I would like to find out some info on Southern RR's class I 2-8-0's. According to Prince's book, they were high-speed 2-8-0s built around 1907(?), numbered 549-556. They were the only SR 2-8-0's built with 63" drivers and disposed of in the late 1930's. I've only seen one picture, a builder's photo in Prince's book.

Does anyone know where these 2-8-0s were assigned? ( My best guess would be south Georgia or the Carolina Piedmont area to handle perishable fruit and vegtable traffic )

Are there any other photos of this class?

I ask because according to MR's recent review, Bachman Spectrum's new 2-8-0 is built with a driver size very close to the 63". Given that and its boiler construction, it would lend itself very well to some modifications to get a good model of a Sourthen I class.

Earlier articles from MM magazine talking about Bachman's then upcoming 2-8-0 led me to believe that the loco would be a 57" drivered 2-8-0, allowing SR modeler's an inexpensive source to model the more numerous K class. But apparently, that was incorrect. Driver size probably affects overall size of a [model] steam loco more than anything else.

-- Kenneth Selvidge (kenneth.selvidge@gtri.gatech.edu), June 04, 1998

Answers

Kenneth--the Bachman 2-8-0 units have 60" drivers so they're sort of in the middle. I have a couple and they look most like a KS-1. As a matter of fact Bachman even painted one as 722 a KS-1 used on excursion service. The dimensions also don't match the Southern's 2-8-0s. I've decided to either make mine look as close to a KS-1 as possible or call them a KS-5 and live with that bit of fantasy. Remember, model railroading is fun--Larry

-- Larry Puckett (lpuckett@geocities.com), June 04, 1998.

I found pictures of #'s 551 and 552. They are at southern.railfan.net in the picture section for steam locomotives. The picture of 552 also has some information and a link, i think. Evan =)

-- Evan Whatley (fwhatley@bignet.net), November 18, 2000.