does anyone have pictures of the new frisco 4-8-2. Thinking about getting one but want to see and actual picture first. Thanks
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Are they out yet?
Regardless, they are based on Lionel's very nice USRA Light Mountain (my understanding is that the real Frisco 4-8-2's of the 1500 (T-54) class class were actually derivatives of the USRA Heavy Mountain, but with lower boilers, among other differences), so you cannot go wrong, I'd say.
Most likely, this is the closest that you will ever come to an out-of-the-box 3RO model of the Frisco T-54 4-8-2's. I seem to recall that Lionel did a couple of Frisco-specific detail changes. You could just run it and enjoy it.
I have seriously considered buying one, as T-54 #1527 is preserved here in Mobile, though the drivers have been painted red by a mis-informed "railfan", so I never go look at it; it's creepy.
The 1500-class was actually quite different from the USRA design. The arrangement of the boiler courses differs markedly, for example. The coupled length is 3" shorter, and the 1500s' cylinders are 28" x 28" rather than 27" (28" for the heavy) x 30". The Frisco preferred Baker valve gear over Walschaerts for all but the middle group of 1515-15-19. Engine weight was about the same as the heavy USRA engines as was boiler pressure (until the Frisco increased it by 10lbs psi). TE was 53,900 for the Lt. USRA, 58,200 for the Hvy. USRA, and 56,800 (65,550 w/ booster) for the 1500s. Weight on drivers is about 12,000 lbs higher than the Hvy USRAs, 32,000lbs higher than the Lt USRAs. Grate area is a little lower for the Frisco engines; heating surface for the Frisco engines is 4432ft/sq vs. 4666ft/sq for the Hvy USRA, 4130ft/sq for the Lt. The Frisco tenders were considerably larger and heavier than the USRA, 238,000 lbs vs. 172,000 lbs and 6-wheel trucks vs. 4-wheel.
In some ways you could think of them as a compromise between the two, but the USRA design was really just a starting point, just as the USRA Mikes were just a starting point for the 1500's cousins, the 4100-class Mikes.
I would dearly love to have an O Scale 1500, but this model doesn't really look any more like the prototypes than the Southern Mikes looked like the Frisco 4100s despite Lionel painting a model of the former to be the latter. I have one, but I paid only $250 for it. Maybe I'll get one of these 1500s when I can pay $250 for it.
I rode the 1522 when it did a trip in Texas. My brother in law was actively involved and was on the crew. I painted an old Williams passenger set in the Firefly scheme and waited for a Frisco Mountain.....but I ended up detailing a 4100 mikado for this.
