For quite some time, I've entertained the idea of building an inspection locomotive similar to the type that was popular in the early 1900s. I finally took the plunge and bought a Bachmann 2-6-0 and found an old MDC Overton coach in my stash of stuff which will be the basis of my project.
I beleive that a few brass manufacturers have made models of some of them in the past but has anyone here ever kitbashed one from parts similar to the ones I mentioned above? Somewhere, someone has since I remember seeing a picture of one in an old MDC/Roundhouse catalog many years ago. It was built on an 0-6-0 as I recall and also used the coach for the main part of the body.
Any comments/suggestions would be most appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
dlm
Here's a photo of the MDC loco from one of their old catalogs...
MDCInspectionEngine by danmerkel@sbcglobal.net, on Flickr
I'll have a window seat, next to the boiler.
You'll need a Walthers Piker and Oscar to complete the train.
edit Eating crow again, these things actually existed. I still wouldn't want to sit on top the boiler even if it was well insulated with lots of asbestos.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspection_locomotive#/media/File:Inspection-locomotive.jpg
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
danmerkelHere's a photo of the MDC loco from one of their old catalogs...
Hi Dan,
That is one ugly duckling, which is all the more reason to build it of course! I would hope that all the windows could be opened. I can just imagine how hot it would have been inside the cabin!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
New York Central had several, this one is P&LE:
PLE_Insp-23 by Edmund, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
There's a whole bunch of prototype pictures at the bottom of this page: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/mow22.html
ckapeThere's a whole bunch of prototype pictures at the bottom of this page: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/mow22.html
Great site!!
The 2-2-2 loco, 1st pic on the last row is a tempting project!
Jim
A hot ride on a summer day to be sure
And I suspect the train crew had to be reminded to watch their language because of the important people who'd be within earshot.
I do believe some inspection locomotives have been imported in brass and I seem to recall Aristo Craft had a die cast metal one back in the 1960s.
I have always been intrigued by the locomotives modified to have a sort of booth or closet built onto the front end temporarily so that studies could be made of ... something. Perhaps the performance of experimental valve gear?
Dave Nelson
Here's a nice profile view of a 4-4-2 inspection loco. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Inspection-locomotive.jpg I've never built one myself, but this photo should be helpful if you decide to go ahead with the build.
danmerkel Here's a photo of the MDC loco from one of their old catalogs... MDCInspectionEngine by danmerkel@sbcglobal.net, on Flickr dlm
When I first saw this picture I thought, naw, really? Mmmm...
Looking at the pictures linked in the later post; Wow! How have I never in 40 plus years in the hobby seen any of these? Or maybe I just don't recall?
I'm partial to the 4-4-0s, but then I would be. My favorite steamer. Dan
It must have been difficult to be an engineer running one of these things. With that passenger-style structure in front of you, visibility ahead would be terrible.
I'm wondering just what these were intended to provide for officials and invited guests that couldn't be had in a private car directly behind the engine. Perhaps the opportunity to "inspect" the railroad from the viewpoint of a locomotive engineer?
I reckon that some official, somewhere, decided built one of these contraptions, and afterwards everyone else just "had to have one" to be in style...
OldEngineman I'm wondering just what these were intended to provide for officials and invited guests that couldn't be had in a private car directly behind the engine. Perhaps the opportunity to "inspect" the railroad from the viewpoint of a locomotive engineer? I reckon that some official, somewhere, decided built one of these contraptions, and afterwards everyone else just "had to have one" to be in style...
I wondered that same thing. In the picture gmpullman posted, 6 of the 10 riders are women, and everybody is in fancy clothing. Not exactly what I'd expect of a track inspection gang. Was this a show-boat contraption for the who's who crowd? Dan
I recall a story from a high school friend that his grandfather was a Section Foreman who consistently won the annual contest for having the best maintained trackage. He did it by always finding a way to stand out from his peers - one year making sure there were no ballast stones on top of the ties, the next year, painting all the landscape border stones white.
From this story, I'd speculate that track inspections may well have been fairly frequent events, probably done mostly by middle management, with the "brass hats" making an annual appearance. So the Inspection Loco may have seen regular use. Just guessing!
Gents,
I apologize for not responding to several of the posts here but I've not been receiving notification of replies even though I've checked the appropriate box indicating my interest in receiving them.
I do appreciate the additional materials that you have all provided but it would appear, at least from the responses so far, that no one has attempted to kitbash one of these oddities. Maybe there is still osmeone out there who has done so; it soulds like we would all like to hear about their experiences as there is at least some level of interest.
Thanks for your replies... keep 'em coming.
Be careful... stay safe...
hardcoalcase ckape There's a whole bunch of prototype pictures at the bottom of this page: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/mow22.html Great site!! The 2-2-2 loco, 1st pic on the last row is a tempting project! Jim
ckape There's a whole bunch of prototype pictures at the bottom of this page: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/mow22.html
Known as the "Black Diamond" and still exists today at the National Transportation Museum in St. Louis.
http://www.readingrailroad.org/profiles/rdg_profile_steam_diamond.html
Howell Day built a model of the Lehigh Valley's Dorothy, a 4-2-4. Picture of the model on the musuem web page: https://www.nmra.org/museum
I recall reading an article on running one, perhaps it was in Classic Trains somewhere. Very cramped.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
It's finished! A few months ago, I started this thread because I wanted to build an inspection locomotive. Well, I did... and it's done. Here are some photos...
Dsc_7295 by danmerkel@sbcglobal.net, on Flickr" alt="" />
Dsc_7298 by danmerkel@sbcglobal.net, on Flickr" alt="" />
Dsc_7300 by danmerkel@sbcglobal.net, on Flickr" alt="" />
ENJOY!
That's pretty neat. You did a good job on it.
They did away with camelback engines.because on occasion a side rod would come loose and visit the cab resulting in severe injury and probable death of the engineer. Can you imagine wiping out the board of directors on one of these.