T-1 errata & details?

Hi all -

Having long thought this to be one of if not THE most stylish of all steam locomotives, I hope someone can answer a few questions:

The bevel on the nose of T-1's 6110/6111 appears to be about 6' longer than on the standard T-1, extending back to about the front edge of the first driver.
On the 55xx's, it's only to about the back edge of the front cylinder.
I can't tell for sure from pix I've seen, but the nose appears blunter also.
Why the changes?
Where was the smokebox access?

#5547 was rebuilt (modified?) at some point to T-1a classification.
What changes were involved & when did this occur?
Were there any other T-1a's?

Lastly, I know that the lower front & side metal was changed/removed to allow better service access (certainly reasonable on the real things), but I don't recall ever seeing a model of either 6110/6111, or of a 55xx with the original full casing, which I think is even more elegant, & ISN'T a prob on a model.
Have I just missed 'em along the way?

TIA for any info!

regards,

Terry

Terry -

I'm surprised no one posted a response till now. I don't get here but once a week or so. Hope you get back to find this.

The nose on the production lot was shortened to eliminate all or most of the beveling of the smokebox sides that was required on 6110-6111. It's easier to manufacture (roll) a cylindrical smokebox section than to custom make a smokebox to fit the stylized nose on the original two.

Access to smokebox on 5500-5549 - There's a photo showing the front 5 ft or so of the nose shroud swinging away to the left in Pennsy Power 1, pg221, indicating hinges on the engineer's side. The smokebox door is visible inside. On the original two and the production lot, there's a small door on the fireman's side, just forward of the parting seam, which also allows access.

5547 was one-of-a-kind, and was equipped with four sets of Walschaerts valve gear after a sideswipe accident. It was rebuilt sometime around 1948. Not sure of exact date.

As additional info, 5500 was rebuilt in 1948 with rotary cam poppet valves. This arrangement featured outside drive shafts instead of the inaccessible cam boxes on the rest of the T1's. It was not reclassified

Models of as-built 6110-6111 have been made in both HO and O. As-built 5500's may be available in HO from Broadway Limited. Check their website. I have one of the later modified production models from BLI, but I never checked for the as-built version, if any.

Hi feltonhill -

Thanks for all the info.

Folks on this site are just the best.

I'd suspected the cosmetic changes were production rather than redesign necessities.

And I should have mentioned I meant HO non-brass models.

regards,

Terry