Except for some very minor nit-picky details (Don Thompson awarded me the honor
of being the first to remark on the absence of rerail frogs on the
tender sidesills, although there are holes for them--likely a result of his
finally giving up on getting the Chinese to do it exactly right and going
intoproduction just to have something after several years of everyone waiting
for it), I frankly don't see how the SHS 2-8-0 could be improved on. It isa
very persuasive model of the B&O E-27 class, one of their largest groups. The
other road names are not prototypical, but Don chose major roadswhich had
generally similar mid-size 2-8-0's. One of mine is NYC (it was what I was
offered when I was in the market) and it close enough for mostmodelers, using a
number for a B&A locomotive where the major differences were the bell placement
and a Westinghouse cross-compound air pumpinstead of the twin single-phase on
the B&O class (maybe also the valve gear--I don't remember from when I
checked). It would require someone withconsiderable NYC expertise to look at
the model and point out the discrepancies without researching it. Same with
the MEC, Erie perhaps slightly lessa match but not offensively so.
Jace Kahn
General Manager
Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co.
AM and SHS have produced many items that are very close to prototype,
especially SHS. Their Consolidation engine is absolutely terrific: True to
scale, at least plenty close enough for me, and is a very smooth runner. I have
two and double-headed they are a real crowd catcher.
AM engines and rolling stock may be purchased with scale or hi-rail AF
compatible wheelsets. SHS engines are available with either scale wheels or AF
compatible. SHS rolling stock comes with hirail wheelsets attached but includes
scale wheels.
Roy Inman
