Bowser steam loco kits

[Anonymous]

I am in the process of building an USRA Mountain of theirs and am finding it to be an enjoyable experience.

What other experiences, good or bad, have you had in building any kind of loco kit from any manufacturer?

Terry M.
Arlington, TX

[Anonymous]

I built a T1 4-4-4-4 20 years ago. It is a solid performer that will pull a taxicab up a 3% grade! The only thing I don't like about it is the old body and tender molds. They are atrocious but Bowser has since retooled these. I plan on ordering these parts to "upgrade" the unit. I have also built one of their I1 decapods and it was a joy to build. It also will pull a taxicab up a 3% grade! LOL Enjoy your mountain!

[Anonymous]

HI Terry.I have built a MDC 0-6-0 that has a Can motor. It runs and looks good. Also a HOn30 0-6-2 kit from Erie Limited (dosn't run yet).I am a PRR fan and would like to build a Bowser someday.How well do they run at slow speeds?,do they have can motors?thanks.

[Anonymous]

The Bowser kits come with an open frame motor, but they sell a can motor from another manufacturer for about $40. I have an MDC 2-6-2 that has a bent driver axle with a Sagami can motor that came in the kit. I also built an old Tyco kit that runs better in reverse than forward! Once the Bowser I built gets painted and lubed it should have a pretty good slow speed. I track tested it yesterday without any oil or lube and it started out with just a little turn of the throttle. The thing wieghs a ton! I'm sure this thing will out-pull any thing else I've got!

Terry

[Anonymous]

I built four mdc kits and they are great. I regeared three of their 2-8-0s (see may 2002 MR). I also built a 0-6-0 with a can motor and I added a huge flywheel to it. All of my MDC locomotives have can motors and flywheels and can run verrry slooooow if you want them to. I really like building Steam locomotive kits. I am now scratch building two steam locomotives.

[Anonymous]

That was a great article! I used some of the methods in the article to rewire my MDC 2-6-2 and a Tyco kit. I found that on my MDC that the cover-plate was binding the driver axles. I had to use a round needle file to correct the problem. Have you ever seen this before an an MDC loco kit. Thanks for the great article!!

Terry

[Anonymous]

Thanks, that article was fun to write. I have not had trouble with the cover plates on MDC locomotives, but I did have a Mantua that did. One work of caution, never file the axle slots. I clean up the edges with a file, but I never file the slots. I did that to the first MDC locomotive I built and it ran very poor. to fix a tight slot I file the space below the axle on the cover plate. I will run the file once or twice across the spot, then check it, than file again, then check again. I try to remove as little as possible, just enough to get ride of the bind. some shim brass (.002 or .003) from K&S might work also. ACC some small pieces flanking the troubled axle slot.

[Anonymous]

Tery, While I have not built a Bowser, I have purchased them at Flea MArkets and they are great running engines. I also had the good fortune to visit thier facility in PA two years ago where they were very gracious in showing me their whole operation. They have been a mainstay in this hobby and continue to support their Old products as well as build new products. I have a very Old PRR E6 that has even taken a fall off the table and still runs great !! By the way, Bowser was able to provide all the parts I needed to fix this loco after the mishap...Good Luck...Rich