MDC/Roundhouse Moose Jaws Static Kit 1550

These are fairly rare and pop up on EBAY every now and then. The MDC/Roundhouse HOn3 Moose Jaws Static Locomotive Kit 1550.

I have obviously acquired one, (as well as many other 3-in-1 fun kits than MDC/Roundhouse used to put out before being bought out by Horizon.)

The area of my railroad originally had a narrow gauge logging railroad before the gold strike. The lumber was cut to supply the Milwaukee Road with railroad ties when they built the Pacific Extension through the Missoula area. After the gold strike it was necessary to build a standard gauge line into the area. This "Moose Jaws loco will represent the old and tired narrow gauge loco that once served here. 

The loco is a kit, and it requires kit bashing. Like all MDC 3-n- 1 kits, this is simply many parts from what was current production models that were being sold. They gathered up parts and threw theses kits together, expecting the modeler to kit bash these into his own version. Cutting, sanding and bashing are required, and this 1550 kit is no different. 

This kit can be bashed into two different locomotives;

A 0-8-0 saddle tank narrow gauge locomotive

or

 or a 2-4-4-0t Baby Mallet Locomotive. 

I like the baby mallet personally, so I think that is what I will go with.

Parts in the kit seen below.

It appears the shell are mainly from the standard production 0-6-0 Tank loco from MDC. The metal parts appear to be from their 2-8-0 outside frame narrow gauge kits. This is going to be fun, so stay tuned as I start a build "thread."