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| TEST TRACK | ARRIVAL BOARD | MAINTENANCE OF WAY |
Walthers Milwaukee Caboose
A2Z CNC |
Precision Craft Models 2-8-8-2 Norfolk and Western Locomotive with 22I tender, modern bell, and LokSound DC/DCC Precision Craft Models, Inc. HO Scale 2-8-8-2 Norfolk and Western #2200 Locomotive with 22I tender, modern bell, and LokSound DC/DCC Sound Decoder The Norfolk and Western Railway has had a long and successful relationship with the 2-8-8-2 articulated wheel arrangement. Beginning in 1910 with the delivery of first 2-8-8-2 compound Mallets from Baldwin, the N&W developed and refined this locomotive type over the next four decades culminating with the Y6b class constructed at the railroad's own shops in Roanoke, Virginia. This Precision Craft Models, Norfolk and Western Y6b faithfully represents a significant prototype as N&W No. 2200 was the very last steam locomotive built in the United States for class 1 railroad mainline service. (There were later steamers built in the U.S., but these consisted of the last N&W S1a 0-8-0 yard switchers, a cog locomotive at Mt. Washington, the Park Service duplicates of the Promontory locomotives, etc.) The model reviewed was item number 016 with 22I tender and equipped with DCC and sound. Construction: 
The locomotive and tender are clean and well-detailed metal die-castings. Free-standing details are separately applied subassemblies of a tough, slightly flexible plastic. Handrails are made of blackened metal wire, Both engines are powered and both pivot near their midpoints to allow operation down to 18" radius. On each engine, the second and third drivers are fixed vertically and the first and fourth are sprung. All drivers are flanged. All of the drivers except the rear set on the front engine appear to have extra lateral play; this did not create any derailing problems on a test layout with carefully laid 18" and 22" radii curves and No. 4 and 6 turnouts. All wheel sets conform to the NMRA Mark II (RP-25) standards gauge. 
Overhang is very moderate. The lead pilot, lead engine cylinders and front corners of the running boards fall just inside the NMRA clearance gauge on 18" radius curves, and the back of the cab is just about 1/8" outside the gauge. On 22" radius curves all parts of the locomotive are within the clearance gauge. The Precision Craft Y6b is a good choice for a modeler seeking a high quality "big engine" for a railroad in a smaller space. It also allows the modeler with a larger layout use the locomotive on a twisting mine branch. Overall construction rating - 4.8 Detail: This is a very well executed model. The die-castings are all clean and free of any flash or visible mold parting lines. The rivet detail on the locomotive cab and the tender are not as crisp as might be expected for a model of this quality level. This is due to the use of die-cast metal for these parts. 
The handrails and front-end throttle linkage are separately applied blackened wire. The appurtenances on the locomotive, including the right side injector, turbo generator, steam turret assembly, air pumps and air reservoirs, power reverse are plastic castings that include all the associate piping as subassemblies. The plastic parts were apparently applied after the locomotive was painted, and have a more shiny finish than the rest of the locomotive. The model includes brake beam and pull rod assemblies which snap onto the bottom of the engine frames between the brake hangers. Overall detail rating - 4.6 
Conformity: The locomotive to tender coupling is a conventional metal drawbar with three holes. In the shortest spacing, the tender is so close to the locomotive that the cab apron has to be folded down out of the way, or be shortened in order to lie flat on the tender deck. This position is suitable for static display only. The other two holes provide more practical spacing for operation on broad curves, or in the longest position, curves down to 18" radius. When coupled in the middle hole, the overall wheelbase of the model is 14 5/16", and the overall length (between coupler pulling faces) is 15 7/8". 
Overall conformance rating - 4.9 Finish and Lettering: The model is nicely and evenly painted in a slightly satin flat black with graphite smokebox front. The Y6b's had partially jacketed smoke boxes. The area around the stack and the front-end throttle access plate was not lagged and jacketed. On the Precision Craft model, this area is painted a flat medium gray suggesting primer paint. The reviewer can find no photographs showing this on the prototype, but then top views of clean, freshly painted Y's are scarce. The locomotive has the correct four safety valves on the boiler. All have a bright brass finish. ARA rules specify that locomotive safety valves be made of bronze alloy, which rapidly oxidizes to dark almost black color. The bright brass whistle should also be this darker color. The side rods and valve gear have a pleasing gunmetal finish. The coal pile on the tender is part of the body casting and s painted the same slightly satin flat black as the rest of the tender. The cab windows are glazed, and slide open or closed. The cab widow frames are painted caboose red. The inside walls of the cab and underside of the cab roof are painted a light mint green. The reviewer's recollection is that the prototype color was a darker shade of green. (One is reminded of the story told that a novice rail fan, on being introduced to "the famous locomotive painter" Howard Fogg, asked the artist what color he used when he painted the inside walls of real locomotive cabs.) 
The lettering is neatly done in dulux imitation gold. The lettering includes the loco numbers on the headlight wings in white, and the caution about the stoker screw on the rear of the tender. The model has separately applied builders plates on both sides of the smokebox, locomotive class oval plates on the sides of the front cylinders, an oval class plate on the rear of the tender, and number plate with the correct loco number on the smokebox door. The model includes lighted headlight and backup light that comes on when the locomotive is operated in reverse. These use LEDs that seem a little too yellow to the reviewer. Overall finish and lettering rating - 4.7 Performance: The Precision Craft Y6b ran very well out-of-the-box in both the analog and digital modes. Using a Digitrax system, the locomotive took 43 seconds to smoothly move 12 actual inches on a level test track in pre-set speed step 1, which equates to a scale speed of 1.4 MPH. The Y6b weighed in at 1 pound 15 ounces. Coupled to the 12 ounce tender the model exerted a drawbar pull of 3.6 oz. without driver slipping. This equates to about 50 free-rolling freight cars on straight and level track. Sound: The sound system used a single 1" speaker in the tender. The sound quality is very good, particularly when the volume is lowered from the as-delivered maximum. When starting slowly, the stack noise is suppressed and the sound of steam escaping from the cylinder cocks is heard until the speed increases. At random intervals, the sound system adds the sound of the injector adding water to the boiler. The whistle sound is very evocative of the deep single tone whistles heard on the O. Winston Link recordings of these locomotives in service. The bell sound seemed is also pleasing. Other sound effects include coupling, brake squeal, blow down, and brake release. When operated in the DC analog mode, the sound system provides the basic stack noise. Precision Scale offers for separate sale a DC Master accessory controller that provides for operating the whistle and bell and for adjusting the sound volume. Overall sound rating - 4.7 In summation, Precision Craft Models continues to offer robust, well detailed, smooth running steam locomotives. The Y6b is a classic for late steam era modelers that will be at home on small as well as large layouts. - Gary Quale |
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