If you go the Mantua route, note that the later (after about 1990) RTR Pacifics came with a can motor; earlier ones had an open-frame motor. In either case, you'll still need to isolate the motor from the frame for DCC. You could always get one of the DCC ready newer ones from Model Power / MRC.
7j43kFor those who don't like F units: Brought to you by Rapido, in living HO. And it will likely be a beauty. Two back to back would look stunning!!!
Brought to you by Rapido, in living HO. And it will likely be a beauty. Two back to back would look stunning!!!
Texas Zepher 7j43k For those who don't like F units: Brought to you by Rapido, in living HO. And it will likely be a beauty. Two back to back would look stunning!!! Yeah they are beauties. I just can't visualize them on the point of heavy weight passenger cars.
7j43k For those who don't like F units: Brought to you by Rapido, in living HO. And it will likely be a beauty. Two back to back would look stunning!!!
Yeah they are beauties. I just can't visualize them on the point of heavy weight passenger cars.
Well, here in the east, F units pulled lots of heavyweight passengers cars in the late 40's, all through the 50's and into the 60's.
Many eastern roads used large fleets of heavyweights right up until AMTRAK.
Many had been rebuilt and "modernized", but the B&O in particular was very resistant to lightweight passenger cars and only fully imbraced them after the C&O took ownership in 1965.
Keep in mind, eastern roads were also slow to give up the fully painted look in favor of the stainless steel look on passenger cars as well. Even when they did start using stainless lightweight cars, many had painted window bands, or even window bands and letter boards with only the lower part stainless.
Sheldon
I've seen photos & heard stories of B&O FA's pulling heavyweight coaches on excursion trains out of Canton, Cleveland, and on the former BR&P. I'm not aware of their use on B&O's premiere passenger trains, but it could have happened, I guess.
If you go for a Pacific, be aware that by the end of the steam era, there were probably no two B&O Pacifics that looked identical. The various P-7's (like the Mantua) had headlights in the centered or elevated position. If you go for a USRA P-5 light Pacific, the headlights were invariably elevated after the 1920's. P-6 details pretty much matched P-5 details except that P-6's had Delta trailing trucks and Vanderbilt tenders. There were numerous other less prominent details that could individualize models of any of these classes.
Tom