If the green is too light, that doesn't bother me. There were plenty of shades of green, depends on where it came from. It's better than the mint of the 4-6-0's. What does bug me is the BLACK smokebox, I have seen a few pictures of SR engines with black smokeboxes (or extremely filthy). Either way, black smokeboxes were very few and very very far between. I may paint mine.
Seems like every SR engine Lionel does lately I end up painting. If I going to have to do that why bother ordering??
I just picked up the Atlas O 1619-1, Southern 4135 and 1620-2, 4325 in the double stripe, or butter knife passenger scheme. Does anyone one have these or any other numbers offered by Atlas O?
I am curious what people think of the imitation aluminum color. I know MTH and Lionel used white on some of their issues, but the actual color was a mix of white and gray. It is hard to accurately show the color in a photo.
I have been wanting an AB set of these for quite a while, and these are totally unrun! All of the extra parts are still in their bags, including a scale pilot to install on the A unit with coupler.
I think Southern kept these fairly clean, so little or no weathering for these.
Thoughts?
@Ben Nance posted:It's not 4501, but here is the MTH black Southern Mikado from a few years back.
I'm still a little confused about the difference between the 'Light' and 'Heavy' Mikados.
The two examples above seem to both have a 'hump' in the boilers while these below do not.
Recently released Lionel 2226660 Southern Railway double door boxcar
Menards autoracks. They didn't come with stickers for Southern so I printed out some Southern Railway heralds.
Williams Berkshire Southern That I had for some time, Not a bad runner needs a new Seuthe Smoke Generator. Wish I bought the scale Hudson Williams put out, God Speed Southern Fans!.
Hopefully other can shed some more light on the light - heavy question as per previous.
The Lionel model is pretty close to SR 4501 in some form or another as to it's many detail variations over the years. 4501 was built in 1911, that's pre USRA (WWi era), which is where the standardized models of various weights and wheel arrangements came from.
And as a further aside, Way predates the WWII War production board restrictions from whence the PRR J1 has its direct mechanical lineage to a C&O T1. Looks not withstanding.
The Lionel and Frisco 2-8-2 models are correct for the pre-WWI USRA standard plans which most railroads adopted for various wheel arrangements. A majority of 4501 models, in any scale, have always used the WWI light Mikado design, since it was easy to repaint into several different railroads. These two Lionel versions were created specifically for these models, and I don't think they will ever be duplicated again.
The light and heavy monikers were created by the USRA to distinguish the different 2-8-2 locomotives by weight. Both had that swell in the boiler by the firebox, a telltale sign of a USRA design.
@Larry Neal posted:The Lionel and Frisco 2-8-2 models are correct for the pre-WWI USRA standard plans which most railroads adopted for various wheel arrangements. A majority of 4501 models, in any scale, have always used the WWI light Mikado design, since it was easy to repaint into several different railroads. These two Lionel versions were created specifically for these models, and I don't think they will ever be duplicated again.
The light and heavy monikers were created by the USRA to distinguish the different 2-8-2 locomotives by weight. Both had that swell in the boiler by the firebox, a telltale sign of a USRA design.
Hi Larry hope all is well.
Question did the Southern have a BERK? I do not recall any.
Ron
Southern leased a Kanawhas 2716 or formerly (Berkeshire) C&O 2716 temporary for their Steam program. As I recall both Lionel and MTH made a locomotive painted for Southern.
@SouthernFan56 posted:Southern leased a Kanawhas 2716 or formerly (Berkeshire) C&O 2716 temporary for their Steam program. As I recall both Lionel and MTH made a locomotive painted for Southern.
Yes the Clayton brothers leased 2716 from KRM while 4501 was being repaired. I rode behind her on her last or second to last run. She was leaking water about as fast as they could fill it. The Claytors also leased the former T&P 610 to fill the excursion needs.
2716 was not painted "green" nor ever a Southern rostered engine.
I have the MTH model MTH 20-3188-1.
@PRRronbh posted:Hi Larry hope all is well.
Question did the Southern have a BERK? I do not recall any.
Ron
I am doing well Ron.
No, Southern never rostered a 2-8-4 during their years of steam operation, nor any steam locomotive using a 4-wheel rear truck. They used plenty of 2-8-2 and 2-10-2 wheel arrangements. As mentioned above, they briefly used 2716 for the steam program while their other engines were out of service.
As a point of clarification Graham and Robert Claytor (brothers) didn't have anything to do with 2716. 2716 was used on the Southern from 1980 to mid 1982. Graham left the SR to become Secretary of the Navy in 1977. Robert was with the N&W until the NS merger to become the first NS president, 2716 was already out of service. N&W 611 took the place of 2716 as a large engine to pull the ever longer now NS excursions.
Also Texas and Pacific 610 was not the fruition of Robert Claytor. 610 was on lease 1976-1980, way before Robert was involved with the SR (NS) steam program. Graham no doubt did have something to do with 610.
Also don't refer to the 2716 as a Berkshire (named for the Massachusetts mountains) at least in the C&O region. 2716 is a Kanawha (named for the West Virginia river). Same goes for the 614, it isn't a northern, its a Greenbrier (named for the West Virginia river).
Southern never rostered any modern or Super Power steam engines. Their newest steam engine was built around 1926 or so.
Lionel Southern Boxcar 9451 from 1983
A couple of MTH 50ft boxcars
This is a Weaver PS2CD hopper that I custom painted and decaled for Southern Railway. K4 Decals had a set for the Southern Railway hoppers.
Neal Jeter
Happy Tail End Tuesday!
A get together of Southern bay window cabooses. X546 is a Lionel caboose, the other five are MTH. All are scale size, 3 rail.
Here are a few pieces from my collection:
Lionel 9464 Southern "wave" from 1999
Lionel 17601 SRR Wood side Caboose from 1988
Lionel 9700 SRR box from 1972-73
Best Wishes
Don
Lionel 2333350 Southern Railway E8s in the tuxedo paint scheme.
Good looking set and layout! I need to get mine out of the box. They arrived a few days ago.
@Larry Neal I realize your post is almost a year old, but I thought I would comment. Your AB set is great, and the F2 was not in that scheme for very long so I'd say keep it clean. I don't think there is a way to do a really good job with imitation aluminum color, so I don't worry about it.
I have an AA set which is not what the Southern Railway ran. I am looking for a powered B unit to match mine but they just do not show up for sale.
Pictures of my two latest SR steam projects. Seems like I'm never satisfied with stock models anymore.
2-8-0 542 is a J class built by Baldwin in 1903 lettered for SR affiliate Atlantic and Yadkin. This locomotive still exists and resides at the North Carolina TransportationMuseum in Spencer NC.
Model started as a 1950's vintage Thomas 2 rail kit. Cab was moved back, smokebox extended, domes moved, stack moved, smokebox front totally changed, new running boards made, various and sundry other detailing changes. Biggest change and hardest was changing the cylinders from the Thomas piston valve casting to a Precision Scale slide valve set. A Lionel mogul tender replaced the original and has third rail pickups, currently a Williams Electronic reverser from a BL2 is in the tender. A ERR command system will eventually be installed. No sound as the vertical drive design will not allow and has no room. The drive would have to be completely built from scratch. And of course a paint job with custom decals from Christine Braden.
4-6-0 965 is a F1 class built by Rogers in 1890 and scrapped in 1939.
Starting point was a Bachmann 4-6-0.
I always thought the stock model was OK, but needed improvements. The cheap tab and slot crosshead wrist pin was always an issue and the tender is way too big. The tender size is required to get the electronics and speaker in it.
Here's my redo to the 965. None of the Southern F1's were alike and the 965 had real close characteristics to the stock model.
I cut daylight between the cast on piping below the running boards, cut and filled the cast on handrails and pilot cut lever and replaced with separate wire handrails, changed the generator, headlight, and domes. I flattened the main rod tabs and soldered up the slots in the crosshead, a 2-56 hex bolt and nut replaced the cheap looking original design. Again various and sundry details and window glass added. The tender is a modified Thomas from the 2-8-0 kit (above) with deck angles added, plus Lionel trucks and a styrene frame (The tender frame cost me $700 and 6 hours in the ER when I put a big slice in my hand with a brand new Xacto chisel blade). I ditched the sound to have the small tender. Currently still has the Bachmann reverser but an ERR system again is probably in the future. New paint with K4 supply decals. It's not perfect or exact, but I think it is a lot closer than what was started with.
Two Warnings (aside from not cutting your hand). While the main rods look symmetrical, they are NOT. Make sure you mark front and rear. I painted and put a 3D print headlight on a set of spring loaded pliers to paint and dry in a warming oven on low and turned off overnight. To my surprise the next day the headlight had become oval and broke when I tried to fix it. Hopefully some of the 3D printer people can expound on what happened.
Add two more Southern steam locomotives to the railroad roster.
Excellent work!
Neal Jeter
Recently released MTH 30-75730 airslide hopper.
These are some custom cars I did in Southern. I used decals from K4Decals. The two ACF cars are Lionel and the PS2 is from Weaver.
@NHVRYGray posted:Pictures of my two latest SR steam projects. Seems like I'm never satisfied with stock models anymore.
4-6-0 965 is a F1 class built by Rogers in 1890 and scrapped in 1939.
Starting point was a Bachmann 4-6-0.
I always thought the stock model was OK, but needed improvements. The cheap tab and slot crosshead wrist pin was always an issue and the tender is way too big. The tender size is required to get the electronics and speaker in it.
Here's my redo to the 965. None of the Southern F1's were alike and the 965 had real close characteristics to the stock model.
I cut daylight between the cast on piping below the running boards, cut and filled the cast on handrails and pilot cut lever and replaced with separate wire handrails, changed the generator, headlight, and domes. I flattened the main rod tabs and soldered up the slots in the crosshead, a 2-56 hex bolt and nut replaced the cheap looking original design. Again various and sundry details and window glass added. The tender is a modified Thomas from the 2-8-0 kit (above) with deck angles added, plus Lionel trucks and a styrene frame (The tender frame cost me $700 and 6 hours in the ER when I put a big slice in my hand with a brand new Xacto chisel blade). I ditched the sound to have the small tender. Currently still has the Bachmann reverser but an ERR system again is probably in the future. New paint with K4 supply decals. It's not perfect or exact, but I think it is a lot closer than what was started with.
Two Warnings (aside from not cutting your hand). While the main rods look symmetrical, they are NOT. Make sure you mark front and rear. I painted and put a 3D print headlight on a set of spring loaded pliers to paint and dry in a warming oven on low and turned off overnight. To my surprise the next day the headlight had become oval and broke when I tried to fix it. Hopefully some of the 3D printer people can expound on what happened.
Add two more Southern steam locomotives to the railroad roster.
First of all - great work. Love that tender.
Here's my take on an upgraded WbB 4-6-0. They run well (no cruise needed), and mine already had a several-years-old TAS TMCC/RS unit filling the too-large tender, and I did not want to re-do that, so I compromised a bunch. The brass headlight placement/type is from photos of one that worked the Mobile Division. It was already Southern-painted, but the color was so wrong I actually painted over it and did my own striping (mostly paint) and re-numbering. Southern re-painted Southern. Sheesh. I agree about the cheesy side rods and so forth. This is really an excellent mechanism in search of a good locomotive. I definitely need to do a bit of weathering. I probably need to stripe the cylinder sides.
New custom run of Southern auto racks from Jeff at the Train Loft.
Neal Jeter
Added some passengers to my Lionel Southern vista dome.
Neal Jeter
@Lionlman posted:
Added some passengers to my Lionel Southern vista dome.
Neal Jeter
Neal,
Looks like they are having a grand time!
Malcolm
Atlas O Trainman cabooses.
My 1st 'recent production' (2016) MTH Premiere PS3 steamer snagged off the Bay a few weeks ago. Wireless drawbar, cab curtains and overall great detail are very nice compared to previous early PS2 locomotives I've had on the roster. This one smokes better than any in memory! Also have the beautiful former Weaver RPO now by Lionel in tow...
Southern Railway Spencer Shop home built shop goat. Still have to get it lettered and striped. Real unit had no number as it didn't exist, have been told it was built totally on the sly out of scrap, surplus and other parts.
Unit is non powered as no control boards would fit and it wouldn't move anything. Will be pushed around by what it would be towing.
I custom painted and lettered this beauty a few years ago and then sold it. I should have kept it. Lionel Legacy version.
RAY
That's a beauty for sure Ray. I remember former member Lee Willis bought one of these when issued and repainted it black if memory serves me....
My minor contribution to this thread is a slightly modified Williams USRA Pacific I picked up at Auction about 10 years ago. It had some issues and I've since replaced several broken parts. One item that still needs to be fixed is the trailing truck. The one on locomotive was broken and I replaced it with a Lionel one shown here, but I think I purchased the semi-scale version of this truck.
I need a train to go with it, but with all the roads I currently collect, I suspect this will go into excursion service with modern cars.
Well I don't have too much SRR to offer, but here is my Lionel SRR U-36b pulling a small freight past the depot.
Best Wishes
Don
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