Mega Bloks steam locomotive

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 9:35 am

has anyone tried using this with xd? I saw one set up at a local TRU....looked pretty good. I'm sure it's a bit underscale, i'm guessing probably around 1/22 or so but it has the look of a german wwii locomotive. At around $50 it's a LOT cheaper than any G scale locomotive i've ever seen and is bigger too. No tender comes with it unfortunately.

Here's a pic for those that don't know what i'm referring to..

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/60 ... B00005BNID

MG-42 · Post by **MG-42** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 9:49 am

Interesting concept for an XD Locomotive. Maybe they'll come out with a "Leopold or Dora" ! ......HAHAHAHAHAHA !! ..lol..

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:25 am

Another plus of it is if the cab is too small, its easy enough to enlarge it. Also, you can get away without the tender if you just add some blocks to make it a tank engine (4-6-4T). Also, fix the pilot - that looks too north american.

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:34 am

excuse my complete ignorance but what is a 'tank engine' and were they used commonly during the war? And what is the 'pilot'?

kevrut · Post by **kevrut** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 1:13 pm

I've been looking for a locomotive in 1/18 scale for a while. For 1/18 the Loco would have to be at least 9 to 9 and a half inches tall and about 6 inches wide. The only ones I have found are the "Buddy L" trains from the 1920's and 1930's. They go for about $1,000 for just the Loco and tender. I think the Mega Blocks train is about half that size. G-scale is a bit closer to 1/18.(Closer to 1/22.)

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 1:20 pm

Tank engines usually with have water tanks over or on the sides of the boiler, and someplace to store coal/oil so that you don't need a tender. Most are used for switching, but some do run short haul trains. I will look tonight in the one book I have on WWII railroads in Europe. I seem to recall several shot-up German steam engines that were tank engines. Here's some examples:

http://www.ehattons.com/StockDetail.aspx?SID=17139
http://www.ehattons.com/StockDetail.aspx?SID=17323

Also, the pilot is the front of the locomotive, sometimes called "cow-catchers". European engines general have a vertical pilot with buffers. See the picture on this web page:

http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt/ ... tives.html

krieglok · Post by **krieglok** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:36 pm

Actually, many heavy main line locomotives on the DR in Germany were tank engines. They would be used mostly on heavy freight trains as the small diameter of the drivers kept them from achieving passenger train speeds. One idea behind using a tank engine was visbility when running in reverse. Many times, engines were not turned on turntables as in the US. Even the large tender locomotives were built with dual controls so the engineer would be on the correct side no matter what direction they were traveling.

I believe Revell makes a 1:35 scale locomotive. I think Dragon just put out a 2-10-0 BR52(or 50) locomotive(most common freight engine in WW2) as a 1:35 scale kit. It is about 3 feet long when asssembled and costs around $150...

I will stick to my HO DR trains for now...

TJ

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:14 pm

thanks for the info guys.

As for the Mega Bloks one, it's 23 inches long (this is just the locomotive), 5 and a bit inches wide and 7 1/2 inches tall...so i think my guess of 1/22 scale is pretty close.

For those who aren't too fussy on scale this is by far the cheapest way of getting a reasonable looking WWII loco. With a few mods and a nice camo or black paint job it could look pretty decent.....especially now that a tender is not really required, thanks to tank engines.

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:26 pm

I found one of those Buddy L outdoor trainset Locomotives on Ebay. Nice but a tad pricey for sure:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %3AIT&rd=1

I found another set with loco, tender and three railcars....the seller wanted $2500. eek.

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:01 pm

not to beat this to death but i just found a german wwii locomotive that is almost exactly the size of this mega bloks model. It's the BR 81 heavy duty switcher. Link:

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~khmiska/BR%2081.htm

The mega bloks loco is 23 inches long which is just one inch short of 36 feet, the length of the BR 81.

Now, i don't know much about locomotives or what switchers were used for....maybe someone can elaborate on this a bit.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:34 pm

Switchers were usually smaller engines used to move cars about in a switchyard and assemble them into trains, while larger locomotives pull the trains cross country. Either way, your German engine would have eventually wound up being a target for allied aircraft

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:17 pm

Either display it as target fodder for straffing runs, or you can use it as something the americans got running after occupying the area.

Post by **aferguson** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:01 pm

For anyone who is keen on a 1/18 german locomotive here is a link to a paper model of a BR 52, which was one of the most common heavy locomotives of the war. It's 1/25 scale but easily scaled up. I would think locomotives would be simple paper models to make as all the shapes are rather simple. If nothing else you can use the parts as patterns and make it out of plastic.

http://www.hobbyfactory.com/product_inf ... cts_id=535

ps there are also a few armored trains and one leopold railway gun available in 1/25 paper model form. I have the Leopold and the detail and weathering on it are astonishing. I plan to build it when i get a bit more experienced. It'll be nearly six feet long....woohoo!

luftpanzer · Post by **luftpanzer** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:20 pm

Isnt LGB electric trains close to 1/18th

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:54 pm

Nope. LGB is generally around 1:22.5. Bachmann and Accucraft are the closest at 1:20.3.

aktiger · Post by **aktiger** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:01 pm

Actually it depends what they are replicating. If it's a narrow gauge loco it's generally 1/20th to 1/24th, depending on the manufacture. If it's a regular gauge loco (which the North America and Europe are close but not exactly the same), G scale is generally 1/29 to 1/32.

By the way, in case no one knows, the "G" in G scale, of which LGB, Accucraft, Aristocraft, Bachmann, and USA Trains make trains for, stands for "Garden", for all you outdoor enthusiasts.

luftpanzer · Post by **luftpanzer** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 12:00 pm

You put a 1/18th tiger on a G scale in the Garden and it will look awesome I bet.

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 12:42 pm

luftpanzer wrote:You put a 1/18th tiger on a G scale in the Garden and it will look awesome I bet.

In general, the g-scale flat cars are too narrow - the Tiger looks silly on them. The Sherman is okay, and with the halftracks and dodges looking the best.

This is one of my projects that I hope to start soon. This company is trying to develop some products for people who want to model 1:20.3 trains on standard gage track

http://www.crofutandironcreek.com/CumberlandHome.htm

I'm hoping to pick up some track, as I already have this engine
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/index.html

These locos were used by the USATC in Europe in the war. The hoods are a little low, but I think I can fix it. Someone just wrote in one of the magazines the coversion of the trucks is fairly simple. So, I hope to get a set running of standard gauge 1:20.3 trains - a little undersized, but I don't mind too much. And if anyones intersted, these engines have came down quite a bit in price lately.

Also, I'm hoping to get started on a 16mm layout based on RAF Chilmark. 16mm is mostly done in England - 1:19 scale with trains on O-scale track (scale 2' gage).

Small Scale Military Headquarters

Mega Bloks steam locomotive

Mega Bloks steam locomotive

XD Locomotive ?

xd