Bob, I'm still confused (don't forget, I'm still quite new) Did Pennsy have their own body type of a 4-8-2? This is not the same as a 4-8-2 light mountain?
Chuck and FRT is a numero uno class act opperation. Never had a problem with them and alway friendly and GRAND customer service. MY #1 online stop. Kevin
All Pennsylvania steam loco's are very distinctive. from the front headlight to the distinctive Belpaire firebox. "They were Pennsy’s best. In an era when the Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest railroad in the world, its most versatile locomotives, favorites among its own people, were the 301 Mountains of classes M1 and M1a. The Pennsylvania Railroad came late to high-horsepower dual-service steam locomotives. As tonnage rose in World War I, the Pennsy’s first priority had been to acquire low-drivered drag freight locomotives, such as the I1 2-10-0 Decapods, to handle its mountain grades. Only when that was done did it turn its attention to modern, dual service power. In 1923, it took the I1's boiler design, added a larger combustion chamber and substituted a 72-inch drivered, 4-8-2 wheel arrangement underneath. In keeping with its conservative philosophy, it ordered a single class prototype from its own Juniata shops in Altoona. In 1926, when the prototype was judged successful, 200 more locomotives followed—class M1. These locomotives perpetuated the standard Pennsy look with their high headlights, square-shouldered Belpaire fireboxes, and unshielded air reservoirs on the pilot deck. Happy as it was with its fleet of 325 K4 4-6-2s, Pennsy turned back to that design for 100 locomotives in 1927–28, followed by two experimental K5s in 1929, but resumed deliveries of 4-8-2s in 1930. Baldwin built Nos. 6700–6749, Juniata built Nos. 6750 – 6774 and Lima added Nos. 6775–6799. These 100 M1as differed from the M1s with dual air tanks and Pennsy's first coast-to-coast large-capacity tenders—nearly as long as the locomotive itself which could hold more than 31 tons of coal. As the 1930s unfolded, the electrification east of Harrisburg freed up many K4 4-6-2s for passenger work. The K4s, double-heading when necessary, in turn displaced the M1s from passenger assignments, even though a single 4,000-horsepower M1 could handle up to 22 Pullmans at speed." Stay cool and run steam....
Let me chime in too. Two days after placing my order and I have the package - West Coast to East Coast!!!! In addition to speed, I once had a problem with a loco and he asked me to send it back to him. In the mean time (he didn't tell me then) he cross shipped a replacement at the same time. Soooo, I send back the bad loco and the next day the new one shows up in the mailbox! You should have seen the look on my face as I didn't know he cross shipped and I was wondering how the heck did he get it here so fast?????!!!!
Chuck is # 1 in my book too! Way back before hurricane Katrina knocked me out of N scale, Chuck spent more than a month getting me 5 dozen Dimi-Trains sugar beet kits! What a great guy!
