Bill: Good post... Most of the prototype railroads did try to out stupid each other at one time or another. Seems to follow that we do the same on occasion...!
One minor correction, the PRR borrowed AT&SF 2-10-4's for use on the "Atchison, Topeka & Ohio". These were 5000-series locomotives as opposed to AM's 2900-series 4-8-4. They were used to haul heavy coal and ore trains on the Sandusky line - not something suited to a 4-8- 4. My understanding from different research is the PRR crews liked them, referring to them as "the western engines", but they were much different from the PRR 'J's. They had more trouble starting the heavy trains but once rolling had more horsepower than a J1 to move the train faster. The Pennsy classed then as J1(o.f.) for 'oil fired'. Would have been a neat S scale locomotive, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that anymore... Jim K. --- In [email protected], "Bill Lane" <b...@...> wrote: > > Hi All, > > Ed has Co-opted my "Mighty" phrase for his NYC affliction. I guess that > could be a slight form of flattery! Here in the company of friends we all > have our own flavor of what road we follow for whatever reason. For most I > would suspect it is because it was the road that they were closest to when > growing up, or became interested in trains. > > I will openly admit that the PRR was frugal at times and very conservative > as well. Many of the key locomotive classes were 20+ years old at a time > when other roads were still researching and experimenting with new steam > locomotives of their own. The PRR was forced to put stokers on their > locomotives. It was cheaper and easier to put another fireman in the cab. If > he died or quit, get another one. A stoker was a capitol expense that could > break down or need maintenance. > > The PRR was constantly improving their locomotives with shopping and newer > appliances, but mostly they were still the same old 20+ year old locomotives > by the 40s & 50s. (That was my first awakening at age 16 looking though > Pennsy Power - realizing that the main PRR classes originated in the 20s and > 30s) The PRR T1 was probably the largest group of steam locos that PRR > built later in an attempt to refine and modernize their steam power. Their > success has been highly disputed on both sides. They were dropped from the > rosters rather early in comparison to the age of other classes. I have heard > that they sat dead for a few years until the trusts were paid for as they > could not scrap them before that. > > I am not overly familiar with what other roads did at that time, (later 40s > to early 50s) but I know N&W refused to give up the steam fight until very > late. Most of us know of the circumstances that came to be to produce the > PRR J1. I have wondered if the war restrictions were not in place if the J1 > is what would have gotten built instead of the PRR's steadfast self reliance > mentality. If I could wave a magic wand and see ANY PRR steam locomotive > alive and well in 2008, the J1 would not even be in my top 5. The #1 would > probably be the I1 followed by the M1 or K4. > > The Santa Fe locomotives (The 2900s?) that were leased on the PRR are > coincidentally the loco that American Models made. They WERE supposedly > liked by the PRR crews because they were significantly more modern then many > other PRR classes. There was quite the article on them in the PRR T &HS > Keystone a while back. > > So, MIGHTY is what we all think it is and get to shoot friendly occasional > jabs at each other.... > > Finally, the original premise I posted a few days back WAS - S Scale > locomotives made in BRASS by mainstream builders for specific road (IE, you > could not correctly paint a K4 for Santa Fe) The USRA locos had multiples > correct roads with some detail changes so they DON'T count in my premise. > Now that I have clarified things a bit, I still stand that the PRR has had > more items specifically built in S brass then ANY other road. NYC, C&O, and > SP would be somewhere behind but in what order I don't know. (Think of ALL > the diesels with antennas installed by the builders before you say I am > wrong) > > Let the replies fly! And enough of ENOUGH MR Lane! Change the subject line! > > > Thank You, > Bill Lane > > Modeling the Mighty Pennsy & PRSL in 1957 in S Scale since 1988 > > See my finished models at: > http://www.lanestrains.com > Winner of the 2007 Josh Seltzer NASG Website Award > Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! > > Custom Train Parts Design > http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm > > PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded > (Trading is MUCH preferred) > http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls > > ***Join the PRR T&HS*** > The other members are not ALL like me! > http://www.prrths.com > http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf > > Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society > It's FREE to join! http://www.prslhs.com > Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! 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