And I Eat My Own Words...

[RkyGriz]

I said I wouldn't do it, but the price was rock bottom.So, I bought a brand New Piko 0-6-0 Reading R.R. Camelback locomotive and tender. This thing was so cheap, I couldn't resist. I like the Piko Camelback. It has a lot more detail, and looks like it can haul a good number of cars. I watched a youtube video of the exact same model running with 10 cars on a layout,and it impressed me enough to take a chance on this one. Especially since the seller was motivated to sell! It also comes with factory installed smoke and sound, so I can't go wrong for a price that was less than 1/3 of the manufacturer suggested retail price of $674.00. It's coming from Surrey,B.C.,Canada and from a reputable seller on Ebay, SHipping time is going to be somewhere around 10 days to 2 weeks. I'll let you know when it arrives and what my thoughts are on this Piko camelback 0-6-0 locomotive.

 

[playmofire]

Hmm, a different design from usual.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

 

[Rhinochugger]

While they may not be the most beautiful loco, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Let's wait for the piccies

 

[RkyGriz]

I like it . It's kind of pretty. I may decide to resell it .,rename it, or keep it as is. The retail price is at least double of what I paid for it. We'll see!

 

[dunnyrail]

I like it . It's kind of pretty. I may decide to resell it .,rename it, or keep it as is. The retail price is at least double of what I paid for it. We'll see!

You may find that this will weigh in at more than your original 0-6-0, likely because the Kamel Backs are a later model. Worthwhile if you can to check out on a set of scales.

 

[Paul M]

I'm going to be brave and show my ignorance here! How does it work? Presumably it's an oil burner, and built like that for weight balance

 

[dunnyrail]

I'm going to be brave and show my ignorance here! How does it work? Presumably it's an oil burner, and built like that for weight balance

Certain roads appeared to like the Kamelback, thought to give the Driver a better view of the line I believe. Fireman shovelled Coal and did other tasks on the normal Footplate. They must have been lonely things to work, at the very least one can imagine sore throats through having to shout to each other!

 

[RkyGriz]

According to the Piko America video posted to youtube, the #1399 is the first camelback model ,and it sold out quickly. They replaced it with the #1396. The video didn't mention any differences between the two.

 

[RkyGriz]

Hi,Paul. this camelback was coal fired. Here are a couple of pics from Ebay. This loco is similar to the one that I bought. My other Piko 0-6-0 Santa Fe#728 is an oil burner,which will be kind of funny if I add sound to it, since both of Piko's soundcard offerings have the sound of coal being shoveled on them!.

 

[Neil Robinson]

I believe the "Camelback" concept was an attempt to burn low quality coal that required a wide firebox. With the wide firebox there wasn't enough width within the loading gauge for a conventional cab. Apparently some drivers weren't too happy sitting on top in a time when boiler explosions, whilst fairly rare, were a real risk. Personally I think the crew are in great danger if a boiler explodes regardless of the location of the cab. My sympathy is with the firemen. Hand firing large quantities of poor coal with little shelter from the weather must have been a miserable job. Some may have had mechanical stokers but the rudimentary shelter would still have made the job no fun at all in bad weather.

 

[playmofire]

intriguingly different.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I believe the "Camelback" concept was an attempt to burn low quality coal that required a wide firebox. With the wide firebox there wasn't enough width within the loading gauge for a conventional cab. Apparently some drivers weren't too happy sitting on top in a time when boiler explosions, whilst fairly rare, were a real risk. Personally I think the crew are in great danger if a boiler explodes regardless of the location of the cab. My sympathy is with the firemen. Hand firing large quantities of poor coal with little shelter from the weather must have been a miserable job. Some may have had mechanical stokers but the rudimentary shelter would still have made the job no fun at all in bad weather.

.....and we thought it was grim up north

 

[dunnyrail]

I believe the "Camelback" concept was an attempt to burn low quality coal that required a wide firebox. With the wide firebox there wasn't enough width within the loading gauge for a conventional cab. Apparently some drivers weren't too happy sitting on top in a time when boiler explosions, whilst fairly rare, were a real risk. Personally I think the crew are in great danger if a boiler explodes regardless of the location of the cab. My sympathy is with the firemen. Hand firing large quantities of poor coal with little shelter from the weather must have been a miserable job. Some may have had mechanical stokers but the rudimentary shelter would still have made the job no fun at all in bad weather.

Absolutely Correct, I stand corrected. Should have remembered that!

 

[kim]

They also had, I believe, 2 firebox doors because of the width to keep the fire equal.

 

[Paul M]

Thanks for all the info folks, I had seen models of them, but hadn't really thought much about them. They are certainly "differently" styled, but obviously do the job. I should imagine that if the boiler did blow, no one would actually come out well.

 

[Neil Robinson]

I should imagine that if the boiler did blow, no one would actually come out well.

Correction to my earlier post.
A little research revealed that the drivers were actually more concerned with the effects of connecting / coupling rod failure than boiler failure.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Correction to my earlier post.
A little research revealed that the drivers were actually more concerned with the effects of connecting / coupling rod failure than boiler failure.

The cause of failure would be fairly unimportant at the Pearly Gates

 

[RkyGriz]

I found this information on a website. Apparently, there were plenty of other configurations and dangers in the Camelback locomotives:
"

A conventional steam locomotive has a cab for the engineer and fireman behind the firebox at the rear of the boiler. In 1877, John E. Wootten, Master Mechanic of the Reading Railroad began building locomotives with a wide firebox designed to successfully burn culm, small pieces of anthracite coal resulting from mining that were plentiful and inexpensive because culm had little commercial value. It was impractical at the time to mount the cab behind the very wide firebox so it was mounted astride the boiler before the firebox. A locomotive with this cab arrangement was called a Camelback, or sometimes a double-cab locomotive, center-cab locomotive or a Mother Hubbard. The center cab was inferior to an end cab because the engineer and fireman were separated and not able to easily communicate and the engineer was exposed to the possibility of a broken driving rod. Nevertheless, the ability to use cheap fuel was an overpowering advantage and Camelback locomotives were very popular in the anthracite mining regions and were even tried on roads as diverse as the Union Pacific and Maine Central. Camelbacks were generally smaller locomotives since by the time 2-8-2 or 4-6-2 locomotives became common, the dangers of the center cab had led the Interstate Commerce Commission to discourage construction after 1918. The last new Camelback was built by Baldwin for the Lehigh & New England in 1927. Some Camelbacks were rebuilt with a single cab but many Camelbacks operated until diesels replaced steam locomotives. " Go here to read the rest of the article,learn more history about the type, and see some interesting pictures of this type of camelback locomotives: CAMELBACK STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Enjoy! Andrew

 

[RkyGriz]

I just found this pic. This is one of the real life camelback Reading R.R. locomotives that Piko based their model upon. Please note that ,once again, the model is a far cry in appearance from its' real life counterpart,particularity the tender.