P48 L.A.& S.L. Union Pacific 2-8-0 Custom Built

Ahhh flibety floo.  I do as I  please on my RR and if nobody likes it, they can ...

Well after all this is a family friendly web site!

Larry

Good on you!  Share some pics when you get a chance!

Indeed it is.

Sure will.  As this is my first, I've been learning all the beginner mistakes. 

I wonder if I count?  Before I knew about Q gauge, I machined some bolsters and wheels to 1 1/8" gauge.  That gave me proper width of sideframes and main rods for O Scale, and allowed me to retain the .172 wheelsets.  After a half century, I still do not have derailments.  I have four locomotives and maybe eight cars in this gauge, but now build to 17/64 scale and use the same track you do.

I have tried the finescale wheelsets.  Not for me - I cannot keep them on my track.

86TA355SR, Good for you, you are actually building something!  Mistakes are made by beginners and more experienced modelers as well.  Michelangelo said, "Genius is eternal patience".  Believe it and shoot high!  Any particular reason for using 86TA355SR?

Did the Tom Miller estate sell up in Oregon with all the trains, I saw the YT video on the real estate listing [truly amazing]obiviously money was no object in building this RR.

Harmon, the model building has been on hold.  Been busy with life.

I just saw your question, I was out of the country when you asked in August.

My forum name is from an old car I used to own- 86 Trans Am (86TA...), 355 Motor (86TA355...), Super Ram Intake System (86TA355SR).  After 20+ yrs, I sold it in 2013.  It did not survive a tornado soon after that. 

I kept the motor though     It's patiently awaiting on an engine stand.

 Originally Posted by Erik C Lindgren:

Funny, I was thinking of this thread while I was looking at a 'new to me' UP 2-8-0 lastnight.  I did save all of these pictures for reference when I detail mine.

It's already been said, but this is such a beautiful model. 

BTW, I'm really enjoying the UP passenger cars-thanks for your help. 

Just recently came across this thread regarding an fine example of P48 model building. Erik's excellent photos of the UP 2-8-0 without question represent an extremely skillful example of modeling a rather prototypical locomotive. The level of detailing and modeling skill shown are certainly equal to or maybe even better than comparable examples currently being done in Europe or the Orient. Fine scale modeling (P48) is definitely in a 'league-of-its-own' but far superior to other forms of modeling previously show on this or other on-line train forums. Can this form of modeling get expensive, absolutely, is it for everyone, no, but I think its ultimately well worth the investment!

I think the p48 is cool, but it is the overall effect of the layout, trackwork and scenery that excites me. I'de rather visit a railroad like Charbanough's or black diamond than a poorly turned out p48 effort.

Just saying the whole is more than the pieces.

My spuse, who is showing an inordinate interest in getting rid of all this stuff before I croak, is concerned that modified stuff may actually be worth less on the used market.  In my case, that is surely true - nobody else wants 1 1/8" gauge O Scale.  Very few are interested in 17/64.  Of course, I do not care - my hobby has nothing to do with resale, and I am planning to live another two decades.

It would be interesting to note whether P-48 brings enhanced value on the used market.

That clanging sound you all heard to the Northwest of you was my jaw hitting the floor after looking at the photos at the start of this thread...

Thanks for bringing this forward Erik.  I remember it now. Very remarkable locomotive. 

Butch

"It would be interesting to note whether P-48 brings enhanced value on the used market"

   When selling my O stuff it I found it takes longer to sell P48 cars but they did eventually bring enough to pay for the extra cost of the wheel sets :> I eventually decided to just keep the P48 wheels sets and put O wheels on most of the cars I was selling. I think the overall quality of the model is more important as wheels on freight cars and diesels can be swapped out relatively easily. For steam locos where drivers have to be dealt with their a bigger P 48 premium involved....DaveB

In the beginning, they told me a steam locomotive needed wider treads.  I am assuming that they have sufficiently good track that that is no longer true?

"In the beginning, they told me a steam locomotive needed wider treads.  I am assuming that they have sufficiently good track that that is no longer true?"

   Who is "they" and were they talking about real locos and track or model locos and track? ...DaveB

The latest Key AC-12 will come with .115 finescale wheels but gauged to Ow5 only.

The beginning?  Of time?

How many did they make and how much?

"The latest Key AC-12 will come with .115 finescale wheels but gauged to Ow5 only."

   That makes no sense at all. P48 wheels won't run thru O turnouts very well so  the loco will end up a shelf queen where it might as well be gauged to P48 gauge :> ......DaveB

I was referring to the Key model.  I agree with daveb, I don't get the .115 tread width.  Market for p48 model of that locomotive would be very small.  Like very small.

If you go to the the Key website there is a link to a U-tube video of the pilot model operating on Gary Schrader's layout. Gary is functioning as the chief QA expert on this model and has been responsible for dozens of modifications, improvements and additions to this model over the past year or so in his quest with Dave Davita to make this model the finest running and most accurate O scale locomotive to ever be produced (so far).

Gary specifically addresses the .115 tread and states it will not be a problem operating on factory OW5 track or any half way decent hand laid track and shows it operating on his layout running forward and backward through turnouts and crossovers.

With all this trouble to make this model the best of the best (so far) I can't believe they would import a shelf queen. Gary operates all his models on his well video'd layout and has quite a business making other importers models run like they should run and correcting detail issues. He would not tolerate a model that picked points, fell in between rails or road up and over rails.

But, they are due to arrive after the 1st of the year so I don't think we'll have long to wait to see and hear more about them.  

Hello Dave, good to see you posting again. 

butch

Nobody is beating up on Key.  Again please, how much?

If your asking you can't afford it.

Not sure what the price was as the loco is not currently listed on the Caboose Hobbies website.

ChipR

"The beginning?  Of time?"

   can we at least skip to beginning of railroads existence? ..DaveB

"With all this trouble to make this model the best of the best (so far) I can't believe they would import a shelf queen"

    Hi Butch, That's a nice explanation for their thought process although I just don't get the point of trying to make such a highly detailed model to run on in-accurate gauge. Seems like building a mansion on a dirt foundation. My experience tells me that O scalers would re-gauge their rails if manufacturers would start making RTR P48 stuff.....DaveB       ( stopped by to see if there was any S scale topics trending and the P48 header caught my eye)

Sorry, I guess that was a little more than thread drift.    

As I've said on several forums this 2-8-0 is a magnificent rebuild of a USH locomotive. Just like restoring or rebuilding a house. If the bones are good the skies the limit with what you can do. 

butch

My question was pretty much answered, but I was referring to the beginning of P-48, not the big bang.  Jim Harper and the guys at OSW were sort of in at the "beginning" and observed that they needed slightly wider treads on steam locomotives than .115.

I ran a caboose with .115 treads on my 1 1/8" gauge loop for a while.  It was not tolerant of my track, but my track is nothing to brag about.  I have found that about .150 tread is minimum for my track, which is mostly hand laid, with one loop of Atlas flex.  My switches are Old Pullman.

I had a USH UP 2-8-0 for a while.  They are a bit thin for my tastes, but that thin-ness means that soldering extra detail takes less heat.  I converted mine to SP, then traded it for a PSC SD-9.

Not super-detailed, but the right size for the track, and minimum sheet metal thickness .020.  If you think red oxide is not prototypical, I saw one in Mexicali painted thus.  It of course gets Scalecoat black some day.

In and out of gauge due to temperature and moisture changes.  Also, I am not going to live long enough to do four spikes per tie.  Your mileage may vary.  All else being equal, larger treads and flanges mean fewer derailments.  Ask the 3-rail scale guys why they don't go to .115 treads for 3-rail track.

Opinion - take it easy on me . . .

Wouldn't get any argument from me.  If it wasn't for the Protocraft flextrack and the prebuilt turnouts you wouldn't see me going there.  It's picky, no doubt about that.

Agreed - I would be there if I thought my skills were up to it.  Five foot gauge just bothers me - I think it originally was because I grew up in the cold war era, but even after realizing that there is great beauty in Russia and its language, I still do not like the idea of wide gauge.