Hi, has anyone had any experience with these? There's one on Ebay right now, and I have always thought they were cool looking locomotives. Do they run well, quite, slow ect.? Thanks,
Ryan
Ship it on the Frisco!
A little info. They are a little crude.
http://www.geocities.com/budb3/arts/xmpl/kkplnt.html
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Ryan - In answer to your questions, my general response would be no, no and no!
The Kidder items were very early imports and the Plantation, Mud Hen and similar little 0-4-0's, while cute, were the low end of the Kidder line. Cheap even in their day, you really couldn't expect much in the way of quality operation from them without a great deal of tinkering and even then it was questionable. I've got several of these little engines around and out of those, only one runs reasonably well at even a modest speed. Getting moving from a dead stop usually requires a boost from one's finger and you don't want to cross a switch at much less than full speed.
CNJ831
I bought an HOn3 version (0-4-0T, outside frame). I concur with all the other comments. Negatives:
Reality is that it's another one of my purchases that needs far more than it's worth to bring it close to my standards. My original intention was to rebuild it into a yard switcher. But in my era (1890-1900), saddle tanks seemed to be a lot more common than side tanks, and outside frames were not all that common. To get to an inside frame saddle tanker, a new frames is needed, drivers need to be plated or replaced, and the motor and possibly gearing needs to be replaced. I'm not sure the existing drivers are even spoked wheels, since they are hidden behind the frame and counter weights.
I then thought if I'm going to this much trouble, why not build it into a logging 2-4-2T? And that's where it sits - in the pondering stage. I would consider it only as a basis for a bash - not as a good model in its own right. But we each have our own vision - you may see it very differently.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
Phil, I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.
TTT #2, Tsubomi 0-4-0T (imported by Ken Kidder, I bought mine at the source) is currently deadlined for a problem peculiar to this locomotive. The separately-applied counterweight into which the crankpins are screwed came adrift on the right main driver. Since the crankpin does NOT screw into the wheel, that got everything out of quarter. Repairs are pending the arrival of a round tuit I ordered from Outer Slobbovia - I was informed that it will be on the third camel of the annual caravan....
Before that minor (!!) setback, I found that it would operate quite well in colliery-yard switching service - but never at any more than 25-30% throttle. I've considered adding a couple of series resistors, disguised as air tanks, but the counterweight came adrift before I could try that scheme.
So now #2 sits forlornly on the dead line, while colliery switching has fallen to the next-smallest loco on the TTT roster, a modified Spectrum 0-6-0T. Fortunately, the TTT has no shortage of teakettles.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Plating service I have used.
http://www.sierrascalemodels.com/plating.htm
tomikawaTT TTT #2, Tsubomi 0-4-0T (imported by Ken Kidder, I bought mine at the source) is currently deadlined for a problem peculiar to this locomotive.
TTT #2, Tsubomi 0-4-0T (imported by Ken Kidder, I bought mine at the source) is currently deadlined for a problem peculiar to this locomotive.
Something like this, Chuck?
Mark
Mark, TTT #2 looks forlorn - but not THAT forlorn...
After all, with the permanent loop-back time warp, it's only been out of service for five weeks at most. That poor, dilapidated 2-6-0 looks as if it's been out of service for about five decades.
A grammar school friend of mine had this little Ken Kidder 0-4-0 shifter, which was sold by ATT. I thought it was a cool little loco, but it did go like a bat out of Hades. It didn't seem to have any pickup issues. I'd love to find one at a reasonable price.
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
Okay, thanks everyone. If it was a little cheaper I might just buy it and remove the moter, and put it in front of a mine, but for the price it's at I don't think I really want to have to go through redoing the hole thing.
Hi, I have 2 of these little critters, one has a tender the other a sidetank, both run very well although too fast, I use a 12vdc power source to slow them down. I have a saw mill type layout that I use at shows. They are the rage of attention at these shows. Check out my you tube video of one of them. Search "upchuck262" in you tube, Thanks, Chuck