Really? At the time the Berk was first produced one could easily buy an 8000- series motor directly from Pittman in quantity for under $30. I was getting prices like that for quantities of 20. Difficult to see how they could save $100 by replacing a $30 motor with one for three bucks.
But that cannot be the reason for mounting the motor in the cylinder block and making a U-shaped boiler. That has to be chalked up to bone-headed design team efforts.
Speaking of Berkshires, I just this week married a Lobaugh Berkshire to a 3- rail Williams mechanism. The result is a very attractive locomotive. I shall try for decent photos this evening.
