Reviewed October 2013
by Timothy Dike
| Alliance ModelWorks has been adding to their line of accessories.
This new one will appeal to the Railroad lover and diorama fan you all
of us. It's a USRA 2-8-8-2 Steam Locomotive typical of those in service
leading up to WW2. While Diesels were starting to take over in the 40's,
the war effort put slowed things down as the same engines were used to
power submarines and small escorts and landing craft. So Steam engines
were given a little more time. Most likely you would see this type of locomotive
on the mainline, so I wouldn't plan on switching your dockyard diorama
with one, however many mainlines ran next to the dockyards and these giant
steam engines would look at home pulling war supplies into the yards. Most
railroads handled the passengers with the newer (cleaner) diesels, so let
your E-9 locomotive pull the
troop train, and this one drag the freights.
Railroad that used this type of locomotive include:
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| BODY | |||||
| The boiler is cast in resin with steam domes and the basic components in one piece. The lower frame with the cylinders provides a base for the photo etch sides. The tender body is plain as it is mostly a base for the photo etch to attach to. | |||||
Click to enlarge images below
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| PHOTO ETCH | |||||
| A nice relief photo etched sheet provides the wheels and drivers, piping, cab, tender sides and other parts to add the finer fittings. |  |
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| INSTRUCTIONS | |||||
| The instructions are a single page showing the basic construction. They give the basic assembly but don't show the couplers or rear doors. |  |
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| BUILD UPS | |||||
Here are a few views of the completed kit.
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| CONCLUSIONS | |||||
This is really cool set that will allow you to combine
your love of ships and trains! Now if I could just find a way to motorize
them! A whole line of freight cars and other RR accessories is available
to choose from.
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