Broadway Limited UP 4-12-2


trailrider

Well-Known Member
I see that Broadway Limited is coming out with an HO scale UP 4-12-2, sometime around the end of the year. There are no details, but I am wondering what kind of curves this beast would take, even with all the center drivers blind. o_O (I doubt it would work on my 22" ruling curves, but I am curious. The prototype had problems with this critter on their tighter curves. There is also the little matter of the $6XX+ price. Wonder if the sound is like a three-cylinder engine would be on the prototype?;)
 
I have the earlier versions of the BLI J9000 (4-12-2). The sound is great and does replicate the third cylinder sound.
I thought I had some video of mine but I guess I took it down from my YouTube page.
 
I don't know the answer because I don't try to run these on snap track or coffee table top layouts.
You might check the BLI web page or send them and email.
If you have 22" radii curves, you might want to just stick with the small locomotives and rolling stock.
 
an experience of mine with a BLI 2-10-4,...

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/35992?page=2
the test Loco lineup:

1) 4-8-2, IHC, C&O Mountain (made in Solvenia). Has a very very mild case of cookie cutter wheels.
I have quite a number of these locos as they run very well, they were relatively cheap, etc


2) 4-8-2, Bachmann, C&O Mountain. Has modern small flange wheels.


3) 4-8-4, Bachmann, Northern Santa Fe, I have 3 of these but was not able to get them operational for this test


4) 4-8-4, Broadway Ltd, Northern Santa Fe,


5) 2-10-4 BLI ,T-10, C&O Blueline model


6) 2-10-4 BLI, T-10, C&O paragon 3 model

***************************

As I had mentioned above, "I'm already surprised at a few initial trials without any shims".


Peco Short Y turnout (no shims)
The first test I made was with the Peco short Y. My initial thoughts were that this turnout would give me more problems than it did, primarily because of its relatively tight radi. Turns out it give me some sporadic problems with 2 of the engines.


Naturally the 2-10-4 locos did derail most of the time, but surprisingly ONLY on the diverging route that bears off on the opposite direction from the curve leading into the Y. ( I term it counter-turning). If the loco continues in the already curving direction, there was no derailments, even when continuing on in a 22" radius curve.


The Backmann 4-8-2 mountain loco was another problem. It also derailed when 'counter turning', but did not when continuous turning. I suppose this was due to its very fine wheel flanges? I definitely need these to work well as I have at least 3 of these locos (I really like these flying pump, vandy tender, C&O mountains).


Another welcome surprise was the BLI 4-8-4 that did not show any signs of derailing on this turnout, nor many yet to be reported,...even with its fine wheel flanges.

Not a very conclusive test, but perhaps of interest.
I did another test on some track that was somewhat similar, but I can't find it.
 
The review I saw says 22" minimum radius. Two of the center driver sets are blind. It's a nice model, but it will overhang severely on 22" radius curves. I'd go with double headed 2-8-0's instead, but that's just me. The sound file is good. It captures the slightly off cadence chuff rate of the prototype very well. The SP ran three cylinder 4-10-2's and nicknamed them "the stuttering decks". The maintenance of the three cylinder arrangement and the Gresley valve gear was "intensive".
 
The review I saw says 22" minimum radius. Two of the center driver sets are blind. It's a nice model, but it will overhang severely on 22" radius curves. I'd go with double headed 2-8-0's instead, but that's just me. The sound file is good. It captures the slightly off cadence chuff rate of the prototype very well. The SP ran three cylinder 4-10-2's and nicknamed them "the stuttering decks". The maintenance of the three cylinder arrangement and the Gresley valve gear was "intensive".
[Brag mode on:] I can get my kitbashed Mantua-based 2-10-4's and 2-10-2's to go around 20" radius curves (Shinohara sectional track) with no problem. Just blind flange all the center drivers and shim them .010" above the surface of the rails. Keeps from catching the blind drivers coming out of the curves. Don't have enough room to haul more than about eight or ten weighted hopper cars, but the M-4's will pull them up a 2-1/2 percent grade with about a 22" curve at the top. Not enough of a knowledgeable DCC guy to consist a pair of M-2 2-10-2's as a double-header.
 
[Brag mode on:] I can get my kitbashed Mantua-based 2-10-4's and 2-10-2's to go around 20" radius curves (Shinohara sectional track) with no problem. Just blind flange all the center drivers and shim them .010" above the surface of the rails. Keeps from catching the blind drivers coming out of the curves. Don't have enough room to haul more than about eight or ten weighted hopper cars, but the M-4's will pull them up a 2-1/2 percent grade with about a 22" curve at the top. Not enough of a knowledgeable DCC guy to consist a pair of M-2 2-10-2's as a double-header.
No doubt you can, but I wasn't speaking to "can" I was speaking to "should". ;) Its up to each of us to decide what to do on our railroad. For me, I don't care for massive overhang. If I can look down the side of the model and see one rail and half the ties on the curve, that just looks awful. kind of like Lionel O-27. Ok of you're into O-27 but for HO, I prefer to stick with stuff that looks realistic on the layout. YMMV!
 



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