Southern 630

There are no current plans for anyone making a SRR Ks-1 class 2-8-0 in O. I've checked. Heck, nobody makes one in HO that I'm aware of, either.

I'm not in 3-rail at all but I'd buy even a 3-rail version of 630's class, as this is the first steam loco I ever got a cab ride on (at the age of 11). My parents saw her in operation countless times as ET&WNC # 207 before she was traded back to the SRR for a Central of Georgia RS-3 (which ironically is sitting within 200 feet of where 630 usually sits, at the shop end at TMVRM. I was lucky enough to see my old friend again in 2012 (31 years after I first saw her), but sadly not in steam:

If I ever got a model of this class, I'd be torn on painting it as 630 or modifying the coal bunker area to make it into ET&WNC 207:

I have been sending regular e-mails to MTH (about one a month) asking for this engine for a couple years now. I even talked to an MTH guy in person at a show back in January. I told him I didn't care if it was Premier or RK Imperial. It seems like every catalog has PRR 2-8-0's in it, it is time for something new. I think it would be a good seller. Even the modern era modelers can run it as it is now in excursion service. I keep waiting and hoping.

The ET&WNC ran 207 until 1967. Along with 208 (known today as SRR 722), they were the very last steam locomotives to operated in interchange with other steam, in the form of North American Rayon fireless cook # 1:

I'm pretty sure that 722 was built by Baldwin, 630 was built by ALCO Richmond. Thought they're part of the same class and built in the same general timeframe, there are some subtle differences.

Subtle differences never stopped lionel or MTH before.

But they've stopped a few modelers, though. I certainly won't buy a model if it's too far off from what I'm looking for, detail-wise.

MTH's H9 2-8-0 would make a good Southern 2500 class. http://southern.railfan.net/im.../steam/cons/2506.jpg

If your looking to do Southern 630 your best pick is to find a Weaver 2-8-0 and repaint. I've found a Boston and Maine version with full TMCC that I plan to repaint into Southern 630. I shouldn't have to do a lot of changes since the weaver model is pretty close to being a Ks-1.

Sounds like a worthwhile project & I'd sure like to see that when it's completed.

Thanks SOOO much for all the replies.  I grew up in Chattanooga and have an affinity for steam engines.  I enjoyed the General many times when it was at Union Station in Chattanooga (station AND the General gone now.)  I have a couple of original Chicago Tribune photos of the General during the 100th anniversary of the Great Locomotive Chase when the General was steamed up and made a trip past the raiders graves in the National Cemetery.  Anyway, my son and I took the excursion to Summerville during the LCCA National Convention in Chattanooga and really enjoyed that. Also took a ride with the family and grandsons on the 630 through the tunnel at TVRR Museum.

Would love to have an MTH Proto 2 or 3 of the 630.

Weaver 2-8-0 decorated as A&Y 481. I relocated the bell to the top of the smokebox to display one of Southern's practices. However, SRR 630 had its bell mounted in the "blessing" position on the smokebox front[as shown in the SR Sean photo above].

Those of you wanting a Southern 630 are going to be happy come friday at 9:00am.

I had hoped with the issue of the Southern GP30 2594 that one day it would happen.

Johnny are you saying that Lionel has a Southern 630 in the new catalog!!

Shhhhh

I guess so.  Legacy Station has their price list up:

http://www.legacystation.com/pdf/Lionel2015v2.pdf

I'm getting one.  Anyone else?

I sure hope they don't use this tooling for their BTO Consolidations, except for UP 618 and Southern Pacific 2521:

I know how Lionel tends to use older toolings on a lot of their products.  Other than that, I'm excited to see the new catalog on Friday, can't wait to see the end result.

You can count on me ordering the Southern 630.  Also see they have the Southern 21" passenger cars listed.

Neal Jeter

Just remember, it's not a model of the 630, it's the Harriman (UP/SP) 2-8-0 with a low, square Pennsy Atlantic style tender lettered for Southern 630.

Rusty

Ugh.

PASS...

Pssst!    There are others if you type 2-8-0 into the search box on the new website

Be careful what you don't wish for... :/

Never mind, I am going to pass...

http://www.lionel.com/products...rn-2-8-0-630-6-82875

You can see my posting of the 630 on Southern thread. 

Unfortunately, as mentioned above it is not modeled after the 630.  I will have to pass

on this one. 

https://ogrforum.com/t...23#43947466302904023

eww...that makes me sick and saves me money at the same time...

It turns out they are using the same tooling.  Oh well, it's not that big of a deal.  I'll just have to pass on the Southern 630 and get the Union Pacific 618 instead.  And speaking of Zoolander, they're coming out with a sequel next year.

I wonder if they could somehow use the same tender as they did with the 4-8-2 Mountain engine they did around 10 years ago? That would would be just right for 630. I could live with that despite the locomotive itself being wrong. Here is a link to the Southern 4-8-2. http://marketplace-images.coll...fabf51fb-a47_001.JPG

Well after seeing the picture I am not so sure I will be buying it.  Maybe if enough people tell Lionel this is the wrong tender they can correct it before it is built.   It looks like the tenders for the 4-6-0 or the Mikados is a better match for the 630.

Neal Jeter

The description also says it has electrocouplers on the front and back.  I do not see that in the photo.  Lets hope this photo is just a generic rendering.  Fingers crossed...

http://southern.railfan.net/im...am/cons/sou6898.html I say forget doing this as 630 and make it the one of a kind Southern 6898.

There are 6 other engines being offered for this model with different road names.  They look all the same except for the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific that have different tenders.  Unfortunately, the artist rending is probably fairly close to what is going to look like.  Like with the Southern Heavy Mikado that has not come out yet, it will look like the other Heavy Mikados that came out earlier this year, but it is not correct for the Southern Railroad.  My point is Lionel is manufacturing engines with multiple road names such as for 2-8-0, Heavy Mikado, but they use the same tooling for each road name which may or may not be accurate for each road name.       

I guess I could just imagine the 630 was shopped during WWII and ended up with the 6898 tender.I think I still want it now.

Along with other problems Lionel's 630 has the bell in the wrong location. I pass.

Man talk about a big let down.....Guess I'll be sticking to my original plan and will repaint my Weaver Boston&Maine 2-8-0 into Southern 630. I was hoping that Lionel would have done a generic 2-8-0 like weaver. Then I could have use my B&M model for Southern 722 and buy 630. 

Well it boils down to "Do you feel lucky punk??" because you're taking a chance when you preorder from Lionel.

Lionel has recently delivered some engines that were so-so in the catalog, but when they hit the stores were real knockouts - the Y6B and the most recent Legacy Nickel Plate 765 come to mind.  2 models I passed up on initially and will now be hunting down.I have a feeling that Lionel will do the same on this model. 

If we all let Lionel know that they need to do a better job on this model then perhaps they'll listen, especially if they don't get that many orders of a very popular locomotive, which the 630 is.

As mentioned here, all they have to do is change the tender, headlight and some other details to make a good representation.  

I'm with most of you, I'm not paying $1000 for a locomotive that doesn't look anything like the prototype.

Unless Lionel comes out with a statement or addendum stating they will make the 630 more accurate,  I'm going to wait until the MTH catalog comes out and then decide which way I want to go.