Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class?

rray
Fireman

Retired and model railroading till the last train out!

Posts: 87

Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 4, 2022 18:07:02 GMT -5 tjdreams, texrail, and 5 more like this

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Post by rray on Jan 4, 2022 18:07:02 GMT -5

It's something missing in Z, with the exception of a handful of brass SP a long time ago. The Pacific and Mikado's were small train engines like the GP and F series were to diesels, but we have lots and lots of big modern diesels now.

It would be wonderful to have a large "Supersteam Era" steamer, and the 4-8-4 would fit the bill for a steam era big train to run at shows. Can you imagine a plastic steamer that you could double head to pull 100 war era freight cars? Lots of railroads had them.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe

Atlantic Coast Line

CNR: Canadian National / Grand Trunk Western

Central of Georgia

Chesapeake & Ohio

Chicago & North Western

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific

Delaware & Hudson

Delaware, Lackawanna &Western

Denver & Rio Grande Western

Great Northern

Lehigh Valley

Milwaukee Road

Minneapolis, St Paul & Sault Ste Marie

Missouri Pacific

Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis

New York Central

Norfolk & Western

Northern Pacific

Philadelphia & Reading

Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac

Southern Pacific

Spokane, Portland & Seattle

St Louis Southwestern

St Louis-San Francisco

Toledo, Peoria, & Western

Union Pacific

Wabash

Western Maryland

Western Pacific

I know it would be impossible to represent all the different railroads exactly, but many of the roads could be represented with a basic Timkin 1111 protorype locomotive and correct stacks, domes, shrouds, smoke deflectors and drivers applied. It would be awesome to run a Northern class as a runner locomotive in Z Scale. The tenders would all be much different, but it would sure be nice to have a big steamer. What do you think?

If you see it, get it, for tomorrow it will be gone!

Commodore Tycoon Former owner of the ATSF Super Chief observation car "Vista Canyon" Posts: 1,156	Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 4, 2022 18:37:27 GMT -5 texrail, smr, and 1 more like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Commodore on Jan 4, 2022 18:37:27 GMT -5 Yes, exactly!

rvn2001 Engineer Posts: 249	Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 4, 2022 20:48:48 GMT -5 smr likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by rvn2001 on Jan 4, 2022 20:48:48 GMT -5 I think that's an excellent idea!
	Thom Welsch C&FW R.R.

Hans Riddervold (AZL)
Administrator

Posts: 862

Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 5, 2022 2:42:34 GMT -5 texrail, smr, and 2 more like this

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Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Jan 5, 2022 2:42:34 GMT -5

We have looked at doing just this numerous times. One problem we have had are the various size of drivers and distance between drivers. A lot of Northerns came in various sizes. We probably would have to tool up 5-6 tenders as well. Really wish there was one size fits all!

cwrr Tycoon Building the Milwaukee Road in Western Washington! Posts: 1,667	Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 5, 2022 10:37:45 GMT -5 Commodore likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by cwrr on Jan 5, 2022 10:37:45 GMT -5 I for one, would take something close to a Milwaukee Road S-class 4-8-4, can always add on road specific details. NP Northern would be nice as well.

markm
Tycoon

Posts: 2,280

Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 5, 2022 11:57:34 GMT -5 texrail and cwrr like this

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Post by markm on Jan 5, 2022 11:57:34 GMT -5

As Hans has suggested, the problem with steam is little standardization, with each railroad doing its thing. The closest thing to a “standard” were the USRA designs like the Mikado. If one is looking for era specific power, I’d suggest the 2-10-0 Decapod. Prototypically would pull a 50 car trains. A lot were built but not many variations. Used by railroads such as NP, ATSF & PRR. And it could open a whole new modeling theme: 20th Century Czarist Railroads.”

Last Edit: Jan 5, 2022 12:00:09 GMT -5 by markm

Smolderz Fireman Posts: 52	Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 5, 2022 13:21:37 GMT -5 Commodore and cwrr like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Smolderz on Jan 5, 2022 13:21:37 GMT -5 Hans, what about "popular" 4-8-4's like the GS-4 Daylight?

rray
Fireman

Retired and model railroading till the last train out!

Posts: 87

Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 6, 2022 21:32:46 GMT -5 smr, Commodore, and 1 more like this

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Post by rray on Jan 6, 2022 21:32:46 GMT -5

I would be overjoyed to have a plastic SP Northern, which is as far as possible from the Northern Pacific 4-8-4's as possible, just to have the correct number of drivers to start with to kitbash an NP Northern. I was going to do it when the brass SP's came out, but they sold out so fast that I didn't get one. If I could just buy a 4-8-4 steam driver mechanism, I could get all the rest done quickly.

If you see it, get it, for tomorrow it will be gone!

sps750
New Member

Posts: 8

Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class? Jan 23, 2022 22:02:38 GMT -5 via mobile Commodore, cwrr, and 1 more like this

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Post by sps750 on Jan 23, 2022 22:02:38 GMT -5

I can't believe we don't have more in N, I'd love to have SP&S #700 and her sisters. The NP Northerns were the basis for the SP&S locomotives sans the coal as the SP&S had oil burning steam engines.

Why not make a plastic 4-8-4 Northern class?

Post by rray on Jan 4, 2022 18:07:02 GMT -5

Post by Commodore on Jan 4, 2022 18:37:27 GMT -5

Post by rvn2001 on Jan 4, 2022 20:48:48 GMT -5

Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Jan 5, 2022 2:42:34 GMT -5

Post by cwrr on Jan 5, 2022 10:37:45 GMT -5

Post by markm on Jan 5, 2022 11:57:34 GMT -5

Post by Smolderz on Jan 5, 2022 13:21:37 GMT -5

Post by rray on Jan 6, 2022 21:32:46 GMT -5

Post by sps750 on Jan 23, 2022 22:02:38 GMT -5