Era???

[The Royal Blue]

Hey Guys I was wondering if any of you could help me out, I have purchased a 2-8-0 loco "the royal blue" and I was wondering what era it comes from. I want to match the wagons to suit the age of the loco and design my scenery and layout to suit it. can anyone please help???
Cheers in advance Paul.

 

[MasonJar]

Got a picture? What railroad did it run on? Any other info? In North America, 2-8-0s were in use from circa 1870s to the end of steam, but in various incarnations. They were primarily freight haulers.

Andrew

 

[msowsun]

Is this your Loco?
Baltimore & Ohio 2-8-0, rd #1294
[SIZE=-2]ITEM # MDC-8019 Royal Blue Paint Scheme[/SIZE]

 

[cnw1961]

As listed in the B&O steam roster 2-8-0 #s 1266-1299 and 1516-1536 were built by Baldwin 1897-1898. Here is a pic of #1531: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-s1531.jpg .

 

[MasonJar]

Paul,

The picture posted by Mike (msowsun) looks like a Nscale loco. Is your N or HO?

The fallen-flags picture link from Kurt shows #1531, which was built just before the turn of the (last) century as he pointed out, but has been extensively updated. The photo is from 1948, about 50 years after it was built!

So the question then is - what does yours look like, and "when" do you want to run it?

Andrew

 

[The Royal Blue]

Is this your Loco?
Baltimore & Ohio 2-8-0, rd #1294
[SIZE=-2]ITEM # MDC-8019 Royal Blue Paint Scheme[/SIZE]

There similar but no means a match. I cant wait for it to get here so that i can start to build my railroad around it. Thanks for that.

 

[The Royal Blue]

Paul,

The picture posted by Mike (msowsun) looks like a Nscale loco. Is your N or HO?

The fallen-flags picture link from Kurt shows #1531, which was built just before the turn of the (last) century as he pointed out, but has been extensively updated. The photo is from 1948, about 50 years after it was built!

So the question then is - what does yours look like, and "when" do you want to run it?

Andrew

Thanks Andrew
My loco is a HO scale. I have just posted a pic in my previous post of the Loco that I will be basing my layout from. I realy want to run it as soon as I can but I want to do a bit of research before I start to play around with setting up my layout. I am hoping to create an era where diesels an steam can run together. I think
i may be able to do it but I need to look into what is available first.

 

[Thoroughbreed]

The era of the Royal Blue of B&O RR is late 1930~1950's passenger service. Heres a link to it along with the "presidents":
http://www.ironhorse129.com/Friends/DavyCormack/BO_Presidents.htm

 

[MasonJar]

That's what confused me a bit... "The Royal Blue" is a named passenger train, that would not have been pulled by a primarily freight locomotive. The era of "named" engines ended in the mid-1800s. So where does the name come from and why was it applied to this little loco?

In any case, you are probably safe running a "modernized" 2-8-0 in the late 1940s to the late 1950s, which will easily allow you to run diesels as well.

Andrew

 

[MilesWestern]

Just a thought, but why base your ENTIRE layout around a tyco engine? I'd highly suggest looking for a nice trackplan, and adapting it for you needs, vs. building the layout around one feautre, uit usually turns out for the better.

Also, remeber that tyco was seldom prototypical, and B&O's royal blue probably has little or nothing to do with that locomotive. However, if it runs smoothly, and can pull well, you're set! :thumb: If it doesn't, don't be discouraged, just ssave your pennies for a even nicer locomotive!

 

[MilesWestern]

Here's a page dedicated to your tender-driven consolidation:
http://tycotrain.tripod.com/steamengines/id2.html
WOW! $33.00 for this back in the 1970's!!!

 

[msowsun]

Photo from http://tycotrain.tripod.com/steamengines/id2.html

And one from Ebay

 

[eightyeightfan1]

Correct me if I'm wrong(which is a lot), but the Tyco "Royal Blue" was a generic paint scheme applied to that loco.
Like mentioned above, the real B&O "Royal Blue" was a premier passenger train that ran from Washington DC.. Hence the presidental names on the passenger cars.
From what I remember reading, the real "Royal Blue", was headed by a 4-8-4 "Berkshire" type loco. In the late 50's, these were replced by F diesel units(May have been E's). Just before the mid sixties, with falling revenue, the "Royal Blue" was discontinued.
So, though you have a nice collectors piece, there is no prototype match.
If you are just looking for an era to base your layout on, using that loco as a starting point, I would go with the late 1800's to early 1920's or late 30's.

 

[The Royal Blue]

You guys are just awsome. I mean fair dinkum you have given me the leads and enabled me to view some literature, that tripod site was something I had never seen before. The Loco that I have is from the 1977 to 1987 era which is around the time that my parents has purchased my first train set.
I have just purchased the engine on its own for $41.00 us Which I thought was a bargain.
I will take the advice from Miles also and I will try to incorperate the early fifties into the layout which I think will work out well.
Thanks again, Paul.