I Got Teh Fever!

Here is a Model Die Casting 0-6-0 that I threw together a few weeks back. It is not a model of any particular prototype, but was fun none the less. I built up the coal bunker on the tender to more closely resemble something that may have been found on the Duluth, South Shore, and Atlantic.
I am trying to find a model close enough to the monster in the b&w photo to make one or two of them. They were 2-8-2 Mikados purchased used from the New York Central and were the largest steam locos to run on the DSS&A. I don't know if they ever made their way into St. Ignace, but I'm sure they would have been quite a sight! I'm holding out for just the right starting point to recreate these locos. Not just any mikado model will do! Any tips?

Keeping Busy

This week I assembled some boxcar kits that I picked up last winter to fill up some time.
The locomotive is an old Tenshodo model representing a USRA 0-8-0 switcher. I bought this unpainted and I am working on it's paint and other details like marker jewels and fine paint work. I still don't know if it runs or not, as I don't have a layout to run the trains on. The valve gear is friction free, so if it doesn't run it will just need a new motor.



The freight cars are all Accurail kits. They aren't all that great, but they look pretty nice for the money. You can throw together quite a consist in an evening with these kits, some super glue, and brown chalk dust.

These models are HO scale.