An E5s in N scale?

So a thought occurred to me, the way they usually do when I'm traveling (and therefore unable to be intimidated by the backlogged pile of unfinished stuff on my project pile). Now that the Bachmann K4s is out, and has proven to be a very good model, several of my other models have suddenly become redundant. Now, I've seen posts on certain other boards to the effect that some folks are planning on bashing E6s out of the new models, but I'm pretty lazy when you get right down to it, so rather than do all that cutting, I started thinking about what else I could do with the parts I have on hand.

I agree completely that we're somewhat lacking for good Atlantics in N scale- apart from FVM's very nice MILW A. But... why does it have to be an E6s? Nearly all of Pennsy's passenger steamers had 80" drivers, and the E5s in particular had the same pilot and trailing trucks as the E6s and K4s did... but had a smaller boiler. Hmm. From there I went looking for pictures.

A picture being worth a thousand words...





Obviously, there are differences. The domes are closer together on the B6sb, the firebox is longer, and the boiler shorter; the E5s has a longer smokebox... but the Minitrix B6 isn't correctly proportioned to begin with, so it's not as far of a stretch as the prototype photos make it seem to be... which makes it very close, if I can overlook some smaller details. The running boards are wrong, but they can be (and will likely need to be) ground off and replaced. If the domes really bug me too much, that's something that can be dealt with later by grinding off and replacing a dome. I may need to stretch the smokebox, but that doesn't really require a machine shop.

Okay, now I'm interested. So I took a mental inventory of what I had on hand that was expendable and came up with this list:

1x junkpile Minitrix B6sb (boiler, cab)
1x repowered Minitrix K4s (pilot, possibly motor, some other bits)
1x Precision Scale postwar K4s (chassis, drivers, pilot truck, trailing truck, assorted details)

Other things I'd need: tender body (Shapeways?), keystone number plate, running boards (I think I have materials I can use for those), LED headlamp, assorted details.

I think this might just be within my reach. I'm going to start working on it as soon as I get back from my trip.

 

Would a Bachmann USRA medium tender work if you cut down the extended sides on the coal bunker?

 

Also note the "reverse incline" of the cylinder block between the two types; it's pretty noticeable.

 

I'd be starting with the cylinders off the brass K4s, which are closer although still not right and a bit too big. If I can crank them around another few degrees that would be best, but we'll see... I might wind up having to either find or make a new set. If this were another class that would be easier to just handwave... some classes had quite a bit of variation in cylinder size and angle, but Pennsy only built about a dozen of these. Like the domes, the cylinders might just be something I'd fix down the road at some point.

As far as tenders go... maybe. Some of the available E5s photos show tenders with extensions, though not as pronounced. There's also this, found on Shapeways... very close, if I cut the reverse light housing off.

 

I don't understand why you need to kitbash anything, a perfectly good model of an E5 is already available in N scale, see:




(Evil laughter...)

 

Perfectly "good?" Really?? More like GREAT, OUTSTANDING, the HOLY GRAIL!!! of N scale..... Okay, I'm out there on a limb, but for a passenger train fan who's favorite road is CB&Q, those words are not far off.

 

Evidently you aren't among those who were "officially concerned" about the E5 (diesel) nose contours, as was beaten to death - for 13 pages, no less - over on that forum where the @$$hats dwell.

 

Now thats funny right thar...I dont care who ya R !!!

 

I was the one that started that thread. I was really hoping to pick up the set but ultimately the nose contours were too disappointing to get me to part with my money.
​

Jason

 

Um... Whats wrong with them? They look right to me.

 

Simply Google "Kato E5 officially concerned" and the first result should send you to the forum/thread with all of the sordid details.
We now take you back to the original topic.

 

Maybe next time don't bring it up if you didn't want to talk about it.

If they look okay to you, then don't worry about it and enjoy them. If you're still curious, then check out the thread and read the crazy as it happened.

Jason

 

I remember that thread over there. I know you guys are gungho and hardcore modelers over there. I do read a lot of the threads with interest on occasion. That 'E5' thread however was a 3 bagger minimum as far as popcorn goes though...

 

LOL! There's no accounting for taste, or passion.

 

Hah... if it weren't for the fact that there are still so many nice steamers I don't have, I'd buy that set in a heartbeat (rivet counting be damned). I thought about it more than a few times, too, but always had something that was a few lines higher on my shopping list. I do like the clean, simple look of the Q's streamliners... but first things first! There's this, because I just gotta have a Pennsy Atlantic on my roster one way or another, then I'll need a few freight haulers (still hoping BLI will come through on their M1s and save me the trouble...) and another shifter or two... see if I can finally get my hands on a GS4, a Dreyfuss Hudson, a Challenger, a few smaller engines like MP 4-4-0s, 2-6-0s, Bmann 4-6-0s, to reletter for a freelanced short line... a whole heaping pile of hoppers and boxcars and flats... then maybe I'll have room for a few more diesels.

Unless somebody announces passenger sharks. Then all bets are off.

 

There's Rivet counting and then there is this... I'll call it Nose Picking.