Oh, the sadness and disappointment....

[MichiganMan]

...I've been daydreaming, err, I mean meticulously planning my first layout. Growing up in Michigan, Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum were regular stops on the annual school field trip itnerary. In fact, I worked at both the Museum and the Village for a number of years through high school - drove the Model T's around the Village (nothing but "period" vehicles and bicycles allowed inside during business hours).

So, when someone says "locomotive" it always brings 1601 to mind. Quite obviously the greatest locomotive ever built, the 2-6-6-6 Allegheny is the 600 ton centerpiece of the transportation collection at the Museum - in fact, they had to partially dismantle the wall of the building to get it inside.

Needless to say, I *must* have one of these for my layout.

Unfortunately, it looks like there was only one HO scale model produced, a *shudder* plastic Rivarossi from the early 2000's and now out of production.

I am sad.

(side note - are most? all? some? HO locomotive built with plastic as opposed to metal shells? I know that O scale tends to be metal for the steamers, plastic for the diesels - I assumed the same was true for HO)

 

[IronBeltKen]

Here's a few eBay listings, including one in brass (but it's not C&O). There's a buy-it-now Rivarossi C&O listed near the bottom of the page, but it's a seller in the UK

 

[bnsf971]

Die cast metal is not so easy or cheap to work with, as far as creating well-detailed models. Die cast was a way to allow Lionel to have steam engines that would pull well without traction tires, and more of them than you realize are plastic.
If you want die cast HO, you can get Mantua or Bowser steam, or Carey diesel shells. Plastic models tend to be much better detailed than die cast. So, unless you want brass (extremely expensive), plastic is current state-of-the-art.
I used to own a Rivarossi 1600, and it regularly pulled 75 car coal trains by itself on a museum layout I was custodian of. Here's a link to an Ebay auction of an identical unit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/R5454-Rivarossi...wItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item45eef4289f

Just be aware Rivarrossi is no longer in business, so even new-in-box equals "as-is".

 

[GN.2-6-8-0]

The Rivarossi Allegheny's are a well detailed and fine running locomotive,from what I've read and seen on the one running on our club layout If theres a weak spot it would be in the sound equipted units (very tinny sounding.
If you wish for sound better to purchase the DCC ready model and add a Tsunami heavy steam sound decoder with hi-base speakers.

 

[MichiganMan]

Learn something new every day - I associated "plastic" with "cheap" sounds like that is not necessarily the case especially in HO.

Kind of surprised no one rose to the challenge of "greatest locomotive..." You guys are no fun

 

[PNKFLOYD]

Learn something new every day - I associated "plastic" with "cheap" sounds like that is not necessarily the case especially in HO.

Kind of surprised no one rose to the challenge of "greatest locomotive..." You guys are no fun

MichiganMan- Our society uses the description, "greatest" for everything from toliet paper to presidential candidates. It is a personal opinion is which you are entitled to be wrong.
There are plenty of people here and on other forums that will argue that the UP CHALLENGERS or N&W "J-class" engines are the greatest or some other personal favorite engine.
We are so used to these claims being different than our own opinions (and thus incorrect) that we automatically reject them as not being worthy of arguement.
In order to create more controversity with your opinions, you need to defend them with a few facts and some doubtful claims of superiority.
Politicians not in jail have mastered this technique.

Having fun yet?

 

[Alcomotive]

well said Mikey! LOL

 

[Selector]

To the gentleman who started this thread, I would urge you to set aside your apparent disdain for the Rivarossi H-8. I have one, and would rank it right up there with the P2K Heritage series of engines in terms of detailing and overall appeal. This engine was released new in 2007, and it was then re-released with a LokSound decoder.

As stated above, the sound files that Hornby selected were almost entirely wrong for this engine. Huge screwup. But it is a powerful and attractive beast, much larger than a PCM Y6b or a Challenger. It is a brute...what can I say?

I hated the teensy-weensy teapot soundfiles that Dufus selected over at Hornby, so I had my decoder friend rip out the LokSound (I didn't want to purchase their programmer), and he installed a heavy Tsunami from Soundtraxx. Now, finally, this engine doesn't elicit giggles from guests. It has the correct hooter and deep throaty chuff, and it is a mighty hauler.

Once again, with its dual traction axles and good looks, plus either a soundfile fix or a decoder replacement, this engine is a gotta-have for C&O fans who don't want the costs and complications of brass.

 

[bnsf971]

Kind of surprised no one rose to the challenge of "greatest locomotive..." You guys are no fun

If by "greatest", you meant "greatest weight", the Allegheny would win, hands-down... Even the models are not exactly feathers. I'm sure you know about the lawsuits over the stated versus actual weights of the prototype locomotives...

There, hows that for rising to the challenge?...

 

[MichiganMan]

Selector, that is simply awesome. You stated that it was re-released in 2007, is it available now? I tried some searching, but didn't find anything that mentioned anything other than the original Rivarossi release that is now "out of production" - could be that my google-fu is weak.

And I have to say I'm just partial to the big Allegheny since I grew up with it, but any large steam locomotive > diesel 6 days a week and twice on Sundays.

- Mike

 

[NH Mike]

Mike,

I've been to the Henry Ford museum and Greenfield several times over the years. You're right, that Alleghany is one impressive piece when you see it and I can understand your wanting a model. You had mentioned you have lots of room for a layout. That will be good because just yesterday I saw a model kit of Edison's workshop in the new Walther HO catalog. From memory it appears exactly like the one in Greenfield Village. The engine and the building could be a great start to modelling the entire complex, something that will fill all that empty space in your basement and empty all the full in your bank account. Any small remaining open space might be enough for a small switching layout.

Just kidding of course.

 

[MichiganMan]

lol - the train section of the Village has received a lot of love since I worked there. Back in the day it was just the static locomotives (including 1601) in the Museum, and the Edison running around the track in the Village proper. The restoration or refit (can't remember now) of the Torch Lake was in process while I was there. And they had some old hulks and pieces off on sidings everywhere.

Now they've got a working roundhouse (manual!) and a bunch of interesting engines in various stages of restoration. Even had a full-size Thomas the Tank Engine visit a couple years back

Here's a blurb I found about the Edison and the Torch Lake

Henry Ford wanted an American-style William Mason locomotive from the post-Civil War period for his museum. Mason’s engines were famous for their superior performance and technical design, but no original examples could be found. In 1932, Henry Ford created this replica using parts from a number of different locomotives. He named it after his friend Thomas Edison. The Edison was assembled at Rouge Locomotive Shop in Detroit Michigan.

The Torch Lake is the oldest steam locomotive operating on a daily basis in the United States. Built in 1873, the Torch Lake hauled carloads of copper to the smelter, Calumet and Hecla Mining Company, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsular before coming to Greenfield Village in 1969.

Maker: Mason Locomotive Works, Taunton, Massachusetts
Weight: 35 tons
Wheel arrangement: 0-6-4T(Tank locomotive with no pilot front wheels, 6 driving wheels and 4 wheel tender trunk)
Top Speed: 40 m.p.h.

 

[Western Star]

the 2-6-6-6 Allegheny is the 600 ton centerpiece of the transportation collection at the Museum ...
Needless to say, I *must* have one of these for my layout. ...
Unfortunately, it looks like there was only one HO scale model produced, a *shudder* plastic Rivarossi from the early 2000's and now out of production.

Not so unfortunate. I would not let that stop you. The Allegheny was possibly the finest locomotive that Rivarossi ever produced. I really wanted one back then, just couldn't justify the addition of an Eastern road name to my already way over bloated roster. I think it would be well worth your time to hunt one up in the 2nd hand markets like ebay.

 

[jbaakko]

Woha. The Torch Lake is still operating?

 

[MichiganMan]

Woha. The Torch Lake is still operating?

I believe so. They also have a 6 stall roundhouse that dates from 1884 on the Detroit Toledo & Milwaukee line, originally built in Marshall, Michigan, coupled with a manual turntable - I've spun a diesel switching locomotive myself

Here's a blurb I found from someone that visited the Village - some neat pics.

http://www.trainweb.org/chris/ford2.html

A few of the highlights of the museum are the Menlo Park laboratory where Thomas Edison invented that odd little widget with the conducting wire in a glass enclosure, and the bicycle shop where Orville and Wilbur built the Wright Flyer.

Lots of really neat stuff even beyond 1601 and the 100+ year old (operating!) locomotives...

 

[Cjcrescent]

...Needless to say, I *must* have one of these for my layout.

Unfortunately, it looks like there was only one HO scale model produced, a *shudder* plastic Rivarossi from the early 2000's and now out of production.

I am sad.

There have been several versions of the Allegheny produced in brass. You could check Caboose Hobbies, or several used brass dealers. I see them on E-bay several times a year. If you don't want the latest and greatest version, that could cost over a grand, the Akane version is reasonably priced. Here is a picture of mine.

 

[Western Star]

Here is a picture of mine.

Hmmm It looks like it is going down hill. Is the model really like that or is it just a funny camera angle?

 

[Cjcrescent]

Hmmm It looks like it is going down hill. Is the model really like that or is it just a funny camera angle?

Camera angle.

 

[bnsf971]

If you're a closet masochist, you can try to find an Arbour Models Allegheny kit. I put one of them together about 20 years ago, and still have nightmares about it. I think I ended up sitting in a corner drooling for a while when I finally got done with it. It was beautiful when I got it finished, though.

 

[Cjcrescent]

If you're a closet masochist, you can try to find an Arbour Models Allegheny kit. I put one of them together about 20 years ago, and still have nightmares about it. I think I ended up sitting in a corner drooling for a while when I finally got done with it. It was beautiful when I got it finished, though.

It was a very good looking model. Mine however, after running down the track for about 12', started shedding parts worse than a Rambler going down the freeway. I took it home and took it apart. Over the years, all the castings dissolved into a white dust. The wheel rims even split from the deterioation. The only thing left off of mine are the boiler top air tanks.