Re Powhatan Arrow Consist in N-Scale

NW Modeling List nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org
Mon Jun 15 14:21:06 EDT 2009



The recent post re the Rapido passenger car with N&W lettering in
N-scale prompts me to speak up for the M&R etched brass sides for the
basic Arrow consist (P-1, P-2, P-3, P-4, D-1), available via
www.nscalesupply.com (a very competent supplier). Click on "supply
catalog", then "listings by manufacturer", then scroll down to "M&R Sides".

I secured the entire consist, 8 sides plus a single wrap-around for the
rounded P-4 (tavern car) , and found all executed exceedingly well.
Fully accurate to drawings I have. Manufactured in Italy, I believe.

All pieces match the American Limited passenger car core kit perfectly.
Be sure to get the 8040 kit in black, which gives you a leg up on the
Arrow roofs.

The tavern car, rounded in the rear, takes some modifying of the core
kit. I trimmed the roof and undercarriage, crafted 1/8" balsa plugs to
contour the trimmings (inside), and found that the single tavern car
side strip, with end door in the middle, wraps around just right to meet
the opposite end in very snug fashion.

I used Scalecoat II paint, S2082 (N&W red), which hits the bullseye to
my mind for the Arrow's Tuscan Red livery. With ShellScale #6 (or N123)
decals, the whole business is quite spiffy.

My consist is pulled by a Bachmann Spectrum J, the first of which, out
of the box, ran half-way around the pike, then, with a clunk, stopped in
its tracks, not to be coaxed back to life. I returned it to Bachmann,
which by return mail supplied me with a new engine right off the shelf.
I added a decoder and MT tender coupler, and all goes fine.

Go for the M&R sides, which make for an arresting Arrow.

Frank Gibson









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