I have seen opinions both denying and confirming that the Northern Pacific
ever had a Y-3 in its steam roster. Could one of you NP authorities confirm
one way or the other?
Thanks very much. Jim
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Yes and no, sort of. The NP's Z-4 class 2-8-8-2 Mallets were based on the USRA design, which was based on the N&W's Y-2. In fact, a designer from N&W was on the USRA design team. The post-WWI Y3 was a further improvement on the USRA/Y2 design.
This information comes from the Guide to North American Steam Locomotives, published by Trains magazine.
Originally Posted by Jim Rawlings:
I have seen opinions both denying and confirming that the Northern Pacific
ever had a Y-3 in its steam roster. Could one of you NP authorities confirm
one way or the other?
Thanks very much. Jim
Originally Posted by Jim Rawlings:
I have seen opinions both denying and confirming that the Northern Pacific
ever had a Y-3 in its steam roster. Could one of you NP authorities confirm
one way or the other?
Thanks very much. Jim
JIm:
Northern Pacific did not have Y-3 2-8-8-2s on their roster. They had the Z-2 class (road numbers 4000-4005), Z-3 class, (4005-4025), and Z-4 class (4500-450). The Z-4 was based on the USRA design, as SWH states above. I believe that MTH makes a USRA 2-8-8-2 in their RailKing line, no idea if it is scale or not.
I great reference book on the earlier NP power is "Northern Pacific Classic Steam Era" by Schrenk and Frey.
Regards,
GNNPNUT
The RK "Y-3" is not full 1:48 scale, but is a hefty, heavy and convincing locomotive
(I use them for project fodder), and, unless the NP fan is a stickler, or is a gotta-
be-full-O type, the RK loco - it has indeed come lettered for NP - is an appealing choice.
MTH has built a pile of these 2-8-8-2's - they're sort of a "gimmie" if one just wants
a smooth, moderate-priced articulated. I wish that MTH (or somebody) would offer
a RK 2-6-6-2 in a "generic" form. Great for bashing.
Lionel made a scale USRA 2-6-6-2, once with TMCC and once, recently, with Legacy. The TMCC versions can be had at reasonable cost on the secondary market - I picked one up in good working order, nothing wrong except a minor smoke unit problem, for under $500. More than an RK 2-8-8-2, but IMHO a much nicer engine. Great bashing material - mine is in the paint queue awaiting Rio Grande lettering. The Rio Grande didn't have the USRA 2-6-6-2, but it did buy a couple of the N&W engines that were the basis for the USRA design. A couple of dealers also blew out the Legacy version at 699 or 799, I forget which, but that was over my budget for impulse buying.
Originally Posted by D500:
The RK "Y-3" is not full 1:48 scale, but is a hefty, heavy and convincing locomotive
(I use them for project fodder), and, unless the NP fan is a stickler, or is a gotta-
be-full-O type, the RK loco - it has indeed come lettered for NP - is an appealing choice.
MTH has built a pile of these 2-8-8-2's - they're sort of a "gimmie" if one just wants
a smooth, moderate-priced articulated. I wish that MTH (or somebody) would offer
a RK 2-6-6-2 in a "generic" form. Great for bashing.
Jim
The NP's four Z-4 locomotives were built by Alco in Richmond, Va. As stated above they were based on the USRA 2-8-8-2 design which was itself based on the N&W's 2-8-8-2 design.
MTH could put out a pretty accurate O scale NP Z-4 model by taking their Premier Y-3 and changing the smoke box front and pilot and using a USRA type tender on 4 wheel trucks. You might suggest to those guys across the aisle that they look at doing that.
FYI The Z-4s spent virtually all of their working lives in helper service between Bozeman and Livingston.
