Unusual 2-8-0 Kit

[J3a-614]

This one is a white metal and etched brass kit from Great Britain; they were built here, and some ran here (Alaska Railroad, US Army at Fort Eustis, Va.), and one still runs on occasion (Great Smokey Mountain Scenic 1702, ex-Reader Railroad, Ex-Warren & Sabine River(?), ex-USATC, at all times carrying number 1702).

http://www.djhengineering.co.uk/loco/prodloco.asp?ProdID=3073

Similar engines were built in the postwar era for reconstruction in China, and other postwar USATC engines included the engine now running (in somewhat modified form) as Tennessee Valley No. 610.

http://www.djhengineering.co.uk/loco/faq.asp

I once put a DJH engine (German 4-4-0) together for a commission; they are roughly comparable to something Tichy might make if Tichy built locomotives.  A lot of parts, some quite small; I used ACC to hold the thing together, along with all the screws and the like.  The frame was a brass fabrication, held together with screws that ran into threaded tubes used for frame spacers.  Drivers were mounted on axles with screws; the axles had square ends to fit into square holes in the wheels, resulting in self-quartering wheels (like old Varney parts, I'm told).  Fit was overall excellent, particularly in the frame and running gear, although you do have some flash clean-up.

They no longer list these, but at one time this firm had a New York Central J-1 Hudson (No. 5200, no less, with its original 8-wheel tank), a USRA light 2-8-2, and a US Army "Pershing" (WWI-vintage) 2-8-0; Texas State Scenic runs one of these as its No. 300.

http://www.texasstaterr.com/

One potential problem could be price; over 300 British pounds, whatever that is in US dollars.

[Woody Elmore]

$300 pounds is in the neighborhood of $450.

[J3a-614]

A correction; the Pershing engine is still catalogued, under the French listing (the US Army Transportation Corps engine (USATC) is listed under "The Rest of The World"--interesting to see us from a different perspective!)

http://www.djhengineering.co.uk/loco/prodloco.asp?ProdID=3129

And it has those Baldwin domes. . .

http://www.texasstaterr.com/engine_info.php

[rogertra]

This 2-8-0 is what the Brits refer to as an "S160".

Hundreds of them were imported into the UK prior to D-Day and some were used by the UK railways (And generally disliked by the UK crews for various reasons) before all were shipped to Europe after D-Day.

I believe there's at least one and possibly two that have been returned to the UK and restored to working order for use on "Heritage" railways.

[ryeguyisme]

$300 pounds is in the neighborhood of $450.

no the US dollar is way less value than that, think more $600, either way, its highway robbery even just for a kit

[NWsteam]

no the US dollar is way less value than that, think more $600, either way, its highway robbery even just for a kit

This sentence makes no sense. If (according to you) the American dollar has less value how did you come up with the number 600? Check out this site and you will find 450 was very close...http://www.dollars2pounds.com/

[ryeguyisme]

hmm my bad, but when I go to UK auctions thats how I estimate costs

[NWsteam]

LOL, I feel sorry for you. You are estimating/paying way more than you need to be. The American dollar has lost value but not that much.

[ryeguyisme]

not that I really have it's ebay, so it automatically calculates the difference

[J3a-614]

Interesting comments.  I would have to agree, this firm has some beautiful models (and I should know, having assembled one), but they are rather rich.  I can't help but wonder if this could be something for Bachmann to make due to its wide use in England, Europe, China, and the USA, including what was  then the territory of Alaska, and at least two or three short lines.  A fellow modeling the WWII era (Eastern US) or the immediate postwar era (Western US, engines for delivery for China just before the revolution there) could even take the motors out of two or three and couple them into a freight as engines in tow to a port; change the lettering and load them on flat cars to simulate broad gauge engines going to Russia.

Three postwar variants (one rebuilt with poppet valves) ran on the military railroad at Fort Eustis, Va., into the 1960s.  I believe the poppet valve engine (which is still around, by the way) may have spent some time on the Maryland and Pennsylvania in some sort of demonstration service.  In short, these engines were extremely rare in the US, yet the places and times they ran are surprisingly diverse.

Fort Eustis, which connected with the Chesapeake & Ohio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Eustis_Military_Railroad

Check out the track plan--er, route map of the Fort Eustis:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FEMRR_Route_Map.jpg

Other comments on the GI 2-8-0, or more properly, the USATC S-160; about midway in this list of comments is some information on where these engines ran.  They got around!

http://www.worldrailfans.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5213

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USATC_S160_Class

An Alaska Railroad modeler working with the DJH kit.

http://www.alaskarails.org/creations/PD-551/

http://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former-loco/JK-551.html

http://www.alaskarails.org/creations/PD-562/index.html

http://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former-loco/JH-562-2.html

This same fellow put together one of Alaska's neat 4-8-2s, courtesy of a Bachmann base:

http://www.alaskarails.org/creations/PD-801/index.html

I have to admire this guy:

http://www.alaskarails.org/creations/PD-902/index.html

http://www.alaskarails.org/creations/PD-301/index.html

http://www.alaskarails.org/creations/PD-601/index.html

http://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former-loco/JK-601.html

http://www.alaskarails.org/creations/PD-751/index.html

http://www.alaskarails.org/ARR-creations.html

Engines with blue numbers in the first column have photos.

http://www.alaskarails.org/glance/complete-roster.html

Postwar Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum No. 610:

http://www.ticketbiscuit.com/TVRail/ImagePopUp.aspx?IT=STEAM&ACK=TVRail&FN=STEAM.jpg&IID=19367

http://www.ticketbiscuit.com/TVRail/ImagePopUp.aspx?IT=NORTH+POLE+LIMITED&ACK=TVRail&FN=NORTH_POLE_LIMITED.jpg&IID=7565

Great Smokey Mountain 1702:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=260613

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=130800&nseq=40

Shades of Buffalo Creek & Gauley No. 4:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=87270&nseq=52

The engines in Great Britain; this is the way the DJH kit comes out of the box:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cvr-extra.wanadoo.co.uk/s160.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cvr-extra.wanadoo.co.uk/5197.htm&h=341&w=527&sz=81&tbnid=JMS7cj_hHvC_pM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=132&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ds-160%2Bphoto&hl=en&usg=__yGMInmT8ZQzooW_apS-f1eVL68k=&ei=-U-MS9W5EcSXtge-9NGhBA&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&ved=0CAYQ9QEwAA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/martin65/4103152615/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewverdonsmith/4075906620/

A "stored, unserviceable" poppet valve No. 611:

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/6245/cat/529

Enjoy.

[ryeguyisme]

i think we stumbled on a really decent suggestion for a new model ayy guys?

[RAM]

I have a friend who fired the 610 when he was in the army in the mid 50s.

[Jim Banner]

J3a-614 and ryeguyisme

May I introduce you to XE.com.  Easy way to do an exact conversion.

http://www.xe.com/

Jim

[J3a-614]

Looking around for info on the postwar Chinese engines came up initially with this item on the other Pershing 2-8-0 in the US:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_No._101

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2-8-0_at_NRM,_Green_Bay,_20040426.jpg

One of the Chinese engines--note that she still carries a diamond Lima builder's plate!

http://www.railography.co.uk/photos/china_i/fushun_ocm/84-C-0225.htm

http://www.railography.co.uk/info/cn_steam/profiles/kd6.htm

A slightly later variant; note that the cylinder block is somewhat different.

http://www.railography.co.uk/info/cn_steam/profiles/kd7.htm

Some of these stayed in the US, too:

http://www.railography.co.uk/info/cn_steam/profiles/xk2.htm

http://www.project62.supanet.com/locolocation.htm

http://www.project62.supanet.com/USAlocohistory.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USATC_S100_Class

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/misc/images/showImage.php?image=ejl34.jpg

At the Old Dominion Chapter, NRHS, Richmond, Va.

http://www.odcnrhs.org/060rebel.htm

Enjoy.