EspeeC9 wrote:I've been doing some research on 4-8-0 Twelve Wheelers because I want to add two to my roster. I've come to find out that they were not very popular in North America, only a handfull of roads even owned them, and they became pretty obsolete around the turn of the century. I can only find photo's of Monon, N&W, and NP loco's, but they're not very great shots. Does anyone have any suggestions on bashin' one? I'm thinking of starting out with a Spectrum 2-8-0, lengthining the pilot and adding a four wheel lead truck. Thanks for the help everyone. Dave
A number of SP's 4-8-0's survived quite late. TW-8 #2914 survived and is on display in Bakersfield.
You might want to consider the obvious. Mantua made a 4-8-0 and they're frequently available on eBay. Personally, I think the Mantua model looks a bit awkward, but it might be a good starting point for one of the earlier SP 4-8-0's as well as using the mechanism as outlined below.
It might be possible to cobble up a reasonable model of an SP TW-8 using the Mantua mechanism and the MDC Harriman boiler, cylinders, cab and short Vanderbilt tender with which a number of TW-8's were outfitted at one time or another. Below is a link to picture of #2914. Note that not all the TW-8's were equipped with two sand domes and that most carried the headlight mounted in the standard SP slightly below center postion on the smokebox front. Just from eyeballing it, I believe the MDC Harriman boiler is the closest in overall size to a TW-8 boiler.
http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/preserved/2914_sp-steam-tw08-kevin_stevens.jpg
You might also be able to bash a TW-3 using the chassis of an MDC Old Time 2-8-0 as a starting point since all the drivers were equally spaced on that class (unlike the TW-8) and lengthening the frame forward of the front driver. The Mantua boiler might be useable, but would probably have to be shortened.
I'm including a link to the Espee Yahoo site. A fellow named Chris Stark has a beautiful example of a TW-3 ( #2952) which he says is largely scratchbuilt. If you're not a member of the Espee group, the link probably won't work, but you could always join. http://finance.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Espee/photos/view/6871?b=3
Espee group home page: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Espee/
Andre
Dave;
I would suggest starting with the low drivered Spectrum 4-6-0 (listed at 52" diameter, but measures 56"), then lengthening the chassis. The N&W and SP 4-8-0 had un even driver spacing - like the 4-6-0 and unlike the 2-8-0. The biggest challenge of creating a 4-8-0 is around the cylinder/lead truck and main rods. Trying to fit the trailing axle of a four lead truck between the cylinders and lead driving axle of a 2-8-0 is very very difficult.
Its spooky because I was also thinking about this as a project!
Your dead right not many railroads seemed to like them. I tend to like eastern roads (maybe because in my visits across the "pond" I've yet to travel further west than Chicago!) and had my eye on the N&W M class. There are lots of great photos of these in O Winston Link's "Last Steam Railroad in America" book, its just one of those books a rail fan should have.
My thoughts on a starting point for the N&W M was an MDC Harriman 2-8-0 kit. Although I have never seen a drawing of this class, it looks about the right size, and has the destinctive sloping section in the boiler (wagon top boiler?). The pilot would need to be altered and a 4 wheel leading truck installed and a coal tender subsituted for the Vanderbilt.
The only drawing of a twelve-wheeler I have seen is in Kalmbach's Steam Locomotive Cyclopedia Vol 1 which has a drawing and photo of a GN G1 class. This has a low pitched boiler with a typical GN Belpaire firebox, putting both the Bachmann and MDC Harriman Consolidations out of the equasion as starting points. Maybe the C19th Consolidation MDC did might be a better starting point for this engine?
Check the August Issiue of Trains.
There is an Article by Ed King that talks about 4-8-0s and there is a side bar of surviving examples.
James