Broadway Limited has released a new run of its N scale Electro-Motive Division NW2 diesel locomotive. The end-cab switcher features a die-cast metal body and chassis, all-wheel electrical pickup, factory-applied detail parts, and body-mounted couplers.
The prototype
Electro-Motive Division built the NW2 from February 1939 through December 1949. Production was paused from 1942 to 1945 by the War Production Board. By the time the last switcher came off the assembly line, more than 1,100 NW2s were built.
The sample we received is decorated as New York, Ontario & Western 123, one of 21 NW2 diesels delivered to the railroad in 1948. The full-size switcher was acquired by New York Central, becoming its 9508, after the NYO&W ceased operations. The switcher later went to Penn Central (8691) and Conrail (9269). The NW2 was retired in February 1981 and traded to EMD in June 1983 for credit on an SD50 order.
Model features
The Broadway Limited NW2 is based on a Phase V prototype. Spotting features include six louvered doors per side with a letterboard gap; larger gussets where the frame meets the stepwells; large, curved front cab windows that follow the roof line; and a straight transition from the hood to the cab.
The model has a mix of cast, formed wire, and plastic grab irons, handrails, and stanchions. Separate, factory-applied details include the single-chime air horn, bell, and smokestacks. The front and rear windshield wipers are molded as part of the window glazing and picked in silver.
Measuring up
Our review sample is neatly painted in NYO&W’s gray, yellow, and orange scheme. The separation lines between colors are crisp, but the bottom of the orange “bib” on the front of the hood should be round, not flat. The top quarter of the front and rear pilots should be painted the same gray as the body.
The biggest difference between the prototype and model is the locomotive phase. The full-size NYO&W units were Phase IV units. Spotting features included a frame that overhung the gussets and a two-step transition from the hood to the cab.
Since our sample has a dual-mode Paragon4 decoder, I tested it at the workbench using an NCE Power Cab. At step 1, the end-cab switcher moved at 3 scale mph. The locomotive hustled down the test track at 107 smph at step 28, well above the prototype’s top speed. With a drawbar pull of .48 ounce, the model should be able to pull 12 free-rolling freight cars on straight and level track.
I then took the BLI NW2 over to our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route for testing in a layout environment. The switcher did a great job working the yard at Rockford, Ill. It also muscled seven two-bay hoppers up the 1% grade between the quarry and Williams Bay, Wis., without difficulty.
The Electro-Motive Division NW2 holds the distinction of being the diesel manufacturer’s best-selling switcher of all time. Thanks to the use of die-cast metal construction, the N scale version from Broadway Limited Imports should be able to handle a variety of tasks, such as yard and industrial switching or leading a train on a tourist line.
Facts & features
Price: Stealth (no sound), $189.99; with dual-mode Paragon4 sound decoder with Rolling Thunder, $259.99
Manufacturer
Broadway Limited Imports
9 East Tower Circle
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
broadway-limited.com
Era: 1939 to 1980s (varies based on paint scheme)
Road names: New York, Ontario & Western; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Great Northern; Indiana Harbor Belt; Milwaukee Road; Reading Co.; Rock Island; and Union Pacific. Two road numbers per paint scheme.
Features
- Body-mounted couplers, at correct height
- Metal wheel stubs mounted on plastic drive axle gears, properly gauged
- Minimum radius, 9″
- Weight: 2.1 ounces
