Locomotive Conversion Suggestions
Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:44 pm
First off, I would like to empathize with my fellow n-scalers who desperately try to model steam on the PRR. After all, you are modeling what was the largest railroad in North America; in its heyday, and the n-scale manufacturers should be providing at least some of the basics of a PRR steam roster. It would really boost the morale of the Eastern contingent of this hobby if GHQ, and other manufacturers could see their way clear to doing some sadly-needed PRR steam!
With that said; my interest lies in modeling 50's era steam on the Union Pacific. During this time, my great-grandfather was a senior engineer on the OWR&N. His love was the FEF-1 class of Northern (4-8-4). So, naturally, my short-list of 50's era steam would have to include an FEF-1; as well as a 3800 class of Challenger.
Con-Cor has a Northern chassis, with which they've put GN S-2's, SP GS-4's, and a joke they called a UP FEF-3. It was nothing more than a skyline-cased GS-4, with smoke lifters added to it, and painted as UP #844. So, between the Con-Cor chassis, a pewter FEF-1 boiler, and a new tender casting, this could be a possibility for GHQ. These Fallen Flags links are good examples of coal and oil-fired FEF-1's. The 806 is obviously a coal-fired version; as built, while the 812 is a modernized oil-fired version with smoke lifters (my preference).
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up-s806ark.jpg
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up-s812amf.jpg
Athearn has just released a fairly reasonable model of a 3900 class (4664-3/4/5) of Challenger. The distinctive mark of this class was the 14-wheel tender, commonly known as the Centipede. The 3800 class (SCA-1/2) has a subtly different look than the Athearn model. This class was approximately 10-feet shorter than the 3900 class, the sand and steam domes were different in shape and size, and the tender was similar to the one found behind 806, pictured above. This one may be harder to do than an FEF-1, but I'm wondering if you might be able to adapt the molds to the Z-8 conversion?
Thank you for your considerations...
With that said; my interest lies in modeling 50's era steam on the Union Pacific. During this time, my great-grandfather was a senior engineer on the OWR&N. His love was the FEF-1 class of Northern (4-8-4). So, naturally, my short-list of 50's era steam would have to include an FEF-1; as well as a 3800 class of Challenger.
Con-Cor has a Northern chassis, with which they've put GN S-2's, SP GS-4's, and a joke they called a UP FEF-3. It was nothing more than a skyline-cased GS-4, with smoke lifters added to it, and painted as UP #844. So, between the Con-Cor chassis, a pewter FEF-1 boiler, and a new tender casting, this could be a possibility for GHQ. These Fallen Flags links are good examples of coal and oil-fired FEF-1's. The 806 is obviously a coal-fired version; as built, while the 812 is a modernized oil-fired version with smoke lifters (my preference).
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up-s806ark.jpg
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up-s812amf.jpg
Athearn has just released a fairly reasonable model of a 3900 class (4664-3/4/5) of Challenger. The distinctive mark of this class was the 14-wheel tender, commonly known as the Centipede. The 3800 class (SCA-1/2) has a subtly different look than the Athearn model. This class was approximately 10-feet shorter than the 3900 class, the sand and steam domes were different in shape and size, and the tender was similar to the one found behind 806, pictured above. This one may be harder to do than an FEF-1, but I'm wondering if you might be able to adapt the molds to the Z-8 conversion?
Thank you for your considerations...