USATC S160

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Hi

I picked up at auction yesterday a USATC S160.

I was expecting it to be the Fulgarex model, but I'm now not so sure - provincial auction house was clueless, reflected in the marketing. It has a bespoke wooden box on which is written Crown limited edition 1984, no 8 of 22, scale 1:43.5. Does that mean anything to anyone?

I shall take some photos later, but I am at the moment interested in establishing the scale. Can anyone give me some key dimensions to assist me in establishing same, and I will report back.

Thanks,

Richard
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Richard,
'Crown' usually means Tenshodo, but they didn't do (much) 0-gauge. But, they might have been the builders for the Lemaco/Fulgarex/Metropolitain. I'd need to see what the loco is like to be anything like certain.
Not sure about the wooden box either; is the loco packed in polythene wrappers and foam? If so, what colour is the foam?
Steph
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Hi Steph,

Thanks for the info. The box looks home-made, and the information is hand-written on the box. It's definitely 1:43.5.

There is a plate on the inside of the tender which reads 'VIGENTINI' The motor is a big round thing with belt drive to a gearbox on the rear axle.

It's a Heyside work day today, so I can't get photos till later.

Richard
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Putting Vigentini and Crown into a search engine gave this link:-

http://www.lner.info/locos/O/s160.shtml

which has some nice photos of a 7 1/4" live steam model built by Vigentini.... possibly connected.

However, putting Vigentini, Crown and USATC into a search engine gave this link:-

http://www.marklinfan.com/f/post.asp?method=ReplyQuote&REPLY_ID=18994&TOPIC_ID=1316&FORUM_ID=79

which has some brilliant photos of the engines and makes reference to Vigentini... most of the text is in Italian and so beyond the ken.

regards, Graham
 
Last edited:

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
You lucky bugger, a model with pedigree.

Seems that my first link above is the same model as described in your recent post. After reading through your link I am interested to learn what is written in the Marklin fan club topic!

Now, how did you find the model and how did the model end up where it did?
 

Oz7mm

Western Thunderer
Richard

There was certainly an S160 marketed by Metropolitan Models many moons ago. I remember seeing a used one for sale on the Shedmaster stand at Reading at one time. IIRC it was a very nice models. Should look good on Heyside

John
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
You lucky bugger, a model with pedigree.

Now, how did you find the model and how did the model end up where it did?

I've no idea how the model ended up where it did. I presume the auction house was dealing with a deceased's collection, amongst other lots. It was a small provincial auction house, certainly not a specialist model/collector one, and I was tipped off that there were some 0 Gauge models there. There were some exceptional models, particularly a couple of North Staffs locos and an original P2, and I assumed that the S160 would not attract too much attention because a) it's not UK outline, b) it may not have been 1:43.5, despite what was written on the box, and c) the paint chips would put off the collectors. I was right, and picked it up for a song.

Richard
 

Simon

Flying Squad
I like the look of that, hopefully you'll give it some attention and put it on the roster through Heyside :)

Simon
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Fantastic!

One thing I can't work out from the blog - Luciano dismantled the real loco to create his drawings, but what happened to this full size kit of parts I wonder?
 

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
That's a lovely big chunk of engine with the right feel of an S160..!

The only thing that pokes me in the eye are the slidebars (though I wonder if that's camera lens distortion), and those slightly over size flanges.. Any mileage on sticking an S7 wheel tool on them. Saying that, I guess it may not have any springing?

JB.
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Well, it definitely looks like a beast :)
I suspect a little chemical blackening on the flanges / treads wouldn't hurt, but that hardly detracts from the fact that it is a very interesting model to look at. Good buy.
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Hi JB

You're right about the slidebars, they are not level. The wheels are a problem. the B-to B is fine, but the flanges are overscale even for F/S. It won't go through my long curved crossover, which of course has a long curved check rail, so I need to do something about those. I haven't yet turned it over to see how it is constructed or how easy it is to dismantle, but I am going to give it a good rework.

I have no hang ups about improving something like this which has some provenance. I want it to run rather than sit in a cabinet. If I have to get a set of Slater's wheels and and ABC motor/gearbox I will.

Richard
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
I've disconnected the tender and turned both loco and tender over.

The tender bogies are sprung and compensated in that the bogie sideframes rotate around and are sprung against the centre transom.

The driven axle on the loco is fixed, the remaining axles are sprung and may be running in ball races, the pony truck is weighty, but just along for the ride. The frames are milled and are prototypical bar frames; there is full brake gear, transverse spreaders, pull rods and associated clevises. I can't immediately see how to get the wheels out, but that can wait another day.

It looks to me as though all I need to do is strip and rebuild the main chassis, sort the tender wheels, patch repaint and weather. Right up my street:)

Richard
 
Top