Two weeks ago, a guy at the local moel RR club had a Russian Decapod for sale- so, since it was a Frisco prototype, I bought it! SLSF 2-10-0 1632, a Bachmann Spectrum model. Sorry about the fuzzy pic, as I'm still working on close-up shots. This beast runs very nice, and goes well with my black & yellow RS1, 44-tonner, and GP7.
Like a Seth Thomas clock. Good slow speeds, and not too high on the top end. Bachmann did it right with the Spectrum line- the details are awesome, right down to the crew in the cab & firebox details. The deck flods down to cover the gap between locomotive & tender (it was a hand-fired coal-burner). The only detractions are the doghouse (off-center, whereas Frisco's 1600s had centered doghouses), the wires you see poking below the engine & tender, and the plastic Kadee wannabe couplers. I replaced them with number 58s, and I'm gonna paint the wires black. They're attached to a plug that goes into a receptacle on the tender. Also, if I get brave enough, I'll figure out how to re-center the doghouse. Speaking of which.......when I told the wifey how much I spent for it vs. its full retail price, I avoided said trip (doesn't happen often, so it's a victory ) It would also look good with Eagle-Picher lettering, since 5 Russkies were sold to E-P for their mining operations in NE OK. All of them were saved, and one (the 1630) is in service at the Illinois Ry. Museum. If your favorite RR had Russkie Decapods at one time or another, or if you want a good steamer for your shortline, the Spectrum 2-10-0 fits the bill! Two thumbs-up!
There is an ex-EP decapod at the rr museum in Dallas. I don't remember what road number it is, but I do have a few photos somewhere...
IIRC, that's the 1625- it and Frisco 4-8-4 4501 flank the Big Boy there. Whoever repainted the engine misspelled Picher as Pitcher- musta been an Aggie who done it......... BTW- Picher is in the midst of the old mining district, and because of that is ground zero for the whole Superfund cleanup site the mining district has become (think increased blood lead in children in that area, arsenic and lead leaching into Tar Creek, chatpiles still containing lead fragments.......cheapest palce in the Sooner State to buy land nowadays)
