Small variety of B&O steam engines are available to collect

Yes, the "Big Six" was tragically under-produced.  I think 3rd Rail also made the T-4 which the B&O purchased secondhand from a New England road.

In 3-rail O gauge as in real life, the B&O is an underdog to Pennsy, New York Central, UP, and Santa Fe :-(

I feel your pain, as I have the same problem. There's a Lionel Mallet, but I don't know of anything else besides what you mentioned.

Actually 3rd Rail made the T3 Mountain 4-8-2, delivered in 2012.  It was offered in both rectangular and vanderbilt tenders.  Weaver and 3rd Rail also made the P-7d streamlined Pacific, 4-6-2, which graced the point of the Cincinnatian.  I believe 3rd rail also did a B&O 0-8-0 switcher.  Also, 3rd Rail did the EM-1 in 'early' and 'late' schemes, same run.

Then, Right-Of-Way (ROW) made the KK2 Mallet 2-6-6-2 many, many years ago.  They pop up now and then on the secondary market...one currently available, I believe, from a Forum sponsor.  Being a very early vintage O3R brass product, it lacks a lot of the detail/finesse and running quality of the latest O3R products by 3rd Rail, for example.  Also the ROW KK2 was a conventional runner.

Bemoaning the lack of motive power variety of one's favorite flag of yore in this O3R realm is, well, part of the commiseration of the congregation.  Adding the O2R crowd to the weeping and wailing (3rd Rail's mix) helps the potential, but it's getting to be a tougher and tougher pursuit.

Aside from the steam stable, it was only recently that we were able to get the iconic EA diesel accurately done in O3R...along with the Santa Fe E1...thank you, Scott Mann!  It's all about the numbers...minimum quantity a builder will agree to make at a cost that sets a price the consumer will be willing to pay.  Tough game getting tougher, I'm afraid.  And the probability of repeat runs of B&O accurately executed steam in O scale is becoming asymptotic to zero, I'm afraid.

After all, the devotees of the old flags are getting smaller in numbers.  I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you asked one of the newest, youngest members of the hobby what "B&O" stands for you might get a response 'Why it's a brand (Beano) of anti-gas pill...which Grandpa takes regularly to keep Grandma happy!!!"

And so it goes.  We're thankful for what we have, are we not?

KD

3rd Rail also did the B&O E-24 2-8-0 (the one based on the PRR H6sb).

Did any manufacturer ever offer the B&O 4-4-4-4 Duplex (#5600) in 3-rail or 2-rail O-scale?

Lionel produced a scale B&O Atlantic ( although with a Bel pair ( sp ? boiler ) with TMCC back around 2000 or perhaps before.  I have one, however, it's not for sale.   It has a great whistle and bell sound IMHO!  I'm not sure how true to the prototype B&O Atlantic this Lionel model is but this model that I mention  works for me.  

From what I've observed of your layout ( which is great btw! ) you probably are not interested in going the Williams route?  If so I believe Williams ( not Williams by Bachman ) made a scale B&O Mikado ( Crown Edition ) which could be upgraded to MTH PS3 or  a Lionel operating system.  .... just a thought.

I also model B&O Cumberland Division East End. I have Williams USRA 2-8-2 and 4-6-2 and B&O owned both. Unfortunately, these were used west of the Ohio River rather than the portion you and I model (other than an occasional trip to Mt. Clare for maintenance). I think the USRA 2-8-2 could be rebuilt into a decent Q4-b and the USRA 4-6-2 into a good P1-d, but I haven't done so yet. Both would be distinctively B&O and both worked the Cumberland division. Elsewhere on this forum today is a post of an early Weaver 4-6-2 that looks to be a P-7 subclass, which also operated on Cumberland division at times. Comments include poor runner, no reverse, little detail, and poor tender trucks, so that would be a project, too. To me, these would be the most important classes to own and operate.

EM-1 and Big Six were also important classes on the division, but if I owned them, I would have to limit them to the outer loop unless surgery was performed to make blind drivers predominate, so these are low priority for me. IIRC, Big Six dominated for many years until being replaced by EM-1 at the end. Presumably we can stretch a point and run both (although you'll have to roll your own Big Six).

Most of the photos I've seen of T-class 4-8-2 Mountains are west of Cumberland--after all, that's where the mountains were. Bill Price once shot a series of photos of the engine change in Cumberland from P-7 on the East End to 4-8-2 for Sand Patch.

I also have a Weaver USRA 0-6-0, which was B&O class D-30. I need to add a pickup to the tender as it often stalls on my Gargraves switches.  

And a Lionel 4-4-2 lettered for B&O 1474, but it's a PRR E6 rather than the Belpaire-boiled B&O loco built while B&O was under PRR control, based on an earlier PRR E subclass. It was also retired by 1947, but I decided it was close enough. I have a photo of it on a work train on the Cumberland division.

The many USRA 0-8-0 models do not form a good basis for B&O L1-a or L2-b due to driver size and spacing. I have a cheap Lionel 0-8-0 I've considered lettering B&O until I come up with something better, but right now it's stored.

@trumpettrain - Do you have the Lionel product number for that B&O Atlantic you have?

6-28004

the most B&O steamer models are the C16 switchers.    B&O only had 4 built as saddle tank locos and oil fired.   2 were converted to tender engines and I think for coal.     It seems every mfg has made a thousands of models of these and at least 3 importers imported them.   It is kinda like the Pennsy Steam Turbine, of which there was only one prototype but there thousands of models available.

the little switchers are pretty neat however.

I may have missed it, but I don't believe that it was mentioned above, but back in the 3RO scale Old Days (1980's), Williams produced some much-maligned (only partially deserved) brass steamers: a NYC J-3 Hudson, both un-streamlined and a Dreyfuss Century version, as well as a brass Pacific, which had a B&O prototype (late P-7?). The superstructure was not heavily detailed, but looked good in the basics for a B&O Pacific. I think that they even modeled the B&O-style trailing truck(?) The running gear was marginal, but acceptable if you took care of it.

Ideally, somebody should put one of those not-bad Williams B&O Pacific superstructures on a better chassis.

These old Wms used to be available cheaply; even if it is a marginal- or non-runner, it could be layout (in the engine terminal; on a siding) or shelf-queen B&O eye candy.

All opinions above my own. Your mileage may vary.

Can't believe I forgot about the C-16! I have an MTH one of them, too. It ran only in Baltimore as far as I know: switching at Mt. Clare during the day; switching Pratt St. and Fells Point at night.

@PH1975 posted:

@trumpettrain - Do you have the Lionel product number for that B&O Atlantic you have?

Unfortunately I don't.  

OMG!!!  How could we forget the homely C-16...the Docksider???   I mean, Gordon Varney and John Allen and the lowly Docksider (in HO, of course) were the dream-makers for the likes of me.  I recall that Kemtron even made a replacement cab (brass castings) for the Varney Docksider that made it into a cab-forward!!!

I believe Right-Of-Way was one of the manufacturers of an O scale C-16.  There were others I'm sure.  They do come up on the secondary market.

While they're certainly not "large B&O steam locomotives" our OP seeks, they are as quintessential B&O as it gets!

Hmmmm....I wonder if Lionel could be coerced into doing a Vision Line C-16??

Westside did an EM-1 back in the late 1970s.

3rd Rail DID make the T-4a (in 2004) and I forgot that they also made a Q-4b.  So maybe the situation isn't as dire as first thought.

Here's a video of the T-4 running on Norm Charbonneau's great layout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUZlbtqP7GI

@Ken Wing posted:

Can't believe I forgot about the C-16! I have an MTH one of them, too. It ran only in Baltimore as far as I know: switching at Mt. Clare during the day; switching Pratt St. and Fells Point at night.

Yes, I also forgot about the C16 ( Dockside ).  Can't believe I did that .. lol!

Baldwin manufactured 4 C16 locos for the B&O.  All four were originally  oil fired saddle tankers.  Two were assigned to Baltimore  ( servicing the areas you stated ) with the remaining two assigned to Philadelphia waterfront trackage.  The two assigned to Baltimore were later given tenders and converted to be coal fired. The two assigned  to Philadelphia remained oil fired saddle tankers.  

The T-4 were ex-B&M engines. To me, they didn't share the B&O family resemblance.

It was the two Philly C-16a locos that were given tenders. The Balto locos remained as built.

@trumpettrain posted:

Yes, I also forgot about the C16 ( Dockside ).  Can't believe I did that .. lol!

Baldwin manufactured 4 C16 locos for the B&O.  All four were originally  oil fired saddle tankers.  Two were assigned to Baltimore  ( servicing the areas you stated ) with the remaining two assigned to Philadelphia waterfront trackage.  The two assigned to Baltimore were later given tenders and converted to be coal fired. The two assigned  to Philadelphia remained oil fired saddle tankers.  

It was the other way around. C-16 0-4-0 nos. 97 and 98 served Baltimore and remained as built until they were scrapped in 1951. Nos. 96 and 99 were assigned to Philadelphia, but were converted to tender locomotives (and designated C-16a).

The C-16 has been made in brass several times in O gauge, but MTH made the only diecast version, no. 97. Why MTH kept reissuing the same road number in two additional releases, instead of making one no. 98, is one of those confounding questions.

@Ted S posted:

... and I forgot that they also made a Q-4b.

Oh good grief!!  I'm really losing it now!  And I have a Q-4b sitting on the center shelf of the cabinet in the living room, too!!  Embarrassing, to say the least.

Also add to the list one of the earliest and possibly most common O scale B&O prototypes in the Varney 4-6-0 that later was produced by General Models and All Nation.  Those old kits really look great when well built.  They are good runners too!  Granted a 2-rail model, but it was offered for several decades by the various owners of the tooling.

Recently saw a flyer for Golden Gate Depot B&O E-27 circa 2017.

@Jim R. posted:

It was the other way around. C-16 0-4-0 nos. 97 and 98 served Baltimore and remained as built until they were scrapped in 1951. Nos. 96 and 99 were assigned to Philadelphia, but were converted to tender locomotives (and designated C-16a).

The C-16 has been made in brass several times in O gauge, but MTH made the only diecast version, no. 97. Why MTH kept reissuing the same road number in two additional releases, instead of making one no. 98, is one of those confounding questions.

Thanks Jim for setting the record straight. Of course,  I should have known better because the City of Baltimore banned coal fired steam locomotives from operating within the city, hence not converting  97 & 98 to coal burning.   As a side note, The Western Maryland Railway had 4 oil fired K2 Pacifics which served the Baltimore City passenger operations.  

I totally agree with you regarding MTH not making a number 98 dockside on the second release of the C16.  They probably missed out on a lot of sales by reissuing 97.  

I think if you look around and do your research you will see that the B&O was fairly well represented in steam. Not like the PRR, SP, SF, or NYC, but pretty well represented. A friend of mine has amassed a fleet of B&O steam in 2 rail no less. He has only been at it for a couple years, but he has everything from EM-1s and Big Six down to Consolidations. I personally like the USRA type Light Pacifics and Mikados which have been made many times. As was mentioned, look for 3rd rail models. Scott built Em1s, Big sixes, Q4b Mikados, T3s, T4s, P7d Pacifics, E class Consolidations, and maybe others that I'm forgetting. These often go for half of original retail price on the secondary market.