N Scale PRR Small Steam Options

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Editing the 2017 NTRAK Steam Annual has been putting bad, bad thoughts in my mind.

On top of that, hanging out with the bad influence that is my father, I've been thinking about small PRR steam for a "Northern Central" tourist operation.

I know there's a PRR H10 conversion on Shapeways for the Bachmann 2-8-0, which is kinda tempting.

But I've also been thinking about smaller stuff. I'd love to get close to a PRR H6 sized engine.

That's got me thinking about putting a Trix 0-6-0 boiler on the Athearn 2-8-0 mechanism, or on a Bachmann 2-6-0 (to get a Pennsy F-3 class Mogul like this http://prrsteam.pennsyrr.com/images/prr5099.jpg).

Have any of you SPFs tried swaps like this? Do you know if they'll work?

[pjm20]

In a recent Pennsy Modeler, there is an article about how to fine tune an old Atlas 2-8-0 mechanism under a Trix B6 boiler to make an H8.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Like, the old one? Why, in this day and age?

[brokemoto]

Gregg "Third Rail" made an 1880s/1890s PRR 2-8-0 out of an MDC.  On occasion, it will show up as the masthead photograph on this site.  If you did a bit of surgery to the MP eight wheeler, you might get something that looks like a late PRR eight wheeler.

I run my Atlas Northern Central eight wheeler with MDC PRR thirty four foot passenger cars.  They are foobalicious, but I run them together, anyhow. 

[Point353]

Editing the 2017 NTRAK Steam Annual has been putting bad, bad thoughts in my mind.

On top of that, hanging out with the bad influence that is my father, I've been thinking about small PRR steam for a "Northern Central" tourist operation.

Unless this has to be a "make" project, rather than a "buy", I'd be on the lookout for one of the old brass PRR H-8/9/10 locos from Key/Samhongsa.
http://www.spookshow.net/loco/key280h9.html

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Unless this has to be a "make" project, rather than a "buy", I'd be on the lookout for one of the old brass PRR H-8/9/10 locos from Key/Samhongsa.
http://www.spookshow.net/loco/key280h9.html

Oh, I know those Key Hs quite well...

This is my fathers which our own @cbroughton67 worked miracles on.

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I'm looking for something even older and smaller than THAT!

[eric220]

How about the MRC/Model Power 4-4-0? It's not a bad start on a D16.

[Point353]

I'm looking for something even older and smaller than THAT!

What about making a model of this PRR 2-6-0 loco:


http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/prr/prr-s1071ajt.jpg

Starting with this MRC/Model Power loco:

[chicken45]

How about this? It's old and small.



http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=d1_olda.gif&sel=ste&sz=sm&fr=

Is that Atlas loco close to a D1?

[mmagliaro]

Hans Starmans did a project with a Trix boiler shell on a 2-8-0 chassis, and there used to be a photo of it on their n-stars website, but it's not there anymore.  It wasn't labeled strictly as an "H6", but it looked like one.

The tough thing about the H6 is that it has non-uniform driver spacing.  The rear driver is noticeably set back from the other 3, and I don't think there is any existing x-8-x mechanism that looks like that. 

Assuming you are just looking for a "close" model, and not a massive scratchbuilding project, the Trix shell is pretty close to the H6.  And on the positive side, some H6sb's did get mated up with slope-back tenders that look a lot like the one on the Trix engine (there are a few photos in Carleton's "Pennsy Steam A to T" like this), and there's even a photo of one in service with a slope-back in 1948!  So the Trix tender shell could be handy there  (NOT the tender chassis, which has useless, non-pickup trucks).  So a Trix boiler and tender could get you very close if you found a mechanism.

The Athearn/MDC 2-8-0 has uniform driver spacing and looks pretty darn close to the much earlier H3, and there's even an H3 sitting at Strasburg for modeling reference.

That's all I got, man.  The H classes were ones I never got around to in my Pennsy days.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

What about making a model of this PRR 2-6-0 loco:


http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/prr/prr-s1071ajt.jpg

Starting with this MRC/Model Power loco:

This is a good possibility. A REAL good possibility.

Where did you find that image? Does it mention the class?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

How about this? It's old and small.



http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=d1_olda.gif&sel=ste&sz=sm&fr=

Is that Atlas loco close to a D1?

Yep. Got one of those already. It's also already living with my dad... Although, I think I'm gonna steal it back and do some work.

[chicken45]

I've got one of @David K. Smith 's detail kits. I'll get around to it. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've got one of @David K. Smith 's detail kits. I'll get around to it. 

I'm mad I never did. Now I gotta go looking for one. I don't know what I was thinking.

[Point353]

This is a good possibility. A REAL good possibility.

Where did you find that image? Does it mention the class?

The photo came from here: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/prr/prr-loco.html
Also from here: http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?january06/01-31-06/PRR1071BobLeighScanColl.jpg

It would likely be an F-something class.
http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/Rail/Prr/Rosters/steam_class.html

More PRR 2-6-0 photos here: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/prr_steam3.html

For example: