Steam Super Power SP #5021

[funnelfan]

While Daylight GS series 4-8-4's were the queens of the passenger trains and the Cab Forwards were the Kings of the Mountains, to highball the long freights across the valleys between the mountains and out through the desert, there was one preferred type of locomotive for SP enginemen. That was the 5000 series "Southern Pacific" type, 4-10-2's. Representing the ultimate in rigid wheelbase steam power, the 5000's had three cylinders and a booster engineer on the trailing truck. The 4-10-2's could haul tonnage at speed and power through the lesser helper districts on the mainline without an assist. You can see why SP freight engineers were almost giddy to be at the controls of a 5000! Nicknamed "Stuttering Decks" because of the odd exhaust from the third cylinder (2-10-2's were known as "Decks" on the SP). Mechanics in the shops hated that inside driving rod powered by the third cylinder, as the bearing had a tenancy to fail. SP bought the first 4-10-2's in 1925 to power trains through the mountains, but the rigid wheelbase quickly proved hard on the curves, and the 49 5000's were reassigned to straighter runs, notably the desert sections of the Sunset Route.

 

[funnelfan]

I purchased this Balboa/Katsumi model many years ago. I did a little work to it a while back adding some details, changing some details, remotoring it and painting the model. It ran alright on DC, but was a bit of a growler since I haven't replaced the gearbox yet. For the most part it has sat as a display model on the bookself.
A few days ago I dusted off the model and spruced up the paint. I made some fixes to the model, installed a decoder and headlight. There are still a number changes and detail updates I need to make, but the model runs well and doesn't have any electrical pickup issues. While the top speed of the engine is about 55mph, it pulled a good 18 car train up the 2%+ grades of the helix without any difficulty.

 

[Espeefan]

I have that model as well, though it is a later Westside with a little more detail. I have yet to paint mine, but it has been remotored and decodered, and is ready to paint. Just one suggestion for you:

The Katsumi 37:1 gearbox is really quite a nice runner. You might try cleaning it out, and shimming the worm shaft. It will quiet right down. The 37:1 ratio does make these models a little slow when you re-motor with a modern can motor, but OTOH, I find that with fast clock operation, it actually works out pretty well, as many operators have a tendency to "speed" and out run the schedule

I have several of these Katsumi made steamers, and I have never replaced the gearboxes. They all run quietly with only a few requiring the minor tuning described above.

Nice looking model. These are very well built and made to RUN! Congrats for putting her to work.

 

[kjd]

That is a good looking engine, Ted. The flat bottom smoke box looks a little odd. I guess they needed more room for that 3rd cylinder. What curves will it do? I have a Diayoung NP A5 4-8-4 that will barely do 32" radius. The pilot truck seems to hang up on the cylinder cocks on the bottom of the cylinders. The rigid 5 axle truck under the tender doesn't help either. It runs beautifully on straight track though.

 

[funnelfan]

It takes anything above 24" with ease, but I've even coaxed it around a 20" radius (that didn't look pretty). I did notice that on a hard pull coming out of the helix it slipped going into a 28" reverse curve, but then it dug into the curve and regained traction. Thankfully the driving axles have a fair amount of lateral play in addition to the mid-sized drivers, giving the locomotive impressive tracking ability. The drivers are also well sprung allowing it to hold traction on the long climb up the helix.