Jump to content

PRR T1: T1 Locomotive Trust - wants to build replica


Recommended Posts

 
 
 
 
 

I have one in O scale 3 rail (20-3043) just sitting because I run 2 rail. I liked the look of her so I may add a three rail line to run engines like her. Pennsy had some awesome looking steam engines. The big tenders add to the overall look too. Too bad MTH didn't go deeper into G gauge for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I hope MTH makes one at some point, I would bet it would be awhile before they got around to that particular prototype.  As it is Accucraft seems to be struggling to find a next model to bring to production that is viable (based on pre-orders) and I don't think we have heard a word from USA Trains on their next steam engine since the Big Boy which was announced in 2005. (I think I heard a rumor about an 844 from USA Trains but other than that mention that's all I think)  All the mfgs appear to be proceeding very carefully.

 

When you say didn't go deeper, do you mean didn't produce more during their initial push into G scale? (ie. beyond the Hudson, Challenger, Big Boy, GS-4, GS-2 and Triplex)  I'm asking cause this is spoken in a way that could be construed by the uninformed reader that they aren't ever making new product designs and are out of G scale neither of which is true.  MTH did in fact produce a new 2013 catalog which proved they aren't out of the One Gauge market and we just heard Mike Wolf say the next scale to get the GE ES44AC Evolution Series is One Gauge (my guess will show up in the 2014 catalog).  MTH is also on record saying they already have another steam locomotive sized up to 1:32 and is just a matter of bringing it to production.  They said it would be a smaller one but I have to think the next sizable engine in steam would most likely be a N&W J class.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

You know I've been kind of following the T1 Trust for a few years on another forum and I don't know what to think about them. They do seem sincere but when hard cold questions are asked they sort of side-step answering them. The biggest question is where will they get a Duplex frame? Those cast frames were some of the largest pieces ever made in the world at General Steel Castings in Granite City, IL. but that company is long gone and so is the art of large sand castings. Suppose it could be made up of weldments but would it hold up? Cast steel is a heck of a lot tougher than a weldment BUT the engines that EMD makes theses days are a weldment and not cast.

 

Next question is where are they going to operate it? The PRR had severe restrictions on where the Duplex's could run and it seems to me they were limited to between Chicago and Ohio because of curve and clearance issues so that negates the whole East Coast.

 

Another question is where to make those main & side rods out of the exotic materials that were used? Lightweight and strong so as not to throw off the balancing which is also a lost art. Then come those rotary poppet valves and where to pickup where the PRR left off on the development of them?

 

I do wish them the best of luck but I'd think they'd be better off finishing K4 1361...the one that got botched up when it was attempted to restore it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
 
  • 9 months later...

Just to give you an idea of what it would be like this is my Accucraft one in steam with prototype prr diagram cars in tow. This engine really needs wide radius though, just because you are running at passenger train speeds, not freight ones... It is very easy to drive and has a fantastic boiler. Now it will even have some PRR position light signals on its way. I scratch built one last year. it can indicate 9 positions manually. MTH and live steam work well together, just the problem of insulating steamers, I am thinking about battery  operation with DCS as Garry Raimond described to overcome this.

Enjoy!

post-50-0-99120200-1425461506_thumb.jpg

post-50-0-50105000-1425461625_thumb.jpg

post-50-0-67918500-1425461882_thumb.jpg

post-50-0-09101300-1425462237_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
  • 4 months later...
 
  • 7 months later...
 
 
 
  • 2 weeks later...
 
 
  • 4 months later...
 
 

   I wonder which has more parts,  Diesel or Steam locomotive.   Todays technology and now that the steel formula is being produced seems the only thing needed is time and money.   Many years left before it will be running, but what a site to see it will be.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
  • 1 month later...

Post on social media today:

" The T1 Trust is pleased to announce the addition of Doyle McCormack to its advisory board. Best known for his work restoring and operating the Southern Pacific Daylight #4449, McCormack brings over 40 years of railroad preservation experience to the T1 Trust. "

 

 

 

Doyle McCormack.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Wow, that is cool. I wish them well. I just read an article in MRC mag about how they rebuilt one from an accident with a 4-8-4 mountain's chassis. The story says that the new configuration probably would not do the 110 MPH smoothly as the original did. They must have really been at the cutting edge near the end of steam. It makes sense, learning why these old steam engines were so admired by the older guys.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I wish them well also and hope they get enough donations to make this become a reality (I've donated).  This has to be the most ambitious steam project ever undertaken (post the steam era) to build an engine like this, of this size from scratch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
  • 4 weeks later...
 
  • 6 months later...
 
  • 8 months later...
 

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
  • Create New...