Michael Moran said:
David I already have three on order for others at a special price before delivery which will be in June
Mike
Do have have a version that comes with a pair of blacked-out goggles?
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Port Orford Coast RR and Vibona Shortline
What scale is this model?
Geoff Ringle said:
What scale is this model?
Thats a good question, arguably they are standard gauge prototypes, but my 0-6-0 Switchers come with an engineer figure thats alot more 1/22 than 1/29. The Mogul has a cab that is definitely on the 1/29 side. So I’ll go out on a limb and say 1/29. (Gummi) I’m planning to try and get one of these just because it SO fits into my harbor layout.
Even though I have not been active with my trains , not counting under the Christmas tree , I intend to get the Piko camelback loco because my grandfather had been a fireman on a camelback loco up East around 1900 or so . Of course we have no idea what class of loco or what railroad .
So if only for display in the glass case , and run seldom , I would like one to show the kids and grandkids .
I think its a neat loco and a change from the normal offerings available .
Its a neat looking loco and nice to see something on the smaller size. Our local railroad (Sussex railroad) ran these back in the day. Im like Vic, I dont need all the bells and whistles. Keep it simple. Now a live steam version would be cool.
I looked at a bunch of Google pics. It needs a pilot truck. (Yah, I know, there was one pic without it.)
I like pilot trucks. 
Looks interesting, I will have to check if my local dealer will be ordering any.
It’s NOT a case of being a rivet counter, it’s a case of looking at a model, that with just a bit of care could have been a very decent model, as it is, it depicts a machine that wouldn’t run.
Some may not care, but I happen to care about what a manufacturer throws at the market place, when they could have done much better if the cared…
In case anyone is interested, a picture of the prototype can be found on page 49 of Reading Power Pictorial by Bert Pennypacker. It is class B-8b, Nos. 1393- 1399, P & R Shops 1913 and 1921. The model of the engine appears to be very close to the prototype, except for wrong valve gear and perhaps the curvature of the cab. Unfortunately, the tender is totally wrong, but for anyone who really wants a Reading steam engine, this engine worth having.
I am not a camel back fan. But it is an interesting prototype. So I just may get one, simply because it IS different
Fred Mills, BSc, BS, SD said:
It’s NOT a case of being a rivet counter, it’s a case of looking at a model, that with just a bit of care could have been a very decent model, as it is, it depicts a machine that wouldn’t run.
Some may not care, but I happen to care about what a manufacturer throws at the market place, when they could have done much better if the cared…
I agree. It’s a puzzle to me why manufacturers will often get so close to getting it right, and then drop the ball.
Slightly different, but they both have one hump.
Not for me though, it’s not narrow enough!
(http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/data/mabloodhound/2011122116541_CamelbackRRR2.jpg)
Andrew
Not a bad starting point for someone wanting a camelback and not wanting or having the ability to build one from scratch. More useable in 1/29 which is what it should be since the prototype is a standard gauge engine. I’m sure Piko’s aim is to get maximum usage from their six wheel power block tooling. Personally I think it looks much more prototypical than their mogul which to me looks way too caricature like .
I think it’s nicely done… IMO…
However, like Vic, I’d like to see it without the decoder.
Mike, will one be available at York???
I wouldn’t take it as a gift. The loco is ugly as sin. The incomplete valve gear makes it looks like a dog with a missing hind leg. What were they thinking?
Their pilots hated them, by the way. Cab way too hot, Fireman way too cold.
I couldn’t do it to my crews!
My mos’ favorite loco is the good old 4-4-0. Can’t be beat, in my (not so) humble opinion.
Case closed.
Mind closed too. Oops did I say that out loud?
Cheers, everyone - each to his own, I say…
I’ve always wondered why they only went half way, when visibility was the issue, and built the Camelback, instead of building a cab forward?
The only person who could love that loco would be Stevie Wonder.
I partially agree with J le F here - a nice 'American loco like, fer’instance, ‘Leviathan’ would be a blessing.
In a ‘proper’ scale, of course.
Like 1:20.3…
tac, ducking
Stan I don’t think it will be available by then If interested I am a Piko dealer and I am selling them for $400. They did use the motor assembley and tender from their 260 this saved them on retooling all which helped to keep cost down.
Mike
Steve Featherkile said:
I’ve always wondered why they only went half way, when visibility was the issue, and built the Camelback, instead of building a cab forward?
Visibility was never the issue, it was firebox size. Reading and a few others tried burning anthracite coal which burned slower and hotter than regular coal and was cheaper and more plentiful, but it also required a much larger firebox grate area to burn properly. So much large if left no real room for a cab where the engineer could see forward, so they moved the cab midway on the boiler. Yeah crews hated them, they lived in constant fear of a broken siderod or thrown tire. They were hot as hell in summer and the fireman lived a life of exposed misery. Later almost everyone of them was rebuilt with a regular cab and they just lived with the reduced forward visibility, much the relief of their crews.
Vic Smith said:
Steve Featherkile said:
I’ve always wondered why they only went half way, when visibility was the issue, and built the Camelback, instead of building a cab forward?
Visibility was never the issue, it was firebox size. Reading and a few others tried burning anthracite coal which burned slower and hotter than regular coal and was cheaper and more plentiful, but it also required a much larger firebox grate area to burn properly. So much large if left no real room for a cab where the engineer could see forward, so they moved the cab midway on the boiler. Yeah crews hated them, they lived in constant fear of a broken siderod or thrown tire. They were hot as hell in summer and the fireman lived a life of exposed misery. Later almost everyone of them was rebuilt with a regular cab and they just lived with the reduced forward visibility, much the relief of their crews.
Sooooo, visibility was not an issue, then? 
