Tempted to buy a 2-8-8-2

[Dave V]

Okay, guys...  You know me.  I usually promote modeling the mundane and routine versus the exception.  For the Pennsy in the steam era, mundane would be one of 301 M1 variants, or better yet one of the 598 class I1s 2-10-0s.

Yet building them is a huge pain in the tailpipe and quite frankly, the result of my M1 project was an under-powered and finicky beast rather than a smooth-running, hard-pulling brute.

I had a chance to test a LifeLike/Walthers UP 2-8-8-2 with DCC and sound on the Juniata Division in April.  Not only did she handle my curves with ease, she pulled like a champ and sounded great doing it.  Well, the prototype for that loco is the N&W Y3.  N&W sold 6 of them to the Pennsy in 1943, where they were classed HH1.

So, it's not exactly a representative class of steam locomotive on the PRR.  To make matters worse, the HH1s were used almost exclusively in Ohio, and were pretty much stored dead by 1947.  So they really have no business on the Juniata Division in 1956.

But they're SO COOL...



I found one listed in PRR paint at Trainworld for $269, with the sound and DCC.  I can get a Santa Fe version for as cheap as $214 at Standard Hobby Supply.  Anyway, I plan on calling Trainworld in the morning to verify that the thing actually exists on a shelf and isn't just a misplaced group of electrons in the online inventory.

It would be nice to have big steam that pulls worth a darn in N.

[bobcat]

I have one in N&W and I have used it at 3 different open houses at the club. Each time, for 8 hours and pulling 40+ MT and Atlas 2 bay hoppers with loads.

Great performer and a big crowd pleaser. For the money, you can't go wrong.

[Dave V]

Wow, what an endorsement!  I've never owned a steam locomotive in ANY scale that could do that...!

[up1950s]

I have a UP Y3 that was also dead by 1947 and I model the 50's decade . UP said they were too slow and in the winter they were known as the cab of the 7 winds . Sometimes you have to piss yourself off to make yourself happy .

[Chris333]

I bought one too just so I could have something with sound. I bought the Santa Fe and will paint it N&W someday. I already spent some time bulking up the space under the boiler and shortened up the drawbar thats really all it needed.

[delamaize]

Well dave, you know when push comes to shove it's your railroad, and I'm sure you could come up with a story to please any rivet Nazis out there. Myself, with steam at least, I have adopted the "Oh well if NP didn't have it, is it believable?" Additude, since Prototypical NP steam is, Like PRR, Non existent. I now have a Moutian and a 2-6-6-2 both lettered in NP, where NP never had Moutians, and modern 2-6-6-2's. I say if you like it, and it is beleivable, go for it! especally if it pulls like a moose!

[Philip H]

For the record, that is one of three steam locos I'd buy just to have for excursion service in my diesel soaked dreams.

[Bob Bufkin]

Go for it Dave.  I've thought about getting one of these myself.  As for running in Ohio, I have seen photos of these monsters running on the Cumberland Valley branch in the mid 40's.  Guess they came off the N&W at Hagerstown. 

[sizemore]

DO IT! I have one from the new run and two from the old run. All excellent runners. I'm hoping to get the two from the old run converted to sound in the near future and run all three together 2 pulling, 1 pushing. *drool*. Otherwise they go in the excursion fleet pulling mixed passenger consists ;D

The S.

[Dave V]

All good to know, thanks!  Even if it's not a signature Pennsy loco, it just looks, sounds, and pulls awesome.  I was very happy with the few minutes one was earning its keep on the Juniata Division.

Steam is such a hit-or-miss proposition in N scale.  With tuning, I increased the pulling power of my light 4-8-2 mechanism for the M1 by almost twice as many cars (from 4 to 7).  That was a combination of extra weight and bearing block shims.  To get one that's even tangentially correct for Pennsy that also runs well out of the box is as close to perfect as I will probably see (baring a miracle at PCM, lol).

Sounds like a winner.  I have no clue where the cash is coming from, but it will be mine very soon.

Here's the prototype:

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/prr378.jpg

[David Leonard]

I have one of these from the not-so-great first run. I've never tested its pulling capacity, but I assume it's not very good. It runs very well, however, and I plan on installing tender pickup--and a keystone on the smokebox of course. I rotated the drivers on one engine so that I'd get the alternating out of synch appearance. I'd say that if you have a chance to get an upgraded version of it, do it!

[SkipGear]

I'll be yet another "yes man". These things run very good and I missed out on the PRR version from the first run. I was a nice guy and let a customer of ours have figuring I could get one in the next batch. The next batch was announced a week later missing PRR. I had to settle for N&W.

The last time mine was run, it pulled 50 cars around the Ntrak club layout for 4 hours without a hitch. The throttle was passed around between club members and spectators without a single problem. These things just do what they are supposed to, a rarity anymore. The sound is still the best on the market as far as I'm concerned.

[Dave V]

So I'm making the assumption that any of the runs that include DCC and sound are the better runs.  Is that true, or was the PRR with sound/DCC part of a crappier release?  Can anyone confirm?  Thanks!

[David Leonard]

The PRR DCC/Sound model is from the 3rd run, I believe, but it definitely is the upgraded version. http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/920-90104

[inkaneer]

The first run was produced by LifeLike before the Walthers takeover.  This run should be avoided due to the lack of a traction tire.  It will pull nowhere near as many cars as the second run by Walthers which was re-engineered with additional geared axles and traction tires.  So it is not as easy as dropping in a set of traction tired drivers as with the Kato 2-8-2.  The initial run only had one driver per engine that was gear driven the other three worked off of the side rods. Adding weight is not an option as the non geared drivers will have excessive wear in the crankpin area.  So you have to replace the entire engine. But Walthers will not sell an upgrade kit.  In short, be sure to get the second run and check to see if it has traction tires on the rear engine.