Mountain thunder

REVIEWs
Marker lights
Cab illumination
Speed control
Opening hatches on sand dome
Smoke unit
Grab irons
Compressor
shields
Coil
coupler
Brass locomotive and tender
Headlight
Headlight
Uncoupler
arm
Dummy coupler
3rd Rail’s O gauge C&O 4-8-4 greenbrier
T
he Chesapeake & Ohio
Greenbrier J-class 4-8-4 locomotives are among the most
handsome power of the late
steam era. Created to pull modern, airconditioned trains on tight schedules
through rough terrain, these monsters
emerged from the Lima shops in 1935
and performed flawlessly.
The C&O was so pleased, that the
line ordered two more in 1941 and five
more in 1948 (the J3a class).
Sadly, in spite of their superb performance, these steamers were soon displaced by diesels. The J3s were scrapped
by 1953, while the J3a locomotives were
shifted to standby service for surges.
The last were retired by 1957.
love the businesslike-look of lowmounted headlights on steam power.
In my opinion a low-mounted light
always suggests serious freight railroading (the only really important aspect of
railroading, after all). This O gauge
model has a low light with a small service platform just above it and a long
grab iron for crewmen servicing the
smokebox door.
For the record, historically, the C&O
received no. 600 from Lima with the
headlight near the center of the smokebox, but later lowered it.
Two compressor shields (and their
hidden compressors) bracket the headlight. The smokebox door has superb
rivet detail, with both steps and grab
irons on the face. Illuminated number
Out of the box
boards and markers are placed just
This O gauge model from 3rd Rail
above the top of the smokebox, and a
has one of the finest, most industrialbright gold bell is on top.
looking faces I have seen on a locomoI love the extensive and intricate
tive. As our prototype photo of C&O
combination of handrails, piping, and
no. 600 illustrates, 3rd Rail did
electrical conduit that decoan outstanding job capturing
on the rates the body of the locomothe exceptional level of detail
tive. The lines have stanon a model that was ripe with
chions, joints, or valve
Subscribers can
pipes, fittings, cables, hoses,
handles.
view a video clip of
and conduit.
Of special merit is the large
the 3rd Rail 4-8-4
The pilot forms a businesssand dome that dominates the
in action by going
like point, and it has a drop
top of the boiler. The dome
to ClassicToyTrains.
coupler recessed in the midfeatures four lifting hatches
com and clicking on
“News.” And then
dle. Two brake lines are for(with screens) to “load” sand
clicking on “Videos.”
ward mounted, and you’ll find
and piping that feeds sand to
an uncoupler arm. I absolutely
the drive wheels. This is truly a
web
86 Classic Toy Trains • July 2008
and all lettering, such as the “Th. Jefferson” on the sand dome, are clean and
crisp. The Lima Locomotive Works
builder’s plate is outstanding.
When someone asks, “Why should I get a brass locomotive?” the add-on details displayed on the 3rd Rail Greenbrier speak for themselves. Steam lines, sand lines, electrical conduit, and water lines are second to none. The running gear may be one of the
most elaborate offered on three rails. Compare the details with the real no. 600 (below).
On the test track
This 3rd Rail model features Lionel’s
TrainMaster and RailSounds systems as
well as a smoke unit and TrainAmerica’s
Engineer On Board speed control.
We tested the locomotive using Lionel’s Legacy command system, and performance was first rate.
We thought the Greenbrier just
might negotiate O-54 diameter curves.
It sort of almost does, but it didn’t seem
happy about it. We recommend sticking
with O-72 or wider curves.
Our test sample averaged 5.5 scale
mph on the low end, and 71 scale mph
on the high end. Drawbar pull for the
brass giant was 1 pound, 14 ounces.
RailSounds’ steam package delivered
a solid assortment of locomotive
sounds, and the two- or four-chuff per
rotation control allows operators to tailor the chuff rate to what they “hear” in
their imagination.
Theline
locomotive’s
whistle is a crowd O gauge Master line EMD F2/3
O gauge Premier
K4s
gauge
Brass C&O 4-8-4
pleaser!
When
the
whistle
starts to blow,diesel byOAtlas
O
Torpedo 4-6-2 by MTH
you can almost sense it echoing off the
by(pounds)
3RD Rail
Drawbar pull (pounds)
Drawbar pull
West Virginia hills. Two thumbs up,
Price: $1,1,95.95
indeed. Smoke unit operation was
Features: O-72 operation, can3 lb.
3 lb., 8 oz.
good,
and 2the speed 3control was precise 0
Lio0
1
1style motor,
2 coil coupler,
3
and responsive.
nel TrainMaster and RailSound
Low and high speed
(scaleyou
mph)buy a brass locomotive, Low and high speed
(scale mph)
When
systems,
smoke unit, speed
you
have
certain
expectations
regarding
control
50
50
50
50
100
100
100
100
detail, performance, and value. Third
Staff comments: Supreme level
2.3Rail
mph has a long record of making well3.5 mph
of detail, well-built, good
crafted locomotives.
The Greenbrier
puller – Bob
66.7 mph
73.2 mph
adds to this reputation with good looks,
Made in the Republic of Korea for
it delivers smooth
and
Rail
0 and 150
0
0 3rd150
0
150 powerful
150
performance. – Bob
Kalmbach Library photo
Mountain thunder
case of being able to see where the
money goes in the creation of such an
exquisite model.
A bit lower on the model, as impressive as the maze of conduit and steam
lines is, I find the standout detail of the
locomotive in the elaborate running
gear – possibly the most complex I’ve
ever seen on any O gauge power. The
rods and moving parts have a realistic
dull sheen and put on a terrific show
when the model is under way.
The firebox is silver gray, which
accents both the cast-in rivet texture
and the piping that passes over it.
The cab features crew figures, an
immaculately rigged backhead, illumination, and opening roof vents. The
windows have “glass,” and the rear of
the cab has grab irons and a drop deck
for the tender.
The electronics connect with the
locomotive via a wired tether.
The run/program, volume control,
and speed-control switches are located
on top of the tender beneath lifting
water hatches. The smoke unit and
selector switches for two- or four-chuffper-revolution sound are on the underside of the locomotive.
The tender has finely detailed steps
and grab irons. The coal load is realistically sized and looks great. Equipment
boxes hang low on the sides, and the
rear of the tender sports a backup light,
ladder, and uncoupler arm.
The trucks all have metal side frames
with “Buckeye” emblazoned on them,
and they mount three axles. The rear
truck has a single power pickup.
Painting and decoration are truly
equal to the supreme level of detail
encompassed by this model. The paint
O gauge brass C&O Greenbrier
4-8-4 by 3rd Rail
Drawbar pull (pounds)
1 lb., 14 oz.
0
1
2
3
Low and high speed (scale mph)
50
100
50
100
5.5 mph
71 mph
0
150
0
150
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