The Mighty Pennsy M1...

Years/decades ago MR published an article about a fellow modeling in "S" who had bashed an I-1. My memory otherwise is dim but I suppose you could make an m-M-1 from the K-5 shells. Getting a chassis could be problematic.

This is my favorite of the PRR steam era, followed closely by the K4s. I currently have a MTH M1a in my collection and want to add a few more. On your suggestion, there would be no reason to merge a few k5s together to make a m1, when they are already readily avaliable on the market already produced.

Mark, my M1a and K4s models on my layout are my favroite engines on my layout. 

Not sure how you would do this with a K5 which is just a "hot rod" K4s.

I have to laugh to myself when you read about all the things that the Pennsy did wrong although they where one of the most largest, influential transportation company in the world.

It would be a big task, as both the chassis and shell would have to be lengthened. Way beyond my pay-grade, that's for sure!

I know that before N scalers got their M1, some had done something similar with the Minitrix K4...

Mark in Oregon

Slight drift, great Pennsy footage here. The M1 featured at the 1 minute mark. I'm not sure if its actual sound but it sure sounds great and is synced well.:

Nice; hadn't seen that one before.

There's another Youtube video with some nice M1/K4/I1 action on the Horseshoe Curve; and it's earlier stuff, before the headlights were moved to the boiler top (yech!)   

Mark in Oregon

I'd like to learn the reasons behind leading and trailing truck designs.  Why do some locos have four wheel leading trucks while other have two wheel leading trucks.  And then there are the turbines and articulated.  The same goes for the trailing truck designs.  Inquiring minds want to know.  If I had a mind it would help.  

MarkStrittmatter posted:

Mark, my M1a and K4s models on my layout are my favroite engines on my layout. 

Not sure how you would do this with a K5 which is just a "hot rod" K4s.

I have to laugh to myself when you read about all the things that the Pennsy did wrong although they where one of the most largest, influential transportation company in the world.

 

The K5 boiler is an adaptation of the I-1 boiler, making it a logical start to a kitbashed I-1 in S.

The PRR M-1 boiler is the I-1 boiler with a substantially lengthened combustion chamber. I *suppose* you could graft two AF K-5 boilers together and develop the Belpaire contour with a ton of work and/or massive applications of Bond-O. If there is a Berkshire in S, it could serve as the chassis for an M-1.

Alternatively, draw up a CAD version of the boiler and have it printed in a metal such as bronze.

MTHPRRGURU posted:

This is my favorite of the PRR steam era, followed closely by the K4s. I currently have a MTH M1a in my collection and want to add a few more. On your suggestion, there would be no reason to merge a few k5s together to make a m1, when they are already readily avaliable on the market already produced.

This is an S scale forum, so no they are not readily available in S.

If anyone could do it, it would be Joe Degner who is a master of kit bashing Gilbert AF steamers.

MTHPRRGURU posted:

This is my favorite of the PRR steam era, followed closely by the K4s. I currently have a MTH M1a in my collection and want to add a few more. On your suggestion, there would be no reason to merge a few k5s together to make a m1, when they are already readily avaliable on the market already produced.

Who did an M1 in S? 

rex desilets posted:

The PRR M-1 boiler is the I-1 boiler with a substantially lengthened combustion chamber. I *suppose* you could graft two AF K-5 boilers together and develop the Belpaire contour with a ton of work and/or massive applications of Bond-O.If there is a Berkshire in S, it could serve as the chassis for an M-1.

There is a Berk in S, but either the River Raisin one, which would be too costly to junk for a chassis, or the Lionel one, which is also a bit costly to cannibalize.  Are there more?  But if someone out there has a Lionel one that has fried electronics, or has suffered a high speed meet with a concrete floor, I'd take a "bash" at it.  I remember seeing a fellow at an S event who had a number of K5 boilers for sale, already striped of paint.  Sheesh!  I REALLY don't need another project! 

 You could splice the 2 AF chassis’s together to match the spliced K5 boilers, if you are up for a challenge. 

 Steel epoxies are an excellent adhesive to “weld” the new sub assemblies together 

Al

poniaj posted:

MTHPRRGURU posted:

This is my favorite of the PRR steam era, followed closely by the K4s. I currently have a MTH M1a in my collection and want to add a few more. On your suggestion, there would be no reason to merge a few k5s together to make a m1, when they are already readily avaliable on the market already produced.

Who did an M1 in S? 

Omnicon in 1989:

Rusty

An M1 or M1a is a tough kitbash.    While many PRR locos have a lot of "standard" parts, the M1 has some unique ones.    I am thinking of the drivers and spacing.    62 inch drivers became the standard on PRR freight locos, but the M1/M1a had 72 inch drivers.     The frame is a little long because they allowed space to put 80 inch drivers in with plan to build some as passenger only.

The boiler on the other hand is the same size pretty much as the I1 with some changes mentioned above.     The cab is a standard as  used on Is Ls and Ks I think.

Thanks Rusty.  I never think about brass models because they're WAY out of my financial reach.  Also since they were produced almost 30 years ago, and probably not in a large quantity, that hardly makes hem readily available.  Hacking up a couple of Flyer K5 shells would work, but you would still have to scratch build a proper tender.  I've used JB Weld reinforced with brass pins and sheets before to splice die cast together.  Worked great, but I already have way too many "irons in the fire" to take on another project.   It would be a great model to do for a "what if" entry in a contest.

Joe Deger, a member of the Atlantic Coast S Gaugers, has kitbashed a number of custom locomotives.  One of his efforts is a Pennsylvania M1.  You can see photos of it at the page linked below.

http://sgaugers.org/TD/TD_JD_03.html

That is a really nice engine!

sgriggs posted:

Joe Deger, a member of the Atlantic Coast S Gaugers, has kitbashed a number of custom locomotives.  One of his efforts is a Pennsylvania M1.  You can see photos of it at the page linked below.

http://sgaugers.org/TD/TD_JD_03.html

Yes! 

That's what I had in mind when I started this thread! 

Awesome! 

It can and has been done, and looks like that's running on regular AF track, which surprises me a little...

Thanks for posting that! 

Mark in Oregon

The M1 as built has a short tender with 2 axle trucks.    It looks just like the typical K4 tender but is a little longer.    I know some of the M1 later got lenger tenders and some got the same ones as the M1a.   

But the as-built M1 is a very nice looking mountain with a proportional tender that be like the K5 tender.

The M1a on the other hand were all built with long tenders.     this was a riveted long tender.

Well if you go to the RRMPA, the “mighty M1 is now covered in rust and birds’ nests. May not be the discussion for here, but the M1 and the L1 used to be very cleanly kept locomotives back in 2002. The L1 used to be inside while the M1 still had her boiler jacketing at the very least.