The main differences between the Baldwin (early) 4-8-4s are in the
feedwater heaters and the drivers (although the cabs can help in your
identification)
The early locomotives had a distinctive cylendrical shaped elesco
feedwater heater mounted on top of the smokebox. On the later models
most of the extra plumbing was behind a shield on the pilot.
Also, the early O5s had spoked drivers, not box pox. At least it
was that way until they were slowly refitted with box pox main
drivers to reduce pounding on the rails.
Just remember 5600-5607 Are O5. After that use the tender to pick
between O5A and O5B
--- In BRHSlist@y..., atsf3460@a... wrote:
> I'd like to know the "proper" answer to this as well. I lump all
the early
> 4-8-4s into the class O5. When you get to the the O5s with
vestibule cabs I
> add the suffix and call them all O5as. Only when they get
converted to oil
> burners do I call them O5bs. The engines that don't follow this
rule are the
> middle versions that have modern drivers but no vestibule cab - I
guess is
> just lump them in with the early O5s. Right now I don't have any
models of
> this class so I don't worry about it! Even though there are three
versions
> (four if you count the oil burners) of "Q" 4-8-4s the railroad (I
think?)
> probably just called 'em O5s or #5600s.
>
> Mike Martin (who would still love to pace a fired-up #5600 at 80mph
on US34
> someday) - Peoria Heights, IL
|