Scratchbuilding by Dick Karnes

This is a New York Central System PL&E 2-8-4 Berkshire locomotive, class A-2a. The prototype version was built in 1948. There were seven locomotives built at the American Locomotive Company's (Alco) Schenectady facility. A prototype photo of #9405 can be found on this web site. Dick built his model starting with an Omnicon PRR 2-8-2. He used the chassis components of that model. The boiler was salvaged from a steam locomotive he tried to build in the 1960s. The details are mainly S Scale Locomotive & Supply, River Raisin Models, and Precision Scale parts. Dick scratchbuilt the tender from brass. The tender wrap was made from two S Scale Locomotive & Supply Berkshire tender wrappers, which already had rivets impressed on them. The rivets on the brass firebox sides were made from applying the Archer 3D resin decals.

copyright © Dick Karnes; used by permission