New Walthers flyer today - with a blurb for a new release of that nice Proto 2000 USRA 0-6-0. A PRR version with a really ancient looking tender. I hope the NKP versions come with a standard USRA tender, but they show the 1890's looking PRR version picture with all the roadnames they list.
Tenders aside, where am I going to find transition era tank cars to go with that 0-6-0? Walthers shows lots of modern monster tankers, but not a single transition era car in stock. Proto 2000 used to make some really nice tank cars, but not since the takeover. Likewise cabooses - IF I can find some NKP caboose decals I can make do with a Rock Island or C&NW wooden caboose - but even those are hard to find - lots of metal, lots of PRR or SP, but not a lot more.
Of course, if you want to model a corn ethanol plant - something only a corn farmer could love, and not all of them - they've got a whole lot of tanks and buildings, and modern tank cars to go with them.
Sorry, I don't want giant toxic spill tank cars or spine cars or double stack containers, I want to model the time before the boards or the PRR and NYC ravaged their railroads and sold the shells to Penn Central, the time before the N&W bought out the Wabash and the Nickel Plate, when there were more than four railroads in the country. Perhaps that's just because I saw and heard Nickel Plate Berkshires double heading up a grade, and rode the Cannonball behind Wabash P-1 4-6-4s.
Accurail and Branchline provide a decent range of box cars and reefers of the era, but only Tichy seems to make a 9 or 10 K gallon tank car - and if I bought some of those, where would I find A. E Staley decals, or old Gulf or Texaco or Conoco or Marathon? Just UTLX looks a little boring.
BF&Dwhere am I going to find transition era tank cars
I have to agree with you there. I have been having a hard time myself finding much that's worthwhile.
Tank cars:
Red Caboose: http://www.imrcmodels.com/distrib/redcaboose/redcabooseho.html
Tichy http://www.tichytraingroup.com/index.php?page=view_product.php&id=274&category=Freight+Car+Kits
And check Wallthers' online.
NKP Caboose:
http://www.laserkit.com/laserkit.htm
Kit No. 851 Nickel Plate Road Wood Caboose
Nigel, thanks for the tip on the AMB NKP cabose - looks very much like the model - Silver Streak? - I built for my Grampa (a retired NKP freight conductor - I once rode in his caboose) many, many years ago. Although almost certainly not as fully or finely detailed, long before lasers were common currency.
I did take another look at Walthers' caboose stable - and was as ever amused by the pages of PRR N5 variants, most of them looking more toy-like than anything that ever ran on big tubular O-27 rails, not to mention being posed with those regrettable X2f couplers. Yes, they did have a few wood ones, and a lone Atlas NKP steel caboose - not what I was looking for. But I'll be off to a nearby (not my local, but not much farther away - and he will special order anything and discount it and not charge extra shipping) hobby shop to order the AMB Nickel Plate wood caboose, despite the nearly $50 price tag.
But tank cars - a search on Walthers' site for HO and tank car reveals not all that many transition era cars in stock - and all the Proto 2000 type 21, especially the reasonably priced kit versions, are sold out. I did know about the Intermountain cars - and would have gone for a Staley car despite the prices if they had one.
If anybody know of some Staley decals for a pre-1955 tank car, I'd love to find them.
Thanks again for the AMB caboose tip - I must have been dazzled by their structures and missed them.
I was looking for the same thing yesterday - the old Type 21 cars have caught my eye. Maybe Walthers will re-issue them. I'm not sure about the Tichy cars. They might do in a pinch, but the photo doesn't look as detailed as the Walthers models.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley I was looking for the same thing yesterday - the old Type 21 cars have caught my eye. Maybe Walthers will re-issue them. I'm not sure about the Tichy cars. They might do in a pinch, but the photo doesn't look as detailed as the Walthers models.
Weren't these the P2K cars they released about 2 years ago? I have a couple but not able to find them quickly to confirm. However, if they are the same, may be able to find on auction sites or obscure LHSs.
Ricky
I just picked up an Amoco 8/48 and a Sinclair 11/50 from Toy Train Heaven
and a Penn Salt 11/46 off EBAY
You can see them and my other tankers at my site
51% share holder in the ME&O ( Wife owns the other 49% )
ME&O
IIRC, the P2K 8,000 & 10,000 gallon tank cars I have have the older 'K' style brakes on them! Not real correct for 'Transition Era', but they are so nice. Another future project - new AB brakes system....
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Jim, K-style brakes were legal for interchange until 1953, although all of the Proto cars which I have came equipped with the more modern AB brakes.
MisterBeasley.... I'm not sure about the Tichy cars. They might do in a pinch, but the photo doesn't look as detailed as the Walthers models.
.... I'm not sure about the Tichy cars. They might do in a pinch, but the photo doesn't look as detailed as the Walthers models.
Actually, the Tichy (formerly Gould) tank car can be as detailed as the builder wishes, and there's no need to fill in all the oversize holes as used on the Proto kits to accommodate those fat plastic grabirons.
BF&DIf anybody know of some Staley decals for a pre-1955 tank car, I'd love to find them.
I'm not sure if this is the proper era, but there are some Staley decals HERE. It does appear, though, that you'll have to buy the tank car kit to get the lettering.
Wayne
Micro Mark lists a tank used from '18-'55. Fortunately or unfortunately they are undecaled, but if you are into decaling they would fit.
Good luck,
Greg Shindledecker Modeling the =WM= Thomas Sub in the mid-70s
If you are open to using ebay, I have seen about a dozen P2K and Red Caboose tank cars, both built and kits going for fairly low prices in the last two weeks.
I prefer the more sedate black, silver or white ones, mostly GATX, UTLX and SHPX marls.
Last year these were going for $25 or more, but recently I've seen $5-$15.
Just a couple of comments to the OP-
If you are refereing to the N6B PRR cabin car (caboose), This is a very nice model (not at all "toy-like") and has received accolades from the PRR T&HS. There are minor issues, mainly the step bracing, as the prototype straps would probably be too weak in 1:87, to last very long. The other issue concerns whether or not the prototypes had window sils and the style of mulions. Photo evidence seems to support many different arguments. I think these are very minor issues considering the overall correctness and high quality of the model.
I also believe the tender supplied on the USRA 0-6-0 is indeed a USRA switcher tender. Walthers has tooled three different heights of bunker extensions, and includes the appropriate one with each model. Again, there is photographic evidence of PRR (and other roads) USRA 0-6-0s with this tender. The photo in the WIKI aritcle shows a USRA road style tender (as supplied with 2-8-2 type, etc). I have read and seen photos to back up, that many roads swapped out the tenders for different styles.
A cursory search did not reveal any USRA 0-6-0 locos assigned to NKP.
Perhps I missed something, they built copies, or they were acquired second hand.
Also, the AMB caboose kits are indeed very nice. I am in process of assembling two of them.
BF&D New Walthers flyer today - with a blurb for a new release of that nice Proto 2000 USRA 0-6-0. A PRR version with a really ancient looking tender. I hope the NKP versions come with a standard USRA tender, but they show the 1890's looking PRR version picture with all the roadnames they list.
Any Idea where I can find a picture of that "1890's" tender? All the pics I've seen are of Proto 2000 0-6-0 engines they have either a high or low bunker 1920's-1930's tender with Andrews trucks. If they really have a 1890's tender that might be useful for earlier era modelers.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
I found a previous release of the 0-8-0 decorated for NKP, I wonder if that's what the OP meant?
If he is in fact refering to the Bowser N5B/C models, these too, are very well done models, despite their lack of window glazing, and the older photos showing horn hooks. With just a little modeling, they turn out GREAT.
Walthers used a Pennsy picture
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/920-60302
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
"If you are refereing to the N6B PRR cabin car (caboose), This is a very nice model (not at all "toy-like") and has received accolades from the PRR T&HS."
Actually, I was commenting on the appearance of the design, not the model quality; but the prototype does LOOK like a toy, in the Lionel 1930s standard gauge tradition.
I agree that there were no NKP USRA 0-6-0s - John Rehor's "Nickel Plate Story" doesn't show any, nor does Wiki or SteamLocomotive.COM - but it's not too far off from a B-11 - and anyway, I plan to get one and add custom decals for the Big Fork and Diehl, so it could be surplus CNW or CE&I.
PS to dehusman: the low to non-existent coal bunker sides give it an old-time look to me; I'd love to see any references on why the PRR chose that particular tender design for the USRA B class.
BF&D PS to dehusman: the low to non-existent coal bunker sides give it an old-time look to me; I'd love to see any references on why the PRR chose that particular tender design for the USRA B class.
If I had designed such a tender, it would have been to allow good rearward visibility. Good rearward visibility is an almost universal trait of switching locomotives. I love my SP class S-12 0-6-0 with a small-diameter, cylindrical tender: unique looking and great rearward visibility.
Mark
OK so its not an old time tender, its just a low tender. Completely different things. I have seen pix of PRR B6 0-6-0's with that type of tender, although more B6's seem to have had the slopeback tenders.
The Walthers site is now showing a Type 21 car scheduled for release later this year. They only have "artists' concept" illustrations. They are not the Proto models, I guess, and the announcement only shows RTR cars.
If you are referring to the May 2010 Walthers flyer that was delivered this week in the mail, I believe they show 10,000 gallon old-style tank cars at $ 34.98 under their "gold line" label, with various heralds. These are suitable for 20s-50s railroading.