The 2-6-0 wheel arrangement was developed in the 1860s as an alternative to the popular 4-4-0 American, which, while a highly successful design for its time, proved to be underpowered as railroads gained in popularity and trains became heavier. The radial leading truck on the 2-6-0 made for smooth negotiation of curves, while the overall wheelbase provided better tractive effort. The ALCO 2-6-0, as depicted in this model, was developed in the 1920s for light freight and branchline duties, lasting in service into the 1950s. Our new release of this model includes several updated paint schemes and road numbers, as well as a NEXT18 socket for simple decoder installation.
