Brass C&O L-2a Poppet Valve Hudson Gallery
The prototypes were built by Baldwin in 1948. The C&O put them to work on fast passenger trains on heavy grades. They were retired by 1953 as diesels sweep in. Extremely modern steam locomotives with all the latest appliances, they had a very well balanced and 'crisp' superpower look.
Overland #1493.1 C&O 'L2-a' 4-6-4 Poppet-valve Hudson. Painted #310-314. Note: The cab sides and tender rear are not numbered, but decals and number plates for all 5 engines were included, allowing one to choose which engine number they want.
The detailing and finish are beautiful. There is a seperate gearbox for the poppet drive shaft. Some of these engines had problems with the poppet gearbox resulting in poor running, but the one I owned was fine.
'Brass Model and Collector' magazine (Issue #1, Jan 1991) reviewed all the C&O L-2a brass models produced, and found this Overland engine to be the most prototypically correct, and as well detailed as any of the 4 L-2a models.
The Fujiyama L-2a is not too different from the Overland, both are extremely fine models of C&O Superpower, but I find that I prefer this one, for subtle little things that the Japanese builders are just a bit more expert at then the Koreans !!
What can one say ? A Custom Trash model, rough, but cheap. Got any pictures ?
OK, it's not a poppet valve model, but... An ordinary Gem model, poor castings, mechanism, etc. Not bad when it was all you could get
Extremely rare engine, only 5 were made. I have never personaly seen one, but I did find this picture of one in an old RMC magazine...
