I wish some one would come out with a general frisco number kit with 4 of each number. it would make modeling steam engines alot easier. if one exicts will some one tell me where to purchase it. i'm working on a 2-8-2 and a 0-6-0 switcher.
This is all I can find about Aristo-Craft: http://railroad.union.rpi.edu/article.php?article=2599 Does it run ok?
yes it runs great it just needed some grease put on the gears and i run it every day on my garage layout.
I had an Aristo-Craft 2-8-2 that I bought at a hobby shop about 1960. It was supposed to be a U.S.R.A. It was brass, unlettered with a nice plain black paint job. The dealer didn't have the box. It was a good, smooth runner--a little squeaky as I remember. I traded it years ago. I paid about $30--translating to today's money, I think your $46 and change is a good buy for about any brass engine. Tom
Murphy, try Oddballs Decals set 317. Here's a link to Tom's web site: http://mopac1.tripod.com/oddballs3.htm Tom Stolte is 7' 0" tall and can't be missed at a train show. He also has a set for the gold lettering on Frisco's passenger steam engines. Doug
I'll second Doug's suggestion! Tom's Oddballs Frisco steam decal sets, both freight and passenger, have lots of numbers. In addition, Tom offers a wealth of other Frisco car and loco decal sets, plus a few for QA&P, and a bunch of Frisco specific odds & ends. I rate Oddballs (and Microscale) as my favorite decals to use. Oddballs are accurate, thin filmed, tough, and go on such that I rarely need to overspray to hide the decal film. I rate Oddballs as slightly better than Microscale - Tom's decals don't break apart as often as Microscale's do, in fact, I've never had an Oddballs come apart that I can recall. Happens frequently with Microscale, in particular if they are a few years old. My only problem with Tom's decals is with his original shade of yellow - not opaque enough. Tom made some changes several months ago to improve this, but I've not used any of the new ones yet. From the looks of the new decals in the package, I'd say he has fixed the problem. I love decalling! I took a clinic years ago when we lived in Cincinnati from a Microscale guy (topic was how to best decal model airplanes), and have used their system since with great success. I use both Microscale solvents (MicroSet first, then MicroSol second), plus a quick, final once-over wash with Walther's SolvaSet (careful, it's potent!). I use a very soft, wet, small modeling brush to apply the solvents, a fine blunt wooden pick to help move them around, and a X-acto triangle/square to help line them up(*). The main other ingredient to add to that mix is patience, lots of patience. Ken (*) I didn't use the square on the SLSF 5215 I wrote about a few weeks ago, and as a result, the left side nose numbers are not lined up properly. I'm going to have to renumber that side. See what I mean about patience? I was in a hurry.
I have a chance to purchase a hallmark brass 4500 series engine. I am new to modeling the Frisco as well as model railroading in general, after taking several years off for school and work. My question is, is this a good model and worth it to buy, or would I be better off going a different way to model a 4500 series, and if so what would be a good model to buy? I plan on modeling the eastern division and after buying several books on the Frisco I really want one of these. I am not a nuts and bolts counter, so I can live with a few discrepencies. Just wanting everyones opinion on these.
Before you buy, better look at Don Wirth's posts below and read what he has to say about his Hallmarks--While you're at it, enjoy the beautiful work he's done with his Hallmark engines. Tom
Hallmark imported the Frisco 4500’s during the late 70’s; as I recall about 1978 or 1979. I bought two. Scuttlebutt at the time said that Bobbye Hall used the 4501, which is on display in Dallas, as the model for the model. For example, the 4501 was missing its jacket over the firebox, so the Hallmark model has none. A removable oil bunker comes with the model, so a coal burner or an oil burner can be modeled. However, there is a difference between the tender of an oil burner and a coal burner; the oil burner tender sides "curl" inward through the oil bunker. The coal-burner tender sides are straight and lower through the coal bunker. The tender scales about 5’ (0.69") too long. The tender trucks are crap, and the thing would derail while standing. I rebuilt my tender extensively so that it matches most the prototype dimensions, and I bought a set of Overland Models Buckeye trucks to replace the Hallmark trucks. It took me a while to screw up enough courage to put a saw to the tender; it was a $260-$300 locomotive. http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?t=1732&highlight=4505 I did not do much to the locomotive. I changed a few details, added a smoke deflector to the stack, added a coonskin number plate, and fleshed-out the details in the cab. The driver equalization was stiff, and I cleaned-up the driver boxes and changed the springs. I left the mechanism alone, but if I were starting over, I’d go for a larger can motor, fly-wheel, and a "universal" drive train. Like the prototype, the model is big. On my old layout, I had a minimum radius of 24". The model would negotiate this curve, but looks and operates better on broader curves. It will run through number 6 turnouts, but looks much better on number 8’s. If you’re after a Frisco 4500, the Hallmark is probably the best place to start. In my view, there aren’t any other HO models locomotives that come close. If you are not a rivet counter, then a paint job should do the trick. Oddball Decals has the decal sets for either the freight version or passenger version. Brass locomotives are "old technology", and generally, they tended to be mediocre to poor performers. There were exceptions. Give some thought to performing a mechanical rebuild. During the past couple of years, MR ran an article about conducting such work.
Thanks Karl, that really helps. I think I can live with the problems you spoke of, but I will definately invest in new wheels for the tender. Do you know if there is a model, brass or plastic of the 4300 or 4400 series 4-8-2? I received my copy of Frisco Power yesterday and I really think modeling the Frisco in the 1947-49 time frame is the way to go. I love the look of the steam power of that era, too bad I wasn't alive to see it myself. Again thanks for your input. I'm trying to learn as much about the Frisco as I can.
Recently, Bachman Spectrum produced a 4-8-2 lettered for Frisco 4422. If you aren't a rivet counter then this might be just thing thing for you. They are no longer in production, but conduct a google search, and you might find a hobby shop that still has one in stock. Of course Overland produced models of the 4300's and both versions of the 4400's, which are much better models than the Hallmark 4500's. Keep an eye on Ebay or Caboose Hobbies, Denver
See the thread above... http://www.frisco.org/vb/showpost.php?p=10193&postcount=17 Of course this is purely hypothetical; I've taken the 4422 out of the box a couple of times and let her limber up on a short stretch of track. Now that my modeling focus has shifted to the Caruthersville Branch, I don't think a kitbashed 1500-class will do. Accordingly I could be persuaded to sell or trade the Spectrum 4422 (preferably for a Spectrum 4-6-0 or Russian). Interested parties can send a private message via the Frisco Railroad Library to yardmaster. Best Regards,
Here is a photo of our #4209 as customized and finished by Don Wirth. He also customized the smoke and dust for this impressive view. Ken McElreath
Nice photo, Ken - I like the angle. Good to see all of the scale steam locomotives. It's what keeps me (slowly) moving toward completing my motive power. Thanks for sharing,
Here are some photos of my HO versions of Mikado #4002 and Consolidation #1273. The 2-8-2 is an Akane model and the 2-8-0 was a Hallmark Mopac model. It is modeled as a coal burner for switching service at East Thomas yard in Birmingham. Ken McElreath
You got a great deal. I've enjoyed reading your progress, on FaceBook, on finishing this Mike. I still remember the full-page ads Aristo Craft ran in RMC back in the late 50-early 60's. Kids, I'm old - just turned 68 on Tuesday the 19th.
Thanks Doug, My little investment has come a long way. I've now spent another $25.00 getting replacement and detail parts for the engine. I've corrected the paint scheme for use on my transition era layout. I'm needing a cheap engine that would make a good 4003. I visit the Frisco 4003 in real life almost every sunday. My church is a few blocks away and my mother drives out of the way so I can see the last steam engine in the area. Ship it on the Frisco!!! Murphy Millican
