Mantua Mikado and Pacific Cabs

[garya]

As a further update, I recently found a Cary USRA heavy mikado boiler, drilled for Mantua mikados/pacifics.  I very much like the way it looks:

The instructions have a pattern for running boards, to cut from brass or styrene.  Any recommendations on thickness?  I have .040 styrene here I could try...

[garya]

As an update, I tried the cab from an old New Ones Mikado.  It looked ok, so I ordered the Greenway USRA Brass cab linked above.  I had to cut some and add a mounting pad, but it looks ok.

Original:

New Ones:

 

Greenway:

I'm a little surprised that a brass cab was cheaper than a plastic one.  I have to save my pennies and order some more for the other Tyco/Mantuas hanging around here.

[NHTX]

     The Shapeways 4-6-0 cab Garya posted a picture of, seems to have an arched side window, as used by New Haven, Reading, Lehigh Valley and other eastern roads.

[garya]

dknelson

I'm not sure I fully agree with your basic premise.  The Mantua Pacific is at least largely a B&O prototype and photos of the various later series of B&O non-streamlined Pacifics show a fairly compact cab, perhaps still reflecting vestiges of some design influences from the control of the B&O by the Pennsylvania RR.

Mantua used the same cab on many kits, from switchers on up.  To my eye, it looks like a USRA switcher cab if anything, but I've been Googling and I'm far from the first to think it's incorrect:

Example - the well known Mantua Pacific follows the proportions and major details of the B&O P7 class at the end of its life - fully modernized - but the cab is generic, not even close.

The Mantua Mikado is nearly dead on for the DT&I 800 class, a rare and little known prototype. But again the cab is not even close.

from http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/256118.aspx

 

[wjstix]

Mantua later (c.1988) came out with an improved, tapered boiler for the Pacific and Mikado, that more closely followed the outline of a USRA engine that the original 'straight' boiler.

Cary offered a kit with a replacement metal (brass?) boiler and cab with detail parts for about $18 back in the 1990's.

 

[dknelson]

garya

I recently got a project Mantua Mikado, to go with my project Mikado Pacifics.  It's missing a cab, but even if it had one, that would be a problem:  the stock cab is far too small for such a large loco.

Are there any aftermarket cabs that fit, or are there any 3D printed ones that fit? 

I'm not sure I fully agree with your basic premise.  The Mantua Pacific is at least largely a B&O prototype and photos of the various later series of B&O non-streamlined Pacifics show a fairly compact cab, perhaps still reflecting vestiges of some design influences from the control of the B&O by the Pennsylvania RR.

The Mantua Mikado's "prototype" has been debated ever since the kit was first released.  The very straight boiler, with its peculiar "D" shape, in particular has led to all sorts of speculation that Mantua perhaps used the running gear of one prototype and the boiler somewhat borrowed from perhaps a Wabash locomotive such as their big Hudsons.  The tender (and as you note, the cab casting) was carried over from the Pacific, as did some other parts.

But even so there were railroads that built or ordered steam of the Mikado and Pacific size with fairly compact cabs about the size of the Mantua casting (which was metal when those kits were first released by the way), generally following a railroad's own standards for such things.  If your favored prototype had 'em bigger of course go for it.  Don't ignore the possibilities of "basket case" steam (plastic or die cast) at swap meets - they can be as cheap as purchased parts.  I once bought two AHM NYC Hudson boiler castings for $5 at a swap meet for example.  (I no longer recall why - maybe the sheer cheapness!).  And the old HobbyLine non-powered NKP Berkshire kits are still seen, sometimes very cheaply, at swap meets.  

Dave Nelson

[oldline1]

Watch feebay as brass cab kits often show up by Mellor.

OR...try Miniatures By Eric.

https://www.miniaturesbyeric.com/

 

oldline1

 

[doctorwayne]

The PSC vestibule cab was originally from Kemtron, and was/is available in plastic or brass.

Here's the plastic version on an old John English Pacific (currently torn down for a complete cosmetic rebuild)...

...and the brass version, this time on a much-modified brass USRA 2-10-2...

The brass is cast, rather than simple sheet material, so I assembled it using a plumber's propane torch:  pre-tinned all areas to be joined, assembled the cab, binding the pieces tightly together with soft steel wire, then used the torch to heat the assembly into one piece.
Here it is painted...

If you want an open-style cab, you could use the one from Bachmann's 2-8-0, as I did with this IHC Mogul...

...this brass Mogul....

....and on a couple of modernised Bachmann Ten Wheelers...

Bachmann offers the boiler/cab assembly as a separate part, which includes the added-on boiler detail (bell, whistle, piping, handrails, etc.) and the weight which fits into the cab roof.

Wayne

 

[andrechapelon]

Cab:

 

http://greenway-products.com/brass-builders-corner-trackside-specialties/usra-locomotive-cab-clone/

http://greenway-products.com/brass-builders-corner-trackside-specialties/ts-1321-locomotive-cab-atsf-1226-class/

http://greenway-products.com/brass-builders-corner-trackside-specialties/ts-1806-locomotive-cab-usra-2-10-2/

http://greenway-products.com/brass-builders-corner-trackside-specialties/ts-3326-locomotive-cab-with-wind-screen/

http://greenway-products.com/brass-builders-corner-trackside-specialties/ts-3447-locomotive-cab-slant-front-w-engineer-and-fireman-seats/

 

[garya]

andrechapelon

Santa Fe cab? 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/5NGTG8RR3/santa-fe-2-8-2-locomotive-cab-n-scale?optionId=3697425&li=marketplace

GTW cab?

https://www.shapeways.com/product/RKZEAFRQP/gtw-cab?optionId=57936520

 

Andre

 

Sorry, should have specified HO scale. They GTW cab may work--I tried a cab from a MDC Roundhouse Connie and it was close.

snjroy

There is also the Precision scale all weather cab kit.

Simon

 

 

Thanks, I have one on one of my misfits.  

I was looking at this one: https://www.shapeways.com/product/BCV45NNB2/southern-ry-cab-for-mantua-4-6-0-ho-scale?optionId=40538623&li=marketplace

[snjroy]

There is also the Precision scale all weather cab kit.

Simon

[andrechapelon]

garya

I recently got a project Mantua Mikado, to go with my project Mikado Pacifics.  It's missing a cab, but even if it had one, that would be a problem:  the stock cab is far too small for such a large loco.

Are there any aftermarket cabs that fit, or are there any 3D printed ones that fit?

 

Santa Fe cab? 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/5NGTG8RR3/santa-fe-2-8-2-locomotive-cab-n-scale?optionId=3697425&li=marketplace

GTW cab?

https://www.shapeways.com/product/RKZEAFRQP/gtw-cab?optionId=57936520

 

Andre

[garya]

I recently got a project Mantua Mikado, to go with my project Mikado Pacifics.  It's missing a cab, but even if it had one, that would be a problem:  the stock cab is far too small for such a large loco.

Are there any aftermarket cabs that fit, or are there any 3D printed ones that fit?