Lobaugh Berk 2023

[bob turner]

"Coffin" is correct.
Major change - complete firebox and cab replacement.
Minor changes - mostly carved from thick wall pipe - sand dome is solid brass; Coffin is a chunk of iron pipe from my driver tire stock.
Should really have Baker gear, but I am happy. I have another on the way.
I will include my K-Line Berk. I am considering dumping it and doing a Lobaugh Berk in the same configuration.

[bob turner]

Some body else holds the copyright to this photo, but hey, it is my locomotive!

[R.K. Maroon]

I know I said something to this effect before, but I find that Southern Pacific ex-B&M Berkshire -- both model and prototype -- to be compelling. It looks like nothing else I have seen. I am sure that part of this is the presence of the SP oil tender, but the uncommon "not very SP" wheel arrangement is part of it too.

Gee, after that I am a bit reluctant to post another bread-and-butter Lobaugh, but I was very proud to snag this on eBay some years back. The seller took terrible photos and didn't know what it was, but I convinced myself it was a Lobaugh:



Here is a side view of the fireman's side:



The pilot truck is not original --it should be a outside bearing. My guess is that some previous owner swapped it out to improve the minimum turning radius. It took a few years, but I was finally able to locate a replacement. This one is in the project queue.

Jim

[bob turner]

All that needs is Scalecoat and decals. Nice.

Here's another SP - note that the sandbox is slightly different. Only a true rivet counter would notice.



Rear truck is off the track. Happened a lot when backing through a switch, because they used the truck for the tender drawbar. But here I did it to entertain SC Dave.

[ScaleCraft]

All that needs is Scalecoat and decals. Nice.

Here's another SP - note that the sandbox is slightly different. Only a true rivet counter would notice.



Rear truck is off the track. Happened a lot when backing through a switch, because they used the truck for the tender drawbar. But here I did it to entertain SC Dave.

My daily entertainment is duly noted.
Say again your elevation.
Descend immediately.

[bob turner]

Here is another one that looks like it has trailing truck issues:



This is the K-Line die cast Lima berk with Lima lettering. It is not completely accurate for #1; the trailing truck was different and the tender sides were not curved at the top. Still, for a 3-rail model it was quite accurate, if a bit on the small size.

I 2-railed it, moved the motor into the firebox where God and most of the rest of us intended it to be, and cut the U shaped boiler off, replacing it with brass tubing and boiler bands. I have no idea what got into K-Line with motors and boiler bellies, but it could be a simple Chinese preference for easy die work. In any case, the K-Lines are well detailed above the running boards, and I can find little wrong with their drivers, cylinders, and rods. Truck side frames are as good as they get.

So far, not a hint of zinc pest on any of my die cast models. Too bad they decided Diesels had to be plastic. Well, maybe it is a good thing, because I have been entertained for two decades with efforts to make metal Diesel models. I should check my threads on those - photos might have died?

[E7]

My daily entertainment is duly noted.

Say again your elevation.
Descend immediately.

Well done Dave!

[bob turner]

This is another non-Lobaugh. Its lineage is known to others, but the best I can figure it is an effort by Bob Smith with the help of Adams foundry. It is truly a doorstop; the boiler is one giant heavy chunk of brass. The cab takes some serious adjustment to fit correctly. Sure, I will paint the drivers someday, and decal the thing, right after I make a correct tender for it. It does run!

The current tender is a bronze version of the tender that came with the A-N Mountain. My understanding is that it was the tender supplied with this big Berk, but it is too short by almost an inch! Parked for now while I think of my next project.

[E7]

I am taking this space to "rail" (kinda catchy, I thought) against Mr. Lobaugh's nearly total disdain for any Eastern road names among his production. Shame! Shame! Because of that, all my engines are Nobaugh. Turner obviously doesn't have the jargon down yet!

[De Bruin]

Neat engine Bob, has a C&O or perhaps a "Van Sweringen-ish" look to it too.
That's a must to finish.

[bob turner]

C&O or Pere Marquette.

Lobaugh first offered three SP Models, but then branched out.

P1 Pacific - Baltimore & Ohio
4-4-0 - Boston & Maine
4-6-6-4 - Delaware & Hudson
Berkshire - CNW
Greenbrier - C&O
That Suburban Tank? Never happened west of Chicago.

Sure, over half of production was SP or UP, but you have to admit: Rollin did not leave out the Eastern roads.

[E7]

C&O or Pere Marquette.

Lobaugh first offered three SP Models, but then branched out.

P1 Pacific - Baltimore & Ohio
4-4-0 - Boston & Maine
4-6-6-4 - Delaware & Hudson
Berkshire - CNW
Greenbrier - C&O
That Suburban Tank? Never happened west of Chicago.

Sure, over half of production was SP or UP, but you have to admit: Rollin did not leave out the Eastern roads.

The only one of those I've ever heard of was the D&H. A real mixed bag, for sure. I couldn't resist kidding you a bit. Ended up getting some education!

[healey36]

Those are lovely things.

[bob turner]

There is a really nice MG Berk on eBay right now. Tender looks like it got hit with a hammer, which makes the price a bit high (by half, I guess). I am not really a C&O buff, but I have this Berk, a Greenbrier, and an Allegheny in the collection, and may soon add an F-17 Pacific.

I do have Eastern steam around here in relative abundance - way too many K4s and H10s, four B6 switchers, and the aforementioned Lobaugh Eastern road locomotives. Oh - and three NYC Hudsons.

[bob turner]

Here is an IGN cab astride a stock Lobaugh boiler - it has adjustment features, so it doesn't wind up tilted on some other boiler.