Been checking favorite suppliers and see no listings for this locomotive. I particularly want a Great Northern but am wondering why there is such a void in this particular configuration on any line.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2069657
But there is/was a Great Northern 4-6-0 made--the AHM Casey Jones. It is a good model of a GN E-3 class. I don't know if it was ever done in GN--you might have to do the decaling.
Now how often is your wish granted????
Ed
Manufaturers batch run their products. Once a batch sells out, you'll have to wait for the next batch run, which I have no idea how long it will be. 4-6-0's are not the most popular type, so it may be awhile now that Bachmann is sold out. Check at train shows you may find a few still around.
Good luck
Paul
You mean like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nickel-Plate-Products-HO-Scale-Brass-Great-Northern-K-2-4-6-0-Ten-Wheeler-New-/111592396382?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19fb6cd65e
If you go to Ebay and type 4-6-0 in the search box, you'll get a bunch of hits.
OK.
So you don't like that old plastic GN 4-6-0.
How about this one:
http://www.brasstrains.com/Classic/Product/Detail/034421/HO-PFM-United-GN-Great-Northern-E-6-4-6-0-Ten-Wheeler
There have been a number of GN 4-6-0's made. Besides the E-3's mentioned earlier, there's also the E-5's, E-8's, and E-15's. They're just waiting for you to find them and plop your money down.
maxmanYou mean like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nickel-Plate-Products-HO-Scale-Brass-Great-Northern-K-2-4-6-0-Ten-Wheeler-New-/111592396382?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19fb6cd65e
The Bachmann 4-6-0 isn't all that different from the one in maxman's link, although it's a bit older in style (and the tender which came with mine isn't that close either).
However, Bachmann did offer another tender which was much closer, and they also have boiler/cab assemblies from other locos which could be used to modernise the Ten Wheeler.
I updated mine by re-working the slide-valve cylinders to a more modern piston-type, then replaced the boiler with one from a Varney locomotive. The cab is from a Bachmann Consolidation, and the tender was shortened slightly and made narrower:
Detail parts are from Bachmann, Cal-Scale, and Precision Scale, along with some scratchbuilt stuff:
Wayne
eaglescout ...am wondering why there is such a void in this particular configuration on any line.
...am wondering why there is such a void in this particular configuration on any line.
Now that we've found you some GN 4-6-0's, we might discuss the above.
Yes, there aren't a lot of 4-6-0's in the "mass market".
I think part of that could be because so many modelers want big steam. They want 4-8-4's. And Big Boys. There will soon be TWO 4-12-2's on the market. And only one railroad had them. Which is also true of the Big Boys.
Note how many people REALLY WANT the above engines to fit on 22" radius curves. Or smaller. They are NOT going with 4-6-0's, which would be more appropriate.
Additionally, the farther back you go in steam locomotive history (and that is what you are doing when you talk about 4-6-0's compared to 4-8-4's), the more varied the choices are. Compare how many versions of the prototype 4-6-0's were made with 4-8-4's. And to what extent they were individually modified.
Also, earlier railroad times appear to be less interesting than later, to modelers. It's hard enough to get them interested in 1950. Now try 1910. When lots of 4-6-0's were working.
And, it's not just "this particular configuration". Where's the 2-6-0's? And the 4-4-2's? There's not even much in 2-8-0's.
And, yes, Bachmann has made two versions of 4-6-0's. I've got one. I like it. I wouldn't wait for a different one to come out in mass market. You're lucky to even see the AHM one.
If one wants a GN 4-6-0:
There is, as I said earlier, the AHM Casey Jones. It models an Illinois Central engine, but close copies of that engine were made for the GN: Their class E-3. There were 10 of them. The cute little clerestory on the cab roof was removed pretty quickly--an easy mod for this model. I think this model was originally delivered with deep flanges. Which can be filed down. Maybe later models came with shallower ones. I would be wary of the running qualities of this one. The design goes way back. I would be VERY careful about spending much money on one of these until I saw it run. That said, it looks like a fun model to work on. I think maybe the air compressor(s) need moving/replacing. And then there's headlights, and so on. Fun! They were built by Rogers in 1899. The last one was scrapped in 1939. Drivers were 72".
Bachmann has done two versions of their HO 4-6-0. One with 57" drivers (which I have), and one with larger--I think 63". The models came with various choices of fittings, like steel or wood cabs, tenders, and so on. I suspect the one with the larger drivers might work to model GN's 910 or 911--two somewhat different locos making up GN class E-2. Note that classic GN 4-6-0's had Belpaire fireboxes. But GN picked up a few that weren't. Belpaire OR classic. Like the E-2's. And more.
I'll note that there were two versions of 4-6-0's in the world: ones with fireboxes ABOVE the top of the frame, and ones whose fireboxes dropped down low THROUGH the frame. Why should you care? Bacause the latter almost always had a wide spacing between the middle and rear drive to allow for the firebox. And the former did not. And had more even spacing. Which is intensely obvious. Now. I mention this because we can also look at the tyco 4-6-0. I suppose. If you had one of these models, and wanted to Greatnorthernize it, you would be looking at doing GN class E-12's and E-13's. Three engines total. Now, these guys had 55" drivers. And I suspect the Tyco has 63". So your model will likely be oversize. Your call.
Unfortunately, ALL of the above are out of production. That does not make them unavailable. Only hard or harder to find.
Alternately, I have mentioned that there have been brass models of a number of GN 4-6-0's. They, too, are hard or harder to find. BUT, they can be found. And they don't look like they're THAT expensive. Well, compared to current stuff that goes for well over $1000.
I picked up a copy of my favorite 4-6-0 a few years ago for $125. It's a nice running model of an LS&MS version. It's got to have been one of the biggest ever Ten-wheelers--80" drivers and all.
Me, I'm bemoaning the (current) lack of cars for it to pull: the Athearn Roundhouse Palace cars, last run in 2009.
So, Eaglescout, tell us more about your needs and desires for this 4-6-0.
Watching this discussion closely. I was looking to switch from N to HO specifically to model 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 locos pulling 40' cars on a branchline.
MJ4562 Watching this discussion closely. I was looking to switch from N to HO specifically to model 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 locos pulling 40' cars on a branchline.
That sounds like a lot of fun.
You may know that Bachmann has a very nice looking modern 4-4-0. And my Bachmann low-drivered 4-6-0 is a very nice looking little loco. If I was doing a steam powered branch line, these two would be at the top of my list of possibilities. Also, since there's no way you're going to have lotsa locos, you have the option of going with brass. A definite possibility.
I have been intrigued by your very idea since I saw a layout in May 1959 Model Railroader. It was called the Green Mountain Central. It sorta meandered around the edges of a basement room, and it felt just as if it were "real". Real slow and occasional. I think I was also going to have a 2-8-0. The 4-4-0 was going to be the old backup loco--used occasionally as needed.
I did come up with a modification (I think). I decided that I would have had an interchange with the Class 1 railroad and those tracks would have gone "offstage" to staging tracks. That way, I could still run the big locos and even "The Limited". They'd just show up out of nowhere, stop at the station at the interchange, do their business, and disappear back to nowhere.
Small older loco's like the 4-6-0 represent turn of the Century main line steam and other uses later on into the middle of the 20th Century for branch lines. They are a nice looking loco but the manufactures are probably wary of producing it in any great numbers.
CZ
I love the looks of the ten wheelers, espicaly the Baldwin and Rodgers built examples with the even driver spacing. I just picked up a PFM/United brass Virginia and Truckee #26 4-6-0 off ebay. While the motor is in the tender is this late 50's import, with new magnets it runs well and is fairly quiet. About like a blue box Athearn. What it can do is go around 15" curves on my little layout and look awsome doing it with a train of MDC, Mantua old timer and IHC old timer cars in tow. The Casey Jones was also done in brass, one was on ebay recently, might still be as I am not sure when that auction was to end. Make an excellent canidate to rework to GN. Mike
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
I'm planning on modeling a sleepy branchline set in the 50's. Just big enough to be interesting but small enough to manage. The prototype used ten wheelers and modern 4-4-0 into the 50's before being replaced by GP-9s sometime in the 60's.
I too love the look of the ten wheelers. Perfect proportions and the right size for a home layout.
I think the little A&LM ten wheeler by Fujiyama, one of Japans premier builders, imported by PFM, is one of the most beautiful ten wheelers out there. Quite affordable on the used market. Typical of many southern shortlines that ran this type of power on mixed trains every day. With the rising cost of locomotive models, one would think we might see a reduction of models of huge prototypes. So far it hasnt happened. I still think some smaller steam like a plastic version of the small Baldwin or Rodgers built ten wheeler and a good pre 1900 4-4-0 would be recieved well and sell well. One of those " they will buy it if you make it" things IMHO. Ten wheelers are one of the best small layout engines, along with Moguls, Americans and Consolidations. Mike
Here is an old photo of my Rivarossi 4-6-0 IC. Too bad it has the large flange wheels. I have two of the Bachmann 4-6-0's that are very nice.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
Ed,
Sorry for the late reply but thank you for the extensive information. I am modeling the area around Helena, MT where I lived for 22 years and remember the 4-6-0 still on display in Beattie Park there (see link below). It is actually and Northern Pacific #1382 but Great Northern came to Helena also. I currently have a 4-4-0 and a 2-8-0. I know they are available used but was lamenting the seeming lack of new models. Other posters have explained the situation so I will continue searching Ebal and other used sources for what I am looking for. Thanks again.
If you're in the mood for NP instead of GN, there was a model of the NP loco in the park:
http://www.brasstrains.com/Classic/Product/Detail/040156/HO-Brass-PFM-NP-Northern-Pacific-4-6-0-S-4-1372-Custom
Well, not the exact model, but the same class. From reading about NP steam, it appears that NP had a special interest in 4-6-0's.
I found this, too:
http://www.helenahistory.org/transportation_railroad.htm
It sounds like fun to model around Helena!