I’m partial to the New York Central feeling they designed some of the most attractive locomotives where form followed function most consistently, especially among their passenger locomotives going all the way back to the Buchanan’s of the late 19th century. Tight curves and low overhead clearances necessitated locomotive to be built low and sleek Iater times as locomotive became larger and more powerful.
The Niagara represents the epitome of the technical development of NYC passenger steam power. Some 6000 Drawbar HP and capable of speeds exceeding 100 MPH when drawing a 20 car heavyweight Pullman train. The S-1b was the most numerous with 25 built by on line American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, NY. One S-1a was built as a Niagara prototype and was converted shortly thereafter to be essentially like the S-1b. One S-2a was also built as a poppet valve engine, the most powerful Niagara ever, but further constructions were not considered as the development of Steam passenger engines was terminated at this time. Further excellent reading about the Niagara can be found in Tom Gerbracht’s “Know thy Niagara”, published in 2017.
Tenshodo chose to model the Numerous S-1b in an early “as built” configuration. At least, to my knowledge, three engine numbers were done, 2001, 2020 and 2024. They were available in 1985 and retailed at the then princely sum of $1,262. The Dealer net was $840. This was about double a comparable Samhongsa Korean Niagara imported by Key the same year. 300 Tenshodo’s were built but only 61 were imported by PFM being the agreed sole supplier of Tenshodo in the US. One was kept in the PFM collection as PFM 678 and I believe sold before Don Drew died and his collection liquidated. The remainder were sold by Tenshodo out of Ginza and exported around the world. Some of those models ended up in the USA by various means.
So what makes the Tenshodo so special? Well of course the extraordinary fit and finish of later Tenshodo. The casting quality was to crown standards meaning the process was controlled to higher levels and went through 100% inspection by PFM before exporting to Tenshodo. PFM castings were made in America by Calscale, PIA or The Back Shop. Don Drew told me that if Tenshodo needed 300 of a particular casting Tenshodo expected 300 supplied so the assembler could just grad a casting and solder it in place with no concern that it might be defective. He also told me that Bill McKwon (who later went on to form W&R) made the pattern for the Smoke Box Front in brass. And that the invoice was something like $928 as I recall, in ca 1978. Preparations for that model began that early.
The next and unique feature is the Tenshodo proprietary TPE ( Three point equalized) suspension. It’s a sophisticated system of levers that interconnects adjacent wheel sets and the lead and pilot trucks assuring equal contact pressure of every wheel upon the rail. Going over a rail joint gives a uniform click for each wheel. The back page of the 1984 issue of Model Railroader has a sketch and force diagram explaining the system as applied to a JNR C61, the first in 1982 to receive it. And also showing the arrangement on a GN Q-1 2-10-2, the first US prototype the use it in 1984. Power for both the Q-1 and Niagara is supplied through a torque arm idler gear box and a Canon red cap instrument motor. The Niagara has directional light just to the locomotive. The tender has sprung wheel sets on the five axle pedestal bed.
Unfortunately the foam goes bad on the Niagara and if not wrapped properly when stored they will suffer foam damage. How many were lost is anyone’s guess. But foam damage has increased the value of Pristine models as the rarer survivors. Reboxx made exact replacement even in color (yellow) foam that does not deteriorate, but Reboxx has shut down so having a model with reboxx foam is another big plus. The model pictured is my 6020. I have a 6001 and 6024. All are pristine with Reboxx foam. One other thing to watch out for is a dented smoke lifer. If suffering a severe blow in shipping in a not so well padded box it can happen. The ladder behind makes the dent. I have a second 6020 that suffered such a fate. It’s repaired but will need a repaint that will be very tricky to do matching the rest of the model for sheen, color and thickness and surface texture. They are painted slightly towards “Detail Black” ( black with a tad of white) in a flat tone.
For more information on brass contact: oscale@alleghenyscale.com