Here's a Southern Ps4 that is more or less correct. How about making one of these Mr. Bachmann.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z15/Modlerbob/Ps4Final-3.jpg)
The main reason is that it is a one railroad only locomotive, though it is similar to the USRA heavy and the B&O P7 series.
Gene
The units with worthington feedwater heaters looked a little more common.
So the J wasn't a one railroad loco? The GS-4? Southern 1401 is in the SMITHSONIAN fer crying out loud. Amazes me no one since Rivarossi has done one in non-brass.
Not only is it in the Smithsonian, it pulled President Roosevelt's funeral train which is why it was saved. Maybe producing one would interest more modellers in the Southern Railway.
A little history. No. 1401 is wired for sound, so the museum visitors can hear what a steam loco sounded like. In order to provide as authentic an experience as possible, the Smithsonian arranged with the Southern to record the sounds of No. 4501 on some of the very first fan trips out of Washington in the mid-1960's. They supplied 4501 with 1401's whistle, which was a real plus.
Yeah, how many railroads used K4's........................................ 1
Even though I got lucky and obtained this brass beauty for less than $200 I would still buy a GOOD one in plastic from either Bmann Spectrum or P2K, maybe even BLI.
My thought is that the early Bachmann chose to model steam locomotives that still existed or were "famous." Hence the 611, the 4449, the NYC Niagra, etc. But they now produce locomotives that work on several railroads - some are a bit of a stretch, like the USRA light Mallet, which went to three or four railroads, only two of which are much modeled. And they did the USRA heavy Mountain and ignored FEC, which had 50.
I just don't think today they would model something that they could not letter legitimately for several roads.
That said, if there were a PS-4 available, the VT&P would buy it to keep it from becoming frying pans.
Gene
I wonder why then that they didn't do the one that sits in the Smithsonian? It seems that would give them a good market base. Maybe it's because they would have no excuse not to get it dead on right for a change.
Southern and Alton's Pacifics with their unique paint jobs were among the most attractive non-streamlined locomotives ever built.
One of those mints (I think Franklin) offered the 1401 for some time in the 90s. I believe it was a re-done Rivarossi, but had the usual plated look to it.
I am a major SRR fan and would love to see one. I am currently building a 1.6 scale 7.5 inch gauge Ps-4....
Here are a few links to some photos of a freinds.
http://www.sn3.org/csme/members/holbrook-1396.jpg
http://www.knoxmodelrailroaders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303
thought you might that interesting... The second link is my build log which is in need of a major update!!!
But yes I would love to see Sepctrum, BLI, PCM or P2K offer a nicely detailed Ps-4.... Preferably with the elsesco FWH and the 14k long tender. But it wouldn't be too hard to detail a USRA heavy to look almost exactly like the Ps-4.
- Andrew
You know, an Elesco would make a diesel look decent.....
Gene