I had a chance to run my new MTH Jersey Central "P-47" Pacific today. I bought the black version and The Blue Comet version, but I am saving The Blue Comet for Christmas. Here are my initial observations on the black one.
Operations
The sound and smoke effects are top notch. The PS3 engine "chuff" is outstanding. There is at least one whistle from this class of locomotive left, not sure if MTH recorded it or not. I'd think not, but it is quite pleasing. The bell is crisp and rich. The cylinder cock sounds when the locomotive starts moving are great.
The catalog said these models are good for O-42 curves, but on anything tighter than O-63 mine walks off the rails. It seems the problem lies in the trailing truck, but I have more investigating to do. I am not pleased with this as most of my curves and turnouts are O-54. I'm curious to see if anyone else notices this.
Visually
The model is a stunner. The black finish is beautiful and the lettering is crisp. From the train control boxes on the pilot to the water scoop under the tender, this is a well detailed model. The semi-wide firebox is nicely captured. (By the time these engines were built, the CNJ had moved away from wide Wootten fireboxes and anthracite coal to narrower boxes designed to burn a mix of hard and soft coal).
If you are not a prototype CNJ guy, stop reading here. In summation, it is a pretty model with an operating hitch on curves.
If you are a prototype CNJ guy, you will want to consider detail changes and relettering the locomotive as it comes in a mish-mash of different eras of lettering rather than following one uniform practice.
The model has solid engine truck wheels, the original tender, two Automatic Train Control boxes and nickel cylinder heads. Those details together only match 831, 832 and 833 as assigned to The Blue Comet in later years (after the spoked engine truck wheels were replaced with solid). If you removed one ATC box but kept the nickel trim, the model would match #834 as she looked after her assignment to The Bullet. If you removed the ATC box and nickel trim, she would match #835. The tender matches the 1929 to early 1940's period when they were enlarged.
The big problem is the lettering. The tender carries the "ball herald" which was only used on the G-3s and G-4s Pacifics (the G-3's were known after 1945 as the P-47 class). All five G-3s locomotives were delivered in 1929 with this hearld and block gothing numbers. They also had spoked wheels on the engine truck. Other than the herald, nothing else on the MTH model represents the as-delivered look, including the rest of the lettering.
The tender has a blend of 1929 and 1935 lettering, while the loco wears a blend of 1935 and 1945 lettering.
If one wants to keep her as #835, the prototype modeler has four choices:
1. As-delivered: Leave only the tender logo and replace all other lettering with the as-delivered Block Gothic font. Spoked engine truck wheels would also be needed and one ATC box would be removed. Remove all "P-47" lettering. Remove nickel trim.
2. Early 1930's: Replace all lettering with the correct sized gothic numbers on the cab and the gothic C.R.R. of NJ on the tender. Spoked engine truck wheels would also be needed and one ATC box would be removed. Remove all "P-47" lettering. Remove nickel trim.
3. Mid 1930's: Replace all lettering with the correct sized Roman numbers on the cab and the Roman C.R.R. of NJ on the tender. One ATC box would be removed. Remove all "P-47" lettering. Remove nickel trim.
4. Post-1945: These would be the P-47 years. You would need to change all the lettering to the later sanserif style with the Statue of Liberty logo. One ATC box would be removed. Remove nickel trim. Tender would need to be heavily modified.
If one wants to renumber her to #834 in black, the prototype modeler has three choices:
1. As-delivered: Leave only the tender logo and replace all other lettering with the as-delivered Block Gothic font. Spoked engine truck wheels would also be needed and one ATC box would be removed. Remove all "P-47" lettering. Remove nickel trim.
2. Mid 1930's: Replace all lettering with the correct sized Roman numbers on the cab and the Roman C.R.R. of NJ on the tender. One ATC box would be removed. Remove all "P-47" lettering. Nickel trim stays.
3. Post-1945: These would be the P-47 years. You would need to change all the lettering to the later sanserif style with the Statue of Liberty logo. One ATC box would be removed. Remove nickel trim. Tender would need to be heavily modified.
If one wanted to letter her for one of The Blue Comet locomotives after Comet service, I would strongly suggest looking at prototype photos for the right combo of lettering, ATC boxes and engine truck wheels.
Bob Fischer's incredible CNJ steam book should be your guide.
What will I do? For now I am going to enjoy her as-is, but I like the nickel trim enough to eventually reletter her as #834 in the mid-1930's.
Rob
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