Story and photos by Harry K. Wong
In 1945, the Southern Pacific purchased ten former Boston & Maine T-1a Berkshires to support the closing months of World War II. Redesignated as B-1 Berkshires on the Espee, these coal burning 2-8-4s were initially assigned to SP’s Rio Grande Division between Tucson, Arizona, El Paso, Texas and Tucumcari, New Mexico. Here, the Berkshires operated alongside SP’s other coal burning locomotives such as the massive LIma-built AC-9 2-8-8-4s before the B-1s were transferred to California by 1950.
The distinctive curved Coffin feedwater heater over the smokebox gave these T-1a Berkshires a unique “hooded” appearance unlikely to be confused with anything else. SP’s standard silver paint to the front of the smokebox served only to accentuate the difference. The Coffin company manufactured these feedwater heaters designed to fit within the curvature of a locomotive’s round smokebox, however, some builders chose to simply mount the horseshoe-shaped heater externally, presumably for greater ease of maintenance.
Now available from Broadway Limited Imports are former B&M T-1a Berkshires finished as they first appeared on the Southern Pacific between 1945 and 1949 – modified by the SP with new SP-style train indicators and marker lights above the smokebox, but still configured with their original B&M 4-axle coal tenders and Baker valve gear. These T-1a Berkshires are also available from Broadway Limited in road-specific versions for Boston & Maine and the Santa Fe, which also purchased these locomotives from the B&M during WWII.
Out of its long box, one will immediately notice that this engine is quite heav. All major components of the model are cast in solid metal with all-new tooling, including the boiler, engine chassis, tender body and tender chassis. In all, this BLI Berkshire exerts a sum total of 28.3 ounces onto the rails. Separately applied details include handrails, piping, ladders, sunshades, generators, whistle, and a brass bell. The vent atop the cab roof slides open with a light touch. The cab interior features simple backhead details but also painted figures representing the engineer and fireman. The four-wheeled coal tender features a realistic looking simulated coal load, and a vertical ladder on the back end with working rear headlight. While the wire-formed handrails and coupler cut lever on the rear pilot of the tender are a bit on the thick side, the cut lever is positionable.
All paint and lettering were sharply rendered and evenly applied on the model without any fuzzy edges.
Responding to customer demand, Broadway Limited now offers all of its locomotives either DC/DCC-ready without sound as part of its “Stealth” series or fully configured with its Paragon4 sound and DCC decoder. Broadway’s Paragon4 electronics manage all aspects of operation, including sound, lighting, smoke and motion for both DC and DCC environments. With Paragon4, an onboard “keep-alive” capacitor circuit allows for continuous operation over short electrical gaps. Power is delivered by a skew-wound precision motor to the eight driving wheels…
