Identification challenge :D

[Trainman440]

Hi everyone!! I saw this on Ebay, and I bought it instantly when I figured out what it was... see if you could also ID it!

 

[RR_Mel]

Looks like mine.

 

 

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

["JaBear"]

Looks like you’ve had a good win; but to me it looks suspiciously like a PRR A5.

Cheers, the Bear.

[Anonymous]

Looks like a super-detailed Bowser PRR A 5.

[OT Dean]

Yup, it can't be the Espee switcher: look at the top edges of the Belpaire firebox. It must be a Pennsy switcher (can't tell how many drivers...).

Deano

[dknelson]

Is it the old John English "Yard Bird" Pennsy 0-4-0 with the Cal Scale retrofit valve gear and quite a bit of added detail?

Dave Nelson

[Trainman440]

Mel - sorry wrong :(  That is a MDC roundhouse 0-6-0. Looks nice!

Bear - Correct! It is a PRR A5. 

Sir Madog - Right on!

Ot Dean - Yup

Dave - Sorry, it is a PRR 0-4-0 (A5 class), but it is not made from John English.

 

Bowser bought John English and modified the original A5 model. They upgraded it with more detail, valve gear, nickel plated wheels, and later, Bowser even added a can motor drive with derlin gears!

the answer is the Bowser A5 PRR with the can motor. It usally goes for $130, but I got this one, listed as "Mantua? 0-4-0 Reading" for only $58! The original owner added a custom running board near the amokebox with a brass sheet, and he extended the cowcatcher/pilot. sadly, I removed these modifications, and am about to rebuild, and repaint this model. Sadly, the valve gear rivets are really old, and I still need to order some new ones. 

Congrats to all who got it right!

[RR_Mel]

Trainman440

Mel - sorry wrong :(  That is a MDC roundhouse 0-6-0. Looks nice!

 

 

Sorry Charles

 

Actually I felt rather bad after I posted the picture of my no detail MDC as a dupe of your highly detailed Bowser, no insult intended.  It was my first HO locomotive and I have kept it exactly as I assembled it in 1952 at the ripe old age of 14.

 

It still runs perfect after 64 years, it must have hundreds of running hours on it.  It’s been stripped and repainted at least 6 times over the 64 years.  I dropped it in 1992 and broke off a front step, I called MDC and I quickly received a replacement frame (no charge).

 

I also have an early (1959) Bowser 0-6-0 but I didn’t buy a detail kit for it so it looks more drab than my MDC.

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[Anonymous]

Charles - you may be interested in this

Bowser PRR A5 Kit

[Trainman440]

Sir Madog

Charles - you may be interested in this

Bowser PRR A5 Kit

 

Yes, I have actually been using that forum as a guide. i found it about a year ago. Thanks for the suggestion anyways!