Lehigh Valley kitbash/scratch build project help needed

[xxuntitled717xx]

hi all...my name is kenny...i'm 17 and i've been making plans and doing research for a model railroad i plan to build with my father...the prototype i'm using is the Lehigh Valley Railroad through New Jersey from Jersey City to Easton Pa. with a branch to Perth Amboy (circa 1950)...

I was looking at the Lehigh's T-1 through T-2b Northerns both built by ALCO and BLW and i was wondering if anyone knew of the best way to either kit-bash or scratch build the locomotives and what materials to use...my idea was starting off with the Broadway Limited Niagra wheel base and a NYC Hudson and then going from there...so if anyone can help it'd be greatly appreciated...thanks for any input...

[Newyorkcentralfan]

You might want to start with the Bowser 4-8-4. You can get just the chassis parts you need instead of starting with several hundred dollars worth of BLI locomotives.

bowser-trains.com

I don't know the dimensional specs of the locomotives you want to model. the Bowser's are:

4-8-4
7'-6" tt wb
4'-6.5" trailing truck to rear driver
6-4/6-4/6-4 D TO D wb giving a total dwb of 19 feet
5'-9" Driver to LT
7'-5" LT wb
9-5.5 driver to cylinder center line
42" TT w dia
69" DR dia
30" LT dia

There's articles in Model Railroader on scratchbuilding steam locomotives out of styrene and other materials.

The locomotive you wanted but couldn't get
Model Railroader, October 1974 page 40
How to half-scratch a steam loco & tender without machine tools
( "HOFFMAN, MONTE R.", SCRATCHBUILD, STEAM, TECHNIQUE, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINE, LOCOMOTIVE, MR )

Building a locomotive from wood and card
Model Railroader, May 1972 page 48
( CARD, SCRATCHBUILD, "SIMA, BUD", STEAM, WOOD, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINE, LOCOMOTIVE, MR )

Eric