railroad@ucbvax.ARPA (03/08/85)
From: Rene Bach <BACH@SU-SCORE.ARPA> Could you please get in touch with me ? I've tried to send you messages, but none of the addresses I've tried did work. N-scalers : What is the availability of brass steam engines for Southern Pacific. I've got the P5 from Key. I've also seen the Cab forward but last time I've checked, only the non painted version was available. Any other good engines to recommend ? I am also interested in Diesel brass and engines in general, but Southern Pacific. Rene -------
railroad@ucbvax.ARPA (03/11/85)
From: hkywong@ucbcory (Harry Kim Yee Wong)
Hi there!!
Gee, As for your query on SP N scale steam and diesel, I can think up
a couple of things that one can do:
BUY--- Several months ago, I think Key turned out an SD40T-2 (shortnose) version detailed for Southern Pacific. It came in both painted and unpainted
versions. As I recall, the detail on it was really nice, with SP necessities
like rooftop mounted air conditioners, and snowplows and mars lights on both
ends. You could even see through the dynamic brake fans and the "lion cage"
air intake grids, much as one would on a well-detailed HO scale brass model.
The only thing I didn't like was the pilots (including the steps and plows),
that swang with the couplers. I guess this was a (needless) design compromise
so that the loco could negotiate sharp-radius curves. If you ever need any
free to ask me, as I have been a longtime SP fan, (living only 3 blocks from
the SP mainline through Berkeley!)
Other SP models that come to mind include:
(1) An SD45 painted up, but not detailed for SP (Key, I think..)
(2) I saw a painted version of the cab forward that you mentioned in
a Hobby shop (The Original Whistle Stop) last time I was in Los Angeles.
(3) Several months ago, I heard someone was going to turn out a complete
SP daylight train in N scale brass, complete with GS-4.
A nice locomotive to recommend in general would be the "new" E8's
rereleased by Con-Cor, but with new drives by Kato. Apparently, one can
only buy these locomotives in pairs for the combined price of sixty bucks..
Oh well... so much for kitbashing a bunch of matching B-units.. :-)
More news as it develops!
--Harry
hkywong@ucbcory