Still Looking for 1800's Engines

[SpaceMouse]

I'm still looking for good to better quality engines that would have operated on the West Coast during the 1890's. So far i've found an MDC 2-6-0 that I like a lot. I may just end up getting a couple of those, They're DC ready and I'd like to have sound on all the engines in the logging layout.

What I'd really like is a 4-4-0 American with the big smoke stack and John Wayne stepping out of the door onto the platform. Bachman makes one in their Plus series, but if my 4-8-4 is any indications, it's probably goint to be a pain to convert to DCC.

I found a Rivarossi makes a 4-4-0 American, but I know nothing about it. In fact, the only Internet store that listed it said that they were out of stock.

If you know anything about the quality of this product, I'd love to hear your review.

I know that there was also a 4-6-0 made in this time period, but I haven't found one yet.

Anything I should be checking into.

[M636C]

The Rivarrossi 4-4-0 was a model of the Virginia and Truckee "Genoa", I think. It was available with either a balloon stack or straight stack.. It was originally sold in Europe under the maker's name "Pocher". It was well detailed but I think it was a bit over scale in overall size. There was also a 2-4-0, a model of the "Bowker", I think. These ran as well as other Rivarossi models of the period but perhaps not up to the standard of very recent steam models. Rivarossi also made a model of the Illinois Central 4-6-0 382 , "Casey" Jones' locomotive which dated to 1896 according to the Kalmbach "Locomotive Cyclopedia", although the model looked like the locomotive as rebuilt after the wreck that killed Jones. The Kalmbach book is still available and is an excellent general guide to US steam locomotives. Most models made to date are covered.

Model Power's 2-8-0, made in Brazil by Frateschi, is a model of a standard Baldwin locomotive from 1905, but similar locomotives were built as early as 1896 for use in Australia. The Model Power 4-6-0 is the same unit with a different chassis. Both of these use a tender drive. Frateschi models are fairly basic but simple and reliable.

Peter

[cacole]

On page 107 of the March 2005 issue of Model Railroader, International Hobby Corp. has an HO Scale Old Time 4-4-0 on sale for $54.98 in 6 different road names.

I'm not sure who makes IHC products today, but their 4-4-0 I have from the early 1990's was made by Rivarossi and still had the deep wheel flanges.

[Anonymous]

I have found all Rivarossi products to be well built and gof ood mechanical design. The only draw-back is the deep flanges of their earlier designs, a feature which was changed in the last decade or so. Rivarossi was distributed by AHM for many years and I think all AHM locomotives are Rivarossi locos. IHC also distributed Rivarossi after AHM (AHM and IHC may be the same company). I think IHC's locos are built by Mehano, today. These are also good locos and great a place to start a super detail project.. MDC made many loco kits which would have fit your bill, the old timer 2-8-0, 4-6-0, 2-6-0 and 4-4-0 come to mind. However, MDC's future is unknown to me at this time. Mantua/Tyco also built 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s that would work for you. If so inclined, you could look on Ebay for these older offerings. Finally many brass manufacturers made 4-4-0s, 4-6-0s 2-6-0s and 2-8-0s, so brass is another alternative and you might find reasonable brass prices on Ebay and the internet. Any Bachmann's Spectrum locos are good locos, too. I don't know that Spectrum offers any old time locos.

It's interesting, these type locos seem to be scarce nowadays. H.O. in the 50-60 was rife with them, and larger steam was mostly only available in brass. The times, they do a change!

[dehusman]

Any of the MDC Old-Time engines (2-6-0, 2-8-0, 4-6-0).
IHC, Bachmann and Rivarossi all sell a 4-4-0.
IHC sells a 2-6-0 camelback.
Mantua has a 4-4-0 and a 4-6-0 (which is oversize, looks much better with the cab and tender from a MDC engine and the domes lowered about 6-8 scale in).
Bachmann as a low drivered 4-6-0 that is detailed as a 1920's engine, but can be backdated to an 1800's engine.
Model Power has a 2-8-0 and a 4-6-0 (suspect design).

The Mantua camelback 0-4-0, 0-6-0, 2-8-2 and 4-6-2 are all early 1900 designs.

Rule of thumb. Look at the the cylinders on the MDC 2-6-0. They have one round cyliner with a box on top of it. For an 1800's engine you want those cylinders and a big boxy headlight. If the has those things you are in the ball park.

Dave H.