Other potential bash-ees I've wondered about are the Model Power ten
wheelers (and consolidations) -- if for no other reason than their spoked
pilot wheels and pedistal tender trucks. Does anybody, ANYBODY import
pedistal tender trucks in brass/plastic/wood/chocolate...ANYTHING??
Seriously, though, I agree with Bob and Ezekiel. By the time you put all
the bucks into detailing a kitbash, it'll run you close to the price of the
brass -- to say nothing of the value of your time.
The NPP K2 is a nice little model. At some point you might want to re-motor
it and/or put in new gears. Mine, which is unmodified, runs noisily but
smoothly and is capable of decent slow-speed operation.
AND, since NPP brought it out in quantity (I think the Brown Book said 1000
units were imported), and since it's a smaller, older model (1974), it
tends to be cheap and readily available. K2s pop up in hobbyshops all the
time -- Mitchell's, Caboose Hobbies (Denver) and The Caboose (Connecticut),
Uncle Dave's, Northern Scale, Gunnings, et al. Prices over the past few
years have ranged from around $250 to $400. Where you gonna find a piece of
jen-you-wine brass for that kinda money these days?
If you're really itching to bash something, why not choose a different
class of 4-6-0? Some of the Q's other ten-wheelers had wagon-top boilers
like the Mantua model. Or try to replicate one of the K4s or K10s, which
were so common at the end of the steam era.
But if it's 637 you really want, why knock yourself out? The NPP model is a
bargain. Just be patient and keep your eye open for the best price.
Good luck,
Jonathan
-----------
>I'm not sure how the Nickel Plate K2s run, but
>personally, I'd rather earn some extra money and buy
>one rather than try to build one. Unless you're a
>real master, whatever you might cobble up on your own
>will likely look much worse and cost just as much as
>the brass model. Parts from Mantua, Bowser, etc., are
>pretty crude by today's standards, so whatever you
>build with them looks crude also.
>
>--- fdlnmn@s... wrote:
>> Ken,
>> I try not to discourage fellow modelers, but a
>> K-2 is a pretty
>> tall order. If you don't want to go with a brass
>> model your more or
>> less stuck with kitbashing and scratchbuilding.
>>
>> Mantua has a 4-6-0 with appropriate running
>> gear, but the boiler
>> will require lots of cut and fill work. You'd have
>> to drop $170 if
>> you found one of these and you would end up with
>> inapropriate domes,
>> cab, and tender.
>> MDC has a 10 wheeler, but the boiler needs
>> extensive
>> modification. You might as well scrap that and
>> build your own
>> boiler. The tender holds some promise for
>> modification. $85 at
>> Walthers.
>> The "Casey Jones" frame from Bowser looks pretty
>> good, but you
>> will need to find your own slide valve cylinder set.
>> You can order
>> the exact drivers, side rods, etc. that you want.
>> You will still
>> have to scratchbuild the boiler and tender.
>> If you're good with sheet metal and solder, get
>> some schematics
>> and go for it. The boiler has no sloping courses so
>> you can probably
>> find an appropriate tubing size.
>>
>> Good luck! (and watch out for rivet counters)
>>
>> -Ezekiel
>>
>> --- In BRHSlist@y..., currieken@c... wrote:
>> > I'm looking for an HO-scale version of
>> Burlington's Class K-2 4-6-0
>> > (looking to model #637. I note Mitchell's has a
>> couple of brass
>> > models for sale, but I'd like to explore different
>> options with
>> other
>> > members of the society.
>> >
>> > Ken Currie
>>
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