I like almost everything about the Legacy Berkshire (ATSF 4196 from most recent catalog) that I pre-ordered. When it arrived some weeks back I liked nearly everything about it. It runs perfectly - smooth and slow. I, sounds great, etc.
But at a tad less than 24 inches long, it was considerably shorter and smaller than the 26.5 inches advertised in the catalog. From what I understand Lionel used an old K-Line casting this time, not its own casting for a much larger Berk and just forgot to change the Berk length in its catalog. But the shorter length turned out to be great! After a bit of research I discovered that my model is almost exactly scale length, and also not a bad re-semblance to, the later 4100 ATSF Berks. The 4100s were quite a bit smaller than many Berks built later on.
But one feature on my model bothered me a lot: the cab was way too small. Cabs differ, yes, but whether a big or small loco, whether it had small or big drivers, etc., every other scale steamer I have has a scale 6'10" to 7+ feet of cab headroom - every one. This Berk has a scale six feet - and barely that. I'm definitely not a rivet counter, but it just didn't look right among my other locos. The first photo below shows one example, comparing it to the tiniest scale-size steamer I have - the shifter.
The second photo both shows my Berk compared to my scale Atlantic (lower part of the photo) and demonstrating the too-small cab, and identifies where I determined the deficiency was (circled red in the photo of the real 4199 and the photo of my model): the actual cab extended nearly a foot farther up above the back edge of the boiler than on the model.
I've been delayed by having to replace track, but have that project well in hand. So today I took off the afternoon from that work to finally fix my Berk (last two pictures) - building a "cab cap," and attaching it and filling etc., then repainting/blending the paint, all in only five hours of work. The new cab has a scale 6" 11 inches headroom. It now looks realistic - both closer to the prototype, and more in line with my other scale locos.
Berk 4196 back to back with my new Shifter, which is scale size. Its cab is quite a
bit bigger than the Berk's.
Below, in the lower portion, note that again, the scale Atlantic's proper sized cab
dwarfs the Berk's. At the top, the real 4199. Red circles compare the cab roof
height above the back edge of the boiler. The model is nearly a foot "short" here.
I wrapped the whole loco in a bag to protect it, then cut the back of the cab roof off and
sanded the roof rivets and ridges smooth, etc. The made a curved "cap" by gluing
many thin layers of styrene in a curve over the roof. Once hardening, I epoxied
and screwed it down. I made a new roof and "riveted" it myself, then glued it on
and trimmed it to the right size.
In profile it is still a handsome loco but now strikes the eye as not a big (but not a
tiny loco either).
Fixed, the cab height matches that in the Photo of the real thing (and also matches
pictures of 3rd Rail models of the 4100s which I know are pretty accurate).
I'm pleased with this puppy now.
