Can someone tell me what the differences are? I thought about buying an unlettered BLI version.
I can tell off the bat the feedwater heater on the side is wrong causing an elevated running board. And the bell placement is wrong. I would also have to lower the headlight.
Is there anything else I should fix? Or should I just go after a mid 90's RR version of the L2A Hudson?
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
First cookie out of the box, the C&O locos are taller - at 15' 9.5" they wouldn't even fit through the NYC's Hudson Narrows tunnels. NYC Js maxed at 15' 1"
Next - front end. The NYC used partial deflectors around the cross-compound pumps on the pilot, had the air intakes exposed between and carried the headlight in the center of the smokebox door, with the loco number and the NYC oval below it. The C&O boxed in the compressors all the way across, with the headlight mounted very low and the smokebox door bare. Chessie's bell overhung the smke box, NYC's was behind the stack. Chessie also had steps on the smokebox front, and the side running boards came all the way to the front of the smokebox. (There are other differences, easily visible if you look at photos of the two locos.)
Feedwater heater. NYC had a semi-buried Elesco, C&O used what appears to be a Worthington SA.
Sand box. C&O is longer, with two filler hatches and exposed sander valves. NYC has one hatch and a fairing over the sander valves.
Safety valves. C&O exposed, off-center. NYC in a `bucket' behind the steam dome on the boiler centerline.
And that's just for openers. There are far more differences than similarities. Your best bet is to look at both in Kalmbach's Steam Locomotives Cyclopedia volume. Second best is to gather some photos of both. For me, the height difference alone would be a deal killer.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - without C60/C61/C62 class Hudsons)
The fwh pump on the side of the J1e to which you refer is an Elesco, while that on the L2 is a Worthington - different pumps and different heaters, too. The other most obvious differences are the L2a's elongated combination steam/sand domes, and both have different pilots. I can't comment on other differences, such as driver diameters, overall driver wheelbase, etc., etc.
Wayne
Thanks Chuck & Wayne.
I guess I'll go with the less detailed Rivarossi version and convert it to DCC.
BTW: Thanks for the tip on the book. I'm always looking for good sources of books for prototyping the C&O.
Why not try to find one of the older brass models? Some of them are a very good value, and most likely way more accurate models than Rivarossi-anything.
I've owned the NJ Custom Brass C&O Hudson, but I can't remember exactly which class it was (that was more than 15 years ago)--it did run great though, and was reasonably priced at the time (less money than a new brass diesel at that time).
Respectfully submitted--
John