# Mantua 2-6-6-2 Articulated w/Tender Southern Pacific HO



## cars4fun2001 (Jan 14, 2009)

I would like to get some opinions on the Mantua 2-6-6-2 Articulated w/Tender Southern Pacific HO  


I had trains in the past and wanted to set up a new track in my new house for a while. The plain is for a large track with single train and a lot of cars. I want a Steam Engine that can easily handle the load. 

any insight would be greatly appreciated 

thanks Mike


----------



## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Welcome to the forum, nice choice in motive power.:thumbsup: Make sure you use a good wide radius, 22" minimum if possible. It may be able to do tighter but that will have a corresponding loss in pulling ability.

I have a certain bias towards big Espee steam...


----------



## stationmaster (Dec 7, 2008)

I have a couple of the cab forward engines. I bought both unlettered. Not really prototype correct for my roads, but I just liked them. 

The cab forward design was originally manufactured to prevent crew and fireboxes from being overcome by smoke and exhaust in tunnels. 

Neat engine.


----------



## cars4fun2001 (Jan 14, 2009)

shaygetz That is a extremely nice looking engine. I did not know there was cab forward design steam engine's. 

I had trains when I was younger but have been out of it for a long time. I have always wanted to have a track that runs door top height through out my house. That is what I am planing with this build. The train will go through tunnels from one room to the next. I have been doing a lot of reading and I am pretty sure I have ever aspect worked out, but probably not. The layout I have planed has a tightest turn of 30". The corners of the rooms will have little towns.

I would like to be able to pull around 50 cars twice that if I can get away with it. There is going to be one grade that will be in my shop up from or down to the rail yard. I will be able to keep it at a 3% grade by running around the room along 3 walls. For the most part the train will spend its time on flat track. I am going to put up telephone poles along the track to carry the power wire to prevent dead spots. 

Do you guys think this is a good choice for a engine with my plans. I would hate to buy only to find out it is not up to the task.

also I think I know but not sure what does* Articulated* mean.

thanks Mike


----------



## stationmaster (Dec 7, 2008)

The drivers come in two sets. They move independently of each other. Many different set ups used by different roads.

Link to wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_locomotive


----------



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Stationmaster is 3 @!$# minute faster than me!

gotta love the the INTERNET

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_locomotive

I could not have said it better.

John


----------



## cars4fun2001 (Jan 14, 2009)

stationmaster
That's what I thought but wanted to make sure. 

thanks for the link. I had already found it a couple of weeks ago. I think from a earlier posting on this site. I also found a link to figuring grade that allowed me to figure out the run needed to take the track from yard height to door top height for the loop around the house.

Southern
thank you also. Learned a lot on that one.
Mike


----------



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

cars4fun2001 said:


> stationmaster
> That's ..................house.
> 
> Southern
> ...


 
You are welcome. 

I have learned a lot from this forum. one thing I learned is that 
Stationmaster is a faster typer.:lol_hitting:


----------



## cars4fun2001 (Jan 14, 2009)

he must be a fast editor also because I swear there was a link to a about. com page on grades there earlier. 

Mike


----------



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

cars4fun2001 said:


> he must be a fast editor also because I swear there was a link to a about. com page on grades there earlier.
> 
> Mike


He is a welth of info.


----------

