CN, Santa Fe & Chattanooga Questions

[RobertInOntario]

I recently came across another box of my Dad's model railway stock (he passed away in 1999 and I inherited his many model RR items from the 1960s-80s).

I have a Santa Fe shunter 0-4-0 (made by AHM that runs well) and a Chattanooga 2-8-0 (made by Tyco, I think, but I still have yet to get it running yet). I'm wondering if CN or CP ever used any such locos? If they did, I was thinking about changing their liveries/road names to CN or CP.

I'd imagine that the 2-8-0 was primarily used for freight.

I realize that this isn't much to go on and I'll try to post some pics in due course. Thanks in advance for any feedback though!

Rob

 

[LongIslandTom]

Yes, both CN and CP operated 2-8-0s one time or another..

CN steam engine classes: http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/CNRclass.html
CP steam engine classes: http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/CPclass.html

However, I would advise against using that Tyco Chattanooga loco. Due to the poorly-designed tender-driven arrangement and its use of a pancake motor drive, the Tyco engine is unreliable, jerky, and weak in pulling power. You are better off buying a newer-design 2-8-0. Several brands on the market today offer 2-8-0s with the more reliable flywheel drives.

Hope this helps.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Is the 0-4-0 a saddle tank "dockside" type engine? I think most class 1 roads had quit running such small switchers shortly after 1900. If I were you, I think I would plan a large industry on the layout that would be big enough to take a decent cut of cars and need a small switch engine to shuttle the cars around and put together a cut to leave with the next local coming in. Today most industrial railroads use small diesels from GE 44 tonners to cast off sw unit or old emd gp7's or 9's or Ge b truck U-boats. Of course many bought Cf-7's when Santa Fe sold them off a few years ago. In the days before deisel, a local industry needing a locomotive would quite likely have one of those little saddle tankers or an 0-4-0 with a slope back tender.

 

[RobertInOntario]

Yes, both CN and CP operated 2-8-0s one time or another..
CN steam engine classes: http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/CNRclass.html
CP steam engine classes: http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/CPclass.html
However, I would advise against using that Tyco Chattanooga loco. Due to the poorly-designed tender-driven arrangement and its use of a pancake motor drive, the Tyco engine is unreliable, jerky, and weak in pulling power. You are better off buying a newer-design 2-8-0. Several brands on the market today offer 2-8-0s with the more reliable flywheel drives.
Hope this helps.

Thanks, Tom. That's helpful info, especially about the poor pulling power and unreliability of this Tyco loco. I just took it into a LHS for servicing so I think I'll phone them and ask them not to work on it. Locos that don't run smoothly and have weak pulling power are very frustrating! Thanks for your feedback. Cheers, Rob

 

[RobertInOntario]

Is the 0-4-0 a saddle tank "dockside" type engine? I think most class 1 roads had quit running such small switchers shortly after 1900. If I were you, I think I would plan a large industry on the layout that would be big enough to take a decent cut of cars and need a small switch engine to shuttle the cars around and put together a cut to leave with the next local coming in. Today most industrial railroads use small diesels from GE 44 tonners to cast off sw unit or old emd gp7's or 9's or Ge b truck U-boats. Of course many bought Cf-7's when Santa Fe sold them off a few years ago. In the days before deisel, a local industry needing a locomotive would quite likely have one of those little saddle tankers or an 0-4-0 with a slope back tender.

Thanks, Russ. It's not a saddle tank loco but it DOES have a sloped back tender. I'm quite pleased with how well it runs, smoothly and quietly.

I'll try to use it as a switcher as you suggest. My current layout is quite small and limited though (only 4x6') but I hope to build a larger one some day with more industrial sidings.

Thanks again. Rob