gearing was fine both in quietness of operation and speed range.  I thought the detail was good, along the lines of the early Akane and PFM models, so no brake shoes between the drivers ect.  The headlight was even lighted, something lacking on most all later models till recent times.  For the right price I would buy another along with the SP 4-6-2 and 2-8-0 that M B Austin imported around the same time frame.      Mike the Aspie