Yep, it fianly got here. this whole project started on accident when I discovered the Overland paint scheme in the stack of half off Athearn Kits...they only had two, so I then had to hunt down the fininshing pieces, the ony one I didn;t want was the round roof Coach, I figure the Ceestory provides somehting, and I like them a little more. They look differnt. I still need to add two more coachs/1 more pullmans to the set though, jsut to make it proper. As far as pulling power goes, I have the 0-6-0 by Bachmann in the Overland scheme now. It's pretty, but of course its not enough power. there is also the Bachmann Overland 4-8-4, but finding one of those at a BunnyRabbit price is nigh on the impossible. I was considering repainting a Mantua Pacific, and then suddenly, last week I run into a Mantua Pacific in almost the exact desired scheme. poof, instant end to the dillema! Looking at the closed gearbox in it, I am gussing this is a late run, with the modern mechanism. No messing around much more here unless DCC is desired! The Mantua Vanderbuilt tender is a little different, its built on the same chassis as their longhual tender...hehe. Anyhow, thought I'd Share it. I will have to find a layout down here in Tucson to go run it on!
Ummm...I don't know how it got here...but...its HO... I was tired last night...but I don't think I was that out of it...oops...
Looks good to me, Benny. Nice find on an unusual Mantua loco! I still have two HO Mantua's from the 1950's. They seem to last forever. (Talk about "heavy metal" ) Thanks for sharing! Bob Woods Phoenix AZ
I have to chime in on the Mantua's lasting forever... I have quite a few Mantua loco's, from the 0-4-0, and 0-6-0 Camelback's, 4-4-0, 4-4-2, 4-6-0, countless 4-6-2's, and 2-8-2's. Which I have one of the first 2-8-2's ever made from 1965. Plus I got an even older 4-6-2, from 1950! Plus I got one of 2 of my 0-4-0's thats a Camelback, is of the old "brass" kits that Mantua offered in the 1950's too! ALL still run like they did from new, with alittle grease and oil, made them some really good runners. My next loco by Mantua will be the 2-6-6-2 Logger with tender! Then, its gonna take on a new life! as a B&O 0-6-6-0! "Old Maude"
Congratulations Benny......it looks great.........enjoy it! I too have a Mantua Pacific from the 50's. One of the rods on the valve gear is broken. I'm thinking of having a decoder put in it for DCC if I can get a new valve gear. Howard
Benny, I have that exact same 4-6-2 that you've got, it's a good runner, but traction is something to be desired though. I've got a 2.5% grade on my layout and I have about 4 of those Athearn heavyweights and it always seems to loose its feet 2/3 up the grade, and thats with a good run at it. So you might want watch how many of those athearn passenger cars you put behind, but other than that it looks great.
