http://discoverlivesteam.com/discoverfo ... /index.htm

I have nothing to gain in posting this link, but I thought preservationists might enjoy seeing what $249K will buy you in this hobby.

How about giving this note a few days before moving it to "Railfanning"? Rarely do I see a live steamer with this level of execution. And remember, you can take this one out and operate it!

Enjoy!

Dick -

Absolutely beautiful model. Couple of things in the advertising brochure. The actual NKP 776 wasn't built in the mid-1940's, but in 1949 at the very end of the steam era. Also, I believe that it was a class S-3 (not S-2).

Les

Yes, 1949, and yes Class S-3. As with anything, it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it. It does look fantastic, but just like a full-size one, it's worth whatever the market will bear, although there are quite a few more places to run that one than a full-size Berk!

my income today I could buy the real one at 1949 prices...

If I went live steam I would build a South Shore electric 700 class.. well...Live Electric...

Thanks for sharing, and I agree, she's a beauty.

Oh, to see her in the midwest, perhaps even as part of a display with the people at Fort Wayne. . .hope she gets a good home.

One thing I'm a bit surprised by is that, in the brochure listing the models "assets", no mention is made as to its weight which would seem to be important when it is moved. Of course, if you can afford that asking price, I guess the weight might not be a problem!

I'm also a little surprised that the builder picked number 776 to put on the steamer rather than the more famous 779. Was the 776 the engine that was used for the photograph of the 10 unit order perhaps?

Finally, although I can understand the preservation of the last Berk (779), I wonder why at least one other S-3 wasn't chosen for preservation instead of one of the other five 2-8-4's that the Nickel Plate saved. Was this just a matter of luck, or was this done on purpose? If the examples saved WERE chosen, then perhaps the railroad did not think that highly of the last group of Berkshires that Lima delivered to them.

Les

I can't speak with authority on this as I don't know what late 1950s financial practices were on the NKP or what depreciation schedule they were put on but I'm going to assume that it has to do with depreciation of assets. The S3s were newer so in turn had depreciated less than say a model from five years earlier. The S2s were less to write off than the S3s.

Regarding numbering, I know a few live steamers here in the east who built models of the same class of locomotive, and they made sure they numbered them differently. There were several CNJ T-38 camelbacks in 1.5" scale. Given their druthers, each owner probably would have numbered theirs #774 (the last one to run on the CNJ) but they each selected different numbers... Which was really cool when more than one would show up at a meet!

Rob

All,

Jim Kreider, whom many of you may know as having been affiliated with the FWRHS and the 765, for years, started this project back in the 1980's to design and offer castings and drawings for the NKP Berk in 1.5" scale, an engine he grew up seeing run down 19th St in Erie, PA on a daily basis. I think he has succeeded mightily in doing so. There must be roughly 10-12 of his engines already running with at least as many more currently under construction. These locomotives have some of the highest quality lost wax castings you could ever hope to find on a live steam model including one piece piston valve cylinder castings to one piece cradles, trailing truck frames and on and on it goes.

If you want to see more of Jim's work and the work of other builders of these engines, I would encourage you to visit Jim's Facebook page that he set up at my urging a little over a year ago. Jim as well as other builders of his engines from around the world share what they are doing and how they are building their own 1.5" scale Berks. It is really something to see.

This particular engine (No.776) was built by Bruno Platzer of Las Vegas, NV. Bruno already has a 1.6" scale UP Challenger, among others, to his credit.

The Jim Kreider 1.5" scale NKP Berks generally weigh around 1,100lbs dry for the locomotive and 600 lbs for the tender. If you have a Ford F250 with 8' bed, you should be able to haul this engine and tender with no problem. I even know a fellow in NE Ohio who had an even heavier scratch-built 1.5" scale 4-8-4 model of the Timken Four Aces No.1111 that he hauled around in a Dodge Dakota for many years.

Sincerely,

Rob Gardner

I believe the preserved NKP Berks were chosen because they were the ones that had been most recently out-shopped and stored serviceable at the end of steam. Like most preservation stories, a matter of luck of the draw.

You can always run it like this: https://youtu.be/unhXEQQk8G8?t=53s

Here's some info on the preserved NKP Berkshires;
The 755 last came out of the shop after a class 3 overhaul on March 19, 1958 and it was never fired up as evidenced by the fact that the superheater units still had data marks on them when they were pulled out to go into the 765 long after the 755 had been placed on display in Conneaut.
The 757 last came out of the shop after a class 3 overhaul on November 12, 1957 and did see service after that.
The 759 was the last engine overhauled by Conneaut and came out of shop after a class 3 overhaul on May 14, 1958. I remember it sitting in the easternmost stall of the roundhouse and thinking to myself what a beautiful looking machine it was resplendent in its brand new paint.
The 763 last came out of the shop after a class 3 overhaul on August 8, 1957. It saw a lot of service on the Buffalo division before it was laid up. I remember seeing it many times.
The 765 last came out of the shop after some class 5 work on May 16, 1957.
The 779 last came out of the shop after a class 3 overhaul on December 31, 1956.
Of the preserved locomotives, it looks like the 765 and 779 probably saw the most mileage prior to being laid up.
The 741 is another zero mileage engine after shopping and unfortunately, was scrapped.

Rob:
Thanks for the nice comments.
The Facebook group is called "Berkshire Modelers - 1/8 Scale 2-8-4. We also like to cover detail info about the prototype.

Jim Kreider

Jim -

Thanks for that information. Very interesting!


Les

That Platzer Berk is ultra- ultra-detailed, just like his Challenger, and the price reflects that. For example I saw the U.P. logo on the padlock for the tool chest on the Challenger tender!

Please note that a mechanically similar Berk is currently for sale on "Discover Live Steam" for $63,000 including a boxcar for the propane and a trailer to move it all.