Williams Brass USRA 4-6-2?

Has anyone compared the newest Bachmann 4-6-2 to this brass model?  I saw a video of one and the new one didn't look all that "semi-scale" to me.

If anyone has the new Pacific, do you have a photo of it with the diecast boiler off?  What kind of motor/drive does it have?

Bob, the boiler casting on the new Bachman engine is from the K-Line semi scale line. I have a K-Line semi scale Mikado which used the same boiler both the model and prototype. It is about 10% smaller than scale and obvious when placed next to a full scale engine. Can't help on the motor placement but the K-Line had the motor ahead of the gearbox. Maybe Bachmann changed that???

Pete

Thanks Pete!  I was thinking of getting one and making a streamlined boiler and tender for this:

Seaboard also had some Pacifics that were smaller than the USRA so maybe this "semi-scale" engine may be what I need.  This streamlined Pacific was from their P-class of engines.

"I plan on installing PS2, but again, I'll have to play around with the tach tape as the flywheel is .856" diameter, the gear ratio is 21:1."

PS2?  I thought you were a battery guy now...

Looking at the drawing for the streamlined engines brought up a question, did they simply put the streamlined sheeting over the original boiler (designates it as E class, but all books say P class):

Bob posted:

"I plan on installing PS2, but again, I'll have to play around with the tach tape as the flywheel is .856" diameter, the gear ratio is 21:1."

PS2?  I thought you were a battery guy now...

LOL!  Just dredging up an old topic Bob, nothing to worry about.  If done, this will be battery powered as well.

Here's a shot of my Williams brass ACL 4-6-2:

It's starting to become my favorite engine, smooth and fast runner under battery.

There is no reason a tach tape and sound are incompatible with battery power.  The trick would be to get the bell and whistle commands in the RC link.

There are some Williams models that are quite good for scale - I have multiple copies of the PRR B6sb, and a N&W "J", and I am quite pleased with them.  However, some of their models seem undersize - the Challenger and Cab Forward seem that way to me, but I am mostly in 17/64 scale, and my locomotives make anything look undersize.

Bob, I think you're right, I just haven't sat down to "cipher it out yet".

Don Jones had a WbB 4-6-2 on the For Sale Sub-Forum and I bought it, hopefully I can turn it into one of those streamlined Pacifics (I may need some help with all that brass sheet it'll need)!

PS-2 3V and PS-3 are operated with batteries all the time in #1 scale.  In fact they drag around their own TIU in a trailing car so they can run on DCS too.  No track power at all.  Always signal strength 10.  G

Bob Delbridge posted:

Looking at the drawing for the streamlined engines brought up a question, did they simply put the streamlined sheeting over the original boiler (designates it as E class, but all books say P class):

Bob: Yes, they streamlined 1617 and 1620 over the original boilers and tenders for the "Minnesota 400" streamlined trains in about 1942--same class that pulled commuter trains until 1956.  The "P" class does not sound familiar as a C&NW locomotive class of any kind.  Some referred to these as "ES" I believe, but it's a bit confused even there since "S" was added for stoker locomotives in other classes like Mikes.  The "P" makes me wonder if someone is thinking of the B&O President class Pacifics, which were the prototype for the original Williams brass Pacific from the 1980s, I believe. The illustration and data you have looks like a copy from C&NW Steam Power by C.T. Knudsen, 1965, long out of print (but in my RR library).

Seaboards E-class engines were spread out over 4-4-0, 4-6-0, and 2-6-0 locos.  I'm beginning to think that drawing is not of a SAL engine.  But between it and the photos I have of the real ones I think I can make a go of it.

For SAL engines, the "S" usually designated "Super-Heated". Could be different RRs used letter designations to mean different things?

Yes, particularly "S" was used for different purposes, for "stoker-equipped" and it seems for "streamlined" in the case of C&NW's two Minnesota 400 Pacifics.  By the way, the numbers 617 and 620 at top of drawing confirm that the drawing is of the C&NW engines.  When geeps began to be numbered in the same series, the first "1" was dropped and removed from the Pacifics whose numbers were taken, including 1617 and 1620.  (Low numbered older locos in the 600s had been retired by then.) That makes them unique when shown together as in this drawing.  For the other Pacifics so changed, it's easy to see where the "1" once was, because they were not renumbered; the 1 was removed and the other digits left intact leaving an offset noticeable on cab numbers especially. Weaver did these, and used the C&NW nickname for them "yellowjackets", in both 2 rail and 3 rail, with the early 4-digit numbers.  I have 1620 in 3 rail to pull my Minnesota/Dakota 400.  Weaver sold the last of them some 10 years ago, I think.  Likely they are to be found on eBay and elsewhere as an alternative to doing your own streamlining if the exact prototype is not critical.

Side note: I missed the P class info in above post re: Seaboard source for that class.  

Re: prototype for early Williams brass Pacifics: Here is a Museum of the Rockies photo of a B&O President engine.  It's hard to tell how much is USRA heavy, how much B&O President (a common prototype for very early HO scale Pacifics, and maybe still "in use" for generic heavy Pacific models?)  The Williams Pacific tender looks like the same one used with their earlier Mikado, a photo of which (from a Mikado listing) is below as well. No new tooling or assembly process there?

B&O President class ^                               Williams Mikado tender ^

Don

Thanks Don, I'll fix my photo library to reflect these drawings are of were CNW engines, I'm not sure where I even got that drawing.

Here is my Williams Brass C&NW USRA Pacific 4-6-2

Just bought this on eBay. I’ve always liked brass locos and I did intend that my adventure in O Gauge would include one. I’m open to anything that anyone can tell me about it. 

On first inspection, it runs nicely on the rolling road. I haven’t tried it on my O27 test loop, for obvious reasons. 

So, a couple of quick questions- 

1) what would the minimum radius be?

2) would Lionel Fast Track be suitable? I have a loop including 36” and 72” curves which I didn’t make any use of yet

Those Williams brass Pacifics were made to run on O31 curves so anything larger than that will also be fine.

Here's one I painted/lettered for the Mobile & Ohio. They are good, basic scale models of a USRA Heavy Pacific.

The M&O actually had USRA Light Pacifics, but this project was done years ago and a good 3RO USRA Light was not available. This one has TMCC/sound.

I just picked up a Williams B&M Pacific; I've never seen a Williams B&M steamer, so I grabbed it and am happy I did. Just when I think I'm done adding modern locos, something like this turns up. I now own 6 Williams steamers, 3 of which are now equipped with DCS and fan-driven smoke units (thanks Gunrunner). For the money, they're hard to beat, especially if you like your steamers with a nice shiny finish. 

John