MTH RUSSIAN DECAPOD vs SAL RUSSIAN DECAPOD???

Just to be absolutely sure, you might want to research whether the Seaboard actually had "Russian Decapods", and NOT standard Baldwin catalog 2-10-0s. I prime example is the Strasburg Rail Road, former Great Western 2-10-0 #90, which is/was NOT a "Russian Decapod". Lots of railroads did purchase the Baldwin standard 2-10-0, thus you might want to be sure exactly what type of 2-10-0 the Seaboard did own.

Bob Delbridge posted:

SEABOARD AIR LINE 544:

The domes don't seem to quite match in shape and the cab windows are different, but the rest of the engine/tender looks good.

Not sure what that larger thing is just above the drivers on 544 (looks like an air reservoir), 

Looks like an air reservoir to me.
That is an odd looking steam dome.

Seaboard owned 40 Russian Decapods, the next largest fleet after the Erie (75.)  Frisco had the third largest at 21.

Yes, that's the air reservoir above the drivers under the boiler.  That's where it was located when these things were built for the Czar. 

IRM's Frisco 1630 has evidence of the reservoir being there, but the railroad replaced it with one on each side under the running boards. 

MTH's model is generic.  Details can vary greatly on these things even with the same railroad.  Frisco mounted the air compressor on the pilot beam on some of theirs, others had it on the right side of the boiler.  Santa Fe had three when they bought the KCNM&O, one was "Santa Fe-ized" while the other two still remained looking fairly European.

The thing that cheeses me off is with two production runs, MTH never offered the Russian Decapod in Frisco.  After all, 5 of the 6 surviving Russians in the U.S. are Frisco locomotives and one is restored to operation.

Rusty

The SAL Decapods were their class D, D1, D4, and D5.  They also had class D2 Decapods originally built for the Georgia, Florida & Alabama and had copies made of that class which became SAL class D3.

Class D3 was soetimes called their "Sports" model, had a slanted cab front. 56" diameter wheels (vice 52" on the Russian engines) smaller cylinders, and increased steam pressure.

Here's a photo of SAL Class D3 #533:

I really like this class better than the Russian engines, it does look more sporty!  SAL had the 6 class D2 from GF&A and 8 class D3.

Another look at the MTH model.

I’ve only seen one of the MTH Russian Decapods in person and that was just after they came out.  As I recall it was smaller than what I would have thought.

Very small.  Compared to a B6.

Compared to a Pennsy I1 decapod.

History:  Built by Baldwin Locomotive works for Russia, 5' gauge, at the time of the Russian Revolution.  None were shipped.   Baldwin facing bankruptcy, via the FRA, (Federal Railroad Administration),  was able to sell them to a lot of different railroads. Pittsburg Shawmut and Northern had one/ was required to purchase one.  They were modified with large tires that allowed these locomotives to operate on 4' 8" gauge railroads.  The rear porch pictured on the model was questionable.   I could be wrong and often.   Mike CT.

Mike CT posted:

Very small.  Compared to a B6.

Compared to a Pennsy I1 decapod.

History:  Built by Baldwin Locomotive works for Russia, 5' gauge, at the time of the Russian Revolution.  None were shipped.   Baldwin facing bankruptcy, via the FRA, (Federal Railroad Administration),  was able to sell them to a lot of different railroads. Pittsburg Shawmut and Northern had one/ was required to purchase one.  They were modified with large tires that allowed these locomotives to operate on 4' 8" gauge railroads.  The rear porch pictured on the model was questionable.   I could be wrong and often.   Mike CT.

 

Over a thousand Russian decapods were built in the U.S. leading up to and during WWI by various manufacturers (primarily Baldwin and Alco). Over 800 were shipped but the last 200 were stranded in the U.S. after the October 1917 revolution. The USRA eventually took title to these locomotives with the assent of Russian officials and distributed them to fourteen railroads on a lease basis. After the war the they were sold to the operating companies via a government-sponsored financing arrangement. Of the 200, ten went to the Western Maryland, remaining in service until as late as June 1951.

They were light considering their 2-10-0 configuration. Locomotive weight excluding the tender was 219,000 pounds and they generated 51,500 pounds of tractive-force. By comparison a Western Maryland H-8 Consolidation weighed 244,500 excluding the tender and mustered 61,398 pounds of tractive-force.

PD

trainz has one on Ebay but I stopped bidding on it, every time I placed a bid it/they automatically raised the bid.  I don't play that game.

Maybe one day I'll find one that the PS2 system is kaput and I'll get it for a decent price.  I'd be BPRCing it anyway.

"The rear porch pictured on the model was questionable.   I could be wrong and often"

Mike, I recall someone saying that can be fixed easily.  Here's a shot of a PFM HO model of the Frisco Decapod tender:

The extended tender frame was a characteristic of Shawmut square tank tenders. Many of the locomotives with square tank tenders had the "back porch" , the 81 included. It is correct, possibly slightly exaggerated, but correct!

Look for a copy of Paul Pietrak's book "Pittsburgh, Shawmut and Northern". It has great pictures of PS&N locomotives as well as detailed maps and a lot of great writing.

Tom

This was my “find” at York this fall and I paid less than half of the 1k. Nice engine!

I know of at least one MTH Russian decapod that can be bought for under $1000.00.