Attn. Lanny 2-8-0 to 2-8-2

[TonyD]

Not to make this thread go off on a tangent from our 18"radius..but...the HO version of the Reading hogs kitbashed? into 4-8-4's, is Loksound, BLI? Pre-someone? who makes them? Are they still in production? Are they any good? Do you need another tv remote control to run it on DC? Never saw one in person... what about you guys? As a kid (1973-74?) I saw one dressed up as a D&H racehorse, and it wouldn't take much to kitbash into a model of one.... tempting if it isn't a waste of $$$.$$

[r.cprmier]

Twas a Reading consol, the kind that was later "kitbashed" into a Northern ...

...Poor little engine...Sick little engine...

Rich

[jayl1]

Not to make this thread go off on a tangent from our 18"radius..but...the HO version of the Reading hogs kitbashed? into 4-8-4's, is Loksound, BLI? Pre-someone? who makes them? Are they still in production? Are they any good? Do you need another tv remote control to run it on DC? Never saw one in person... what about you guys? As a kid (1973-74?) I saw one dressed up as a D&H racehorse, and it wouldn't take much to kitbash into a model of one.... tempting if it isn't a waste of $$$.$$

Tony,
I have 4  Precision Craft Reading T-1s - the 4-8-4 that was "kitbashed" from the I1sa (2-8-0) engines in the Reading RR shops - Reading, PA.  One has sound & the others are silent.  They are nice runners but I run 22" radius - 18 may not be large enough.  They are still available on ebay - and check the Precision Craft/BLI website.  They were dumping some undecorated ones at $100 each a few days ago!
FYI There are 4 T-1s still around - including 2102 - the "D&H" engine.

The sound is OK - and you don't need anything to run on DC - I haven't gotten the DCC bug yet.
Hope this helps!
Jay

[TonyD]

Thank for the imput Jay! I am on my way to the Big E show in  a minute, if I find one there, I will take it home...but I would want sound, I would love to find an over the counter Quantum dealer there too.... oh, my curves are banked 26", but that doesn't mean everything handles them out of the box, thanks again-tony

[Paducah Style]

Roger,

Lanny, as I'm sure you've seen, has done a great job upgrading the OOB Connie to a specific IC loco (#908).  He's working on a #907 for me right now and his in-progress photos are great.  As for his 2-8-2, I expect the same sort of craftsmanship from him.

The problem, as Lanny has mentioned, is that the firebox on the extended Connie doesn't look right.  I suppose (key word here being "suppose") that the stock firebox sides could be cut away and replaced with ones salvaged from another project.  Whatever Lanny ends up turing out will be right better than most other options out there on the market now (including brass both for price and operation).  

As this link has already pointed out though, just how difficult would it be for Bachmann to build a new 2-8-2 from the excellent 2-8-0 foundation they have already produced?  One wouldn't think it could cost as much as erecting a brand new locomotive from the railhead up.  It probably goes without saying that the popularity of the 2-8-2 wheel arrangement coupled with a specimen different from all of those USRAs flooding the market (and the added bonus that the Harriman's were PLENTIFUL, historically speaking) should be a success.  

With all of the road specific and prototypically-rare steam locos out there being marketed (I assume) because there is money to be made on so doing, how is it that none of the manufacturers' marketing departments understand they have a potential boon just waiting to be faithfully and reliably represented?

By now I know I'm preaching to the choir, however, it would be nice to hear the Bach Man weigh in on this months-long recurring topic with a little insight into how the corporate guys see this.

Brad
Modeling the IC in 1950

[TonyD]

I think the Bach-man simply needs to send you guys a a few pics of the SY light mike, yeh, off a vendor's table for $20, go for it-but SY's would save alot of hacking and possibly ruining a $100 model. The IHC 2-8-0's NEED a trailing truck, boy, the work involved in putting one under a spectrum hog and having it come out right-it's like the bad ol' days, when all the 'craftsman kit' layouts had a scrapyard full of projects that didn't make it, a year's modeling budget on static display ... omph.