I have some questions about #907 Texas & Pacific 4-8-2 Mountain type loco by IHC in HO. It has a coal tender. Is the typical of the prototype or was the prototype oil? I believe the prototype was a passenger locomotive. Was it also a dual locomotive pulling fast freights for the T & P? I'm trying to put together a consist of T & P stock and box cars (Athearn blue box) and oil cars and can't afford brass Texas type (2-10-4) locomotives and have excluded the Bachmann Texas Chugger (2-10-4) because it a poor runner that only works for a couple of years and it is non-prototypical. Any suggestions for a freight locomotive for T & P that is very modest in price but will be prototypical? (or will the IHC #907 4-8-2 work for me). The consist I envision is commemorative of my Grandfather who was a locomotive engineer on the Texas and Pacific out of Big Spring, Texas who retired about 1950.
Presumably you will want to post this in an appropriate place on the Model Railroader forum if you want practical modeling advice. I also would suggest that you cross-post the prototype information requests on the Classic Trains forum.
To my knowledge, which is not very extensive on T&P, you'd have to do some careful conversion on the IHC locomotive to approximate 'correct' appearance for a M-2 locomotive. You're correct that the tender needs to be replaced; not only did these engines burn oil, but the Vanderbilt tender design is wrong. (Complicating this is that the tender is relatively small but still twelve-wheeled, which limits the places you can find 'compatible' replacements.) You will also need to find a compatible Delta-style trailing truck (perhaps off a Rivarossi 2-10-2?) as the composite type on all the IHC Mountains I've seen is a sad anachronism for a 1928 Baldwin prototype. There are many other detail changes you can make.
Of course we're talking steam in HO.
Appropriate? Probably 2-8-2, 2-10-2, or 2-10-4. The 4-8-2's were passenger engines, although they may have been pressed into freight service at some time.
Accurate T&P locos available? Several versions of the USRA 2-8-2 are on the market, or have been in recent times. For true accuracy, they would benefit from relatively simple modifications such as conversion to oil, addition of capped stack, etc. BLI has the T&P 2-10-4. The Bachmann 2-10-4 is a Santa Fe design that doesn't remotely resemble the T&P engine. The IHC 4-8-2 is a generic Heavy 4-8-2 that would require extensive modification. I don't know of any 2-10-2 that is close enough to pass.
Affordable? If you have to ask the question, the BLI 2-10-4 may be out of your price range. The Bachmann USRA Light 2-8-2 may be the best bet in this regard. Older Light USRA 2-8-2's from IHC, Athearn, or BLI may also be available at reasonable prices if you shop around.
Tom
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