Transition era N-scale steamers?

[Anonymous]

Afternoon all, I'm wondering about some suggestions for N-scale steam. There doesn't seem to be as much out there compared to the diesels, but right now my diesel roster is pretty well filled out. I'm modeling early 50's, transition era New York Central, so I'm eyeing some of the Hudsons. from Con-Cor, but I've heard dubious things about their DCC-ability. I'd much rather run them DCC than in address zero mode. I'd love to find a Niagara model, but nobody seems to make one in N-scale.

Any recomendations, then? It seems HO has a lot more selection than we N-scalers have, but I'm sure there's good things out there.

Thanks.

[tstage]

distantantennas,

Wow! You weren't kidding about the lack of selection. I went on the Walthers site and typed in "NYC". All I could come up with were the following NYC locomotives in N-scale:

Bachmann: 2-6-2 "Prairie" & 2-8-0
Model Power: 4-6-2 & 2-6-0

There may be other choices out there but its probably going to be slim pickins at best. I thought Proto 2000 had something for NYC in N-scale but there doesn't appear to be anything at all. Too bad. It's hard enough to find any decent steam in N-scale. Hopefully of the next few years, that will improve for you.

Tom

P.S. How 'bout a revitalized Shay or Climax? I don't even think the NYC had one - except if it were by acquisition from another RR.

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: I'd love to find a Niagara model, but nobody seems to make one in N-scale.

The Niagara and the Northern are the same locomotive (4-8-4). There will, of course, be differences in details between the different roads. Bachmann does make a 4-8-4 in its regular line (not Spectrum).

I have no idea how much work it is to put a decoder in one of them.

You'd have to, at a minimum, reletter for NYC. Domes, driver diameter, etc may not be exact.


Regards

Ed

[orsonroy]

Just because something's decorated for the NYC doesn't mean that it's correct. Unfortunately, the NYC has been sadly neglected as a modeling road, which is strange considering it was BARELY smaller than the Pennsy, which is THE easiest road to model.

But all is not lost; you DO have some choices for decent NYC steam. Quite a lot actually, if you get into minimal kitbashing:

1) Kato USRA heavy 2-8-2: the NYC had something like 20 of these engines, assigned to the P&LE. Thankfully, the Kato Mike is considered one of the top two N scale steamers ever made.

2) Model Power USRA light 2-8-2: the NYC had the largest single allotment of USRA light Mikes, around 100. The MP model works pretty well, and definitely looks the part.

3) Model Power USRA light Pacific: the NYC didn't have any USRA Pacifics, but they did have some Pacifics that looked similar (you'll need a new cab). With over six times as many Pacifics than Hudsons, any NYC modeler NEEDS a few.

4) Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0. This engine is the other contender for best N scale steamer, and looks similar to hundreds of NYC Consolidations (again, you need a new cab).

5) Bachmann Spectrum USRA light 4-8-2. Nobody makes a NYC Mohawk, in N or HO. With a little work (again, mostly a new cab) this model cam be made to represent the 100 or so L-1a Mohawks. Add a Con-Cor Hudson shell (many can be found in dead piles at swaps or on Ebay) and you've got a good start on an L-3a, which was more numerous.

6) Bachmann (standard line) USRA 0-6-0. Bachmann recently upgraded this model into a better runner, and it's currently the best steam switcher on the market. The NYC had several dozen of this model.

7) Con-Cor Hudson, streamlined and non-streamlined. First off, don't buy a Dreyfuss streamlined Hudson: they were all de-streamlined after WWII. Secondly, the Con-Cor stuff runs "OK". But...it IS the most NYC steamer on the market, so you should have a couple. So long as they're running at passenger train speeds, they're great. Just don't try to do any yard switching with them!

8) Model Power 4-4-0. This is a new model, so I have no idea how it runs. But it's very close to several NYC engines, some of which lasted into the early 1950s on branches. Rumor has it that MP will follow up with a 4-4-2 and maybe a 4-6-0, all witht he same boiler, making them NYC-inspired engines as well.

9) Atlas shay. Believe it or not, the NYC had a few shays. They had shrouds that made them look like diesel boxcabs, but they DID have them. This would be a pretty major kitbash.

10) finally, the Bachmann Spectrum USRA 2-6-6-2. Nobody thinks the NYC had articulateds. They're wrong. The NYC had LOTS of them, from smaller 0-6-6-0s to massive 0-10-10-0s. And believe it or not, their 2-6-6-2s were used on Indiana branch lines! (the curves were old narrow-gauge, and murder on bigger engines). The USRA engines don't look much like what the NYC had, BUT...

So, with the exception of 0-8-0s and 4-6-0s, you've got pretty much everything you need to model the NYC, in steam, in N scale. Of course, you're on your own for wood cabooses (use the Con-Cor offset cupola caboose, as the Micro Trains caboose is a horrible model of a MKT caboose). And remember: NYC steam and NYC Jade Green don't mix!

[tstage]

Wow, Ray! That's great! What are real edumacation in both N-scale AND NYC steam. [:)] Thanks!

Tom

[Anonymous]

Wow Roy, great info. I'm definately going to hold onto this thread for future reference. Kitbashing is a touch intimidating since I can be both a spaz and impatient, but I'll try to file this under 'learning experience'.
Thanks again.