Loco Selection Advice, Please...

[Brakeman Hal]

Hello,

I just finished laying 127 feet of O-Scale 2-Rail flex track for my short-line freight to run on, pulled by my Atlas GP-35 Diesel loco.

I want to get a light Steamer, such as a 2-6-2 Prairie or a 4-6-2 Pacific, but it must have a Western road name to run on my Southern California High Desert layout.

My curves are 40", 45", and 50" radius.

My consist is only 8 cars, with Santa Fe, UP, SP, and GN road names.

The locomotive that would work for me is an MTH 4-6-2 Pacific, but it has a New Jersey Central road name, which is wrong for a Western railroad.

The other choice is a Santa Fe loco, but it's an MTH 4-6-4 Hudson, which may be overkill for a short, light freight train.

I have no other choices, so I must decide between these 2, unless you know of other sources...there's not much out there for 2-rail, even on Ebay!

Thanks,
Brakeman Hal, age 82

 

[Iron Horseman]

I want to get a light Steamer, such as a 2-6-2 Prairie or a 4-6-2 Pacific, but it must have a Western road name to run on my Southern California High Desert layout.

The locomotive that would work for me is an MTH 4-6-2 Pacific, but it has a New Jersey Central road name, which is wrong for a Western railroad.
The other choice is a Santa Fe loco, but it's an MTH 4-6-4 Hudson, which may be overkill for a short, light freight train.

I agree a Hudson is a major locomotive designed for high speed passenger service. Especially Santa Fe's 3460 class. It is considered one of Santa Fe's "BIG THREE" type locomotives.

The Pacific is a much more generic type of locomotive. Designed originally for passenger, but definitely found its way into freight service. A paint scheme can be changed pretty easily. I would be more concerned that a NJC locomotive might have something very easternish like a Wooten fire box. What model number (vendor model number) are you looking at? MTH makes many western painted Pacifics including a Santa Fe - https://mthtrains.com/20-3395-1

 

[Brakeman Hal]

I agree a Hudson is a major locomotive designed for high speed passenger service. Especially Santa Fe's 3460 class. It is considered one of Santa Fe's "BIG THREE" type locomotives.

The Pacific is a much more generic type of locomotive. Designed originally for passenger, but definitely found its way into freight service. A paint scheme can be changed pretty easily. I would be more concerned that a NJC locomotive might have something very easternish like a Wooten fire box. What model number (vendor model number) are you looking at? MTH makes many western painted Pacifics including a Santa Fe - https://mthtrains.com/20-3395-1

Thanks for the reply, Iron Horseman!

The MTH model number of the NJC Pacific loco is:
MTH Premier 20-3462-2, CNJ P-47 Pacific 2-rail.

I recently spoke to a lady at MTH, who went through their entire inventory while I waited, and she found nothing in that loco with a Western road name in 2-Rail.

My only solution is to buy the New Jersey Central Pacific and have it painted in a Western road name, which might cost $100 or more from the professional painter at Whistle Stop Trains in Pasadena, CA.

Hal

 

[Iron Horseman]

I wonder if the -2 in their model numbers represent 2 rail locos.

The CNJ loco has an Elesco feedwater heater on the front of the boiler. I like the way they look, but I am trying to think of any western roads (other than Canadian Pacific) that used them.

But, if you are going to have to repaint anyway, maybe the price of this one won't go too high., but of course there we are right back to the very eastern looking Wootten fire box.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/WEAVER-REA...345857?hash=item1eeb382bc1:g:EgUAAOSw~LtbiHpD

I presume you are not comfortable painting one yourself. I have heard good things about the "Whistle Stop Trains" store.

And I have to stop looking up stuff! If I keep this up I'll end up getting back into O-scale. So much cool stuff out there, even if it isn't what you are looking for.

 

[Brakeman Hal]

At my age (82), and with Parkinson's shaking hands, I could never do any detailed painting.

I consider myself successful in spite of my "shakes" by laying all that track using almost 400 of those small 1/2" #18 nails!

Hal

 

[Iron Horseman]

The locomotive that would work for me is an MTH 4-6-2 Pacific, but it has a New Jersey Central road name, which is wrong for a Western railroad.

Did you check if the two rail versions of the train run on DC power? I would be concerned they still might run on AC like their 3-rail cousins.

 

[NP2626]

Brakeman Hal, I am impressed and not attempting to be a smart alec when I say, good for you! I'm 68 and have considered building a new layout; but, worry that it would never get to even the operational stage due to me age. It does my heart good to see an 82 year old just starting out! kepp on keeping on, Hal!!