American Models just announced the impending release of the Santa Fe 4-8-4. The new AM Northern is now listed on the web site www.americanmodels.com A big engine and new to S scale. Greg
I'm not sure about that. Ron Bashista at AM says the CB&Q is close to the Santa Fe engine modeled. It looks fairly accurate, with the quick comparison of prototype photos and the pre-production model. My road of choice would be RI but it would have to be similar enough to pass it off. I've given up having 98% accurate steam models for the WP. I'd have to scratch build them and I don't have the time to do that. Non the less, nice to see a new steamer offered. Greg
Yes still keeping me busy. Over time every day for the last two weeks. Seems like just about the time they have enough something happens and were short again. I'm looking forward to my vacation starting Saturday. Two weeks and plenty to do around the house. We will get away though for a couple days before school starts. Anyway to keep this on topic, rumor has it that AM will offer more than one tender for the different roads with the 4-8-4. Also the pre production model is better in person than the small picture shows. We shall see. Wish the dog hadn't bit into my budget with its last visit to the vets. Greg
Hi Greg, and all you other S-Gaugers: Haven't been here in a while and thought i'd post a follow up to this thread because our club, The Atlantic Coast S-Gaugers, ran our modular layout at the GWATS in Jacksonville back on March 24th. Had three members show up with this engine and wanted to let you know that it runs wonderfully. It's a great looking engine with a nice level of detail for the price. What does that mean? It means most of the piping is molded into the boiler casting. But most of the applied detail is metal, not plastic, and there is a lot of applied detail. So how does it run? I can only report on the AC Hi-Rail units as that is what we were running that day (no one brought a DC unit to the show) The engine has great low speed performance, looks nice starting up with a load. We ran them mostly with about a 45 car freight consist containing mostly S-Helper and American Models units, with a few new Flyonel cars tossed in now and then. We used TMCC on our outer loop and had two separate consists running at a time during part of the show. We'd all like to see someone modify the pilot coupler from the stock dummy to a real one so we can do a dual unit consist. The whistle and bell sound good, though there is not an "infinite variety" to choose from. There really isn't any cab interior detail, but you could fix this if that would please you. The smoke unit pleased everyone. The unit tracked very well over our many different types of track. Our corners used Classic American S-Gauge flextrack and i think the radius was 36 inches minimum. We don't have any turnouts on our outer loop so i can't report on how it handles those. All three of the units ran well right out of the box. So, if you have been waiting for a Northern with better detail than the AF unit, save your pennies. Regard'S', Ted
Thanks Ted for that report. I should have a scale DC version on the way. It's too big for what I plan on building for a home layout but just in case I get down to the SF Bay Area I can run it on the BASS groups modular layout. The other reports I've read about this engine have been positive also. With that and the SHS 2-8-0, steam power is looking up. Cheers, Greg Elems
