allterrain wrote:Since you were being so picky and quoting me out of context, I said "a sort of Americanized Stainz locomotive".-Brian
Since you were being so picky and quoting me out of context, I said "a sort of Americanized Stainz locomotive".
-Brian
Sorry Brian, I really wasn't intending to be picky or mean spirited, simply trying to be accurate. That engine is no more a Stainz than a Geo is a Buick...yes both are GM (or LGB), but totally different animals in many ways.
altterrain wrote: ElMik wrote: That isn't actually an Americanized Stainz. It's a freelance thingy based upon the same chassis as their little Porter loco. Cute enough, but really needs a tender. As was mentioned earlier, they were designed with kids in mind, so are pretty much indestructable -- However they are pretty light and rather slippery, so it won't pull all that much. As for bashing, I did a 2017D, which IS the Americanized Stainz with power tender. I have aquired an Aristo c-16 cab to finish the conversion, but haven't gotten it installed yet. Then what is the difference between what I have and the Americanized stainz? Sorry for the dumb questions. I will get better eventually. See: Stainz Bash Since you were being so picky and quoting me out of context, I said "a sort of Americanized Stainz locomotive".-Brian
ElMik wrote: That isn't actually an Americanized Stainz. It's a freelance thingy based upon the same chassis as their little Porter loco. Cute enough, but really needs a tender. As was mentioned earlier, they were designed with kids in mind, so are pretty much indestructable -- However they are pretty light and rather slippery, so it won't pull all that much. As for bashing, I did a 2017D, which IS the Americanized Stainz with power tender. I have aquired an Aristo c-16 cab to finish the conversion, but haven't gotten it installed yet. Then what is the difference between what I have and the Americanized stainz? Sorry for the dumb questions. I will get better eventually. See: Stainz Bash
That isn't actually an Americanized Stainz. It's a freelance thingy based upon the same chassis as their little Porter loco. Cute enough, but really needs a tender. As was mentioned earlier, they were designed with kids in mind, so are pretty much indestructable -- However they are pretty light and rather slippery, so it won't pull all that much.
As for bashing, I did a 2017D, which IS the Americanized Stainz with power tender. I have aquired an Aristo c-16 cab to finish the conversion, but haven't gotten it installed yet.
Then what is the difference between what I have and the Americanized stainz? Sorry for the dumb questions. I will get better eventually.
See: Stainz Bash
ElMik wrote:That isn't actually an Americanized Stainz. It's a freelance thingy based upon the same chassis as their little Porter loco. Cute enough, but really needs a tender. As was mentioned earlier, they were designed with kids in mind, so are pretty much indestructable -- However they are pretty light and rather slippery, so it won't pull all that much. As for bashing, I did a 2017D, which IS the Americanized Stainz with power tender. I have aquired an Aristo c-16 cab to finish the conversion, but haven't gotten it installed yet. See: Stainz Bash
LGB's Toytrain line sells a small 2 axle tender thats a perfect match to this little engine.
Have fun with your trains
Snowshoe,
You can obtain replacement parts for LGB from LGB of America. Suggest you get familiar with their website at http://www.lgboa.com and visit the Customer Support section. Fortunately, most parts are not hard to get, nor do they break that easily. 3 year olds can be a bit rough on anything.
Most LGB is NOT as "toy-like" as that particular set. LGB do make a line of trains targeted towards youngsters entitle "LGB Toy Train" (imagine that). I have three "regular" LGB starter sets - the European Passenger set, the D&RGW American passenger set, and an old European freight set. These are all real gems. The Euro sets have the classic Stainz engine which is a workhorse and the prime reasons for LGB's legendery quality reputation. The American set has a "shorty" 2-4-0 steamer with a tender and two shortened passenger cars. Detail is excellent on all of these yet the plastic has enough flex to resist breakage from constant handling. I find no reason to bash any of these since the Stainz is a charming loco by itself, and the 2-4-0 is a great runner (also they all have smoke and the Stainz's have a chuff-chuff sound; no it isn't as realistic as a $300 sound card installation but it makes the point).
Al
SNOWSHOE wrote:Here is another dumb question. What is the difference between the Stainz, and the porter. I cant really tell what makes them that much different.
No dumb questions, just dumb answers, lol If you have the two engines side by side the differences are obvious. The Stainz is a physically bigger engine, it has taller wheels, more weight, etc. There is also more detail, the Stainz has a working valve gear, the older ones had a metal walscherts (sp?), the newer ones (not quite as good pullers IMO) have a plastic external Allen(?) straight link-- The Porter (and it's cousins) has 2 little plastic arms cast as part of the crosshead guides to represent the visible portions of a Stephenson's link reverse. The older Stainz had directional lighting as well, and as Buckso said a larger motor and heavier gearbox. The Stainz is very much an upscale model compared to the Porter (Think of it as a Buick with a v-6 as compared to a Geo)
Still, there is nothing wrong with the Porters, they are nice little engines. I'd even like one for my daughter, but the used prices are a bit high at the moment.
Since there is no practical way to add a traction tire, the only thing to do about the slipperiness (is that a word?) is to add a bit of weight over the drivers...WHERE to put it, being the operative question.
The little flag stands are a bit brittle. They are/used to be available from LGB, I've seen them on evilbay as a pkg of (6?)...I think there might be 2 different ones, the ones -- one for the Stainz and another for the Mogul -- they look identical but the mounting pins are slightly different? I stole the ones for my 2017D, for a Mogul I had, so I added the metal grab rail off the donor B-mann side tank's pilot to the Stainz.
As for the "gold buttons"...I'm not quite sure what you mean there. The LGB Porter had little displacement lubricator castings mounted on the steamchests. The nearly identical Lehmann Toytrain version did not... but I haven't had the exact model that you do.
ElMik wrote: That isn't actually an Americanized Stainz. It's a freelance thingy based upon the same chassis as their little Porter loco. Cute enough, but really needs a tender. As was mentioned earlier, they were designed with kids in mind, so are pretty much indestructable -- However they are pretty light and rather slippery, so it won't pull all that much. As for bashing, I did a 2017D, which IS the Americanized Stainz with power tender. I have aquired an Aristo c-16 cab to finish the conversion, but haven't gotten it installed yet. See: Stainz Bash
I did notice it is slippery on the tracks. Anyway to cut down on that. Also the small gold plastic poles on the front and the two small gold buttons behind the poles, is there a way to get new ones. Although a very well built engine, my 3 year old daughter broke them off while taking it out of the box.
Great point. You're right, they do need a tender. I picked up a Scientific Toys 4 wheel tender on Evilbay real cheap and am bashing it for my LGB porter now. Kinda cheesy lookin right now, but when I'm done it'll look fine. The coolest thing about it is that the coal load pops out to reveal a battery box that powered the loco it mated to. I removed the battery box to make room for sound when I add it. I know I am going to lower the tender some and I may decide to shorten it a little.
Ain't nuthin to it. First off, you need to figure out what you want it to look like in the end. Those little tank locos above are cool......though I'm not a fan of side tankers, you might be. I kinda like the traditional Porter look, myself. More like this:
Just keep in mind that no matter what you choose, the loco is small. Don't let it intimidate you. People built it that put their pants on one leg at a time just like you do. You can build one, too.
Get some good detail parts from http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/
add some tanks and turn it into something like this -
or this
or even this old timer -
or turn the little flat car into a tender for something like this -
Have fun, Brian
I recently bought that same set for my sisters kid so he could have his own train to play with when he comes over. Scale wise I think they are pretty much the same the cars are just shorter (same length as the bachmann bobber caboose) Only thing I have changed is the wheels to metal and the smoke stack on the engine lost the top part so I replace the whole thing with one from Ozark painted black, doesnt look to bad The engine seems to be a good runner but it doesnt seem like it can pull many more car's. We run his with a bachmann bobber caboose from one of my big hauler sets on the end and the engine really seems to have to work (im sure adding metal wheels to all the car's didnt help lol) also it seems to get the track more dirty faster than my bachmann engines im guessing thats from the pickups they use on those lil LGB engines.
One last thing i thought was kinda funny... Bachmann hook & loop couplers seem seem to work better than the LGB ones on this train set... I kept having car's come uncoupled in the curves and havent had any problems since I switched all the couplers.
If anyone has any pictures of theirs that was kitbashed would love to see some for ideas.
Your instinct was right about the toy like part. This is meant as a starter set for youngin's to abuse. The loco is a sort of Americanized Stainz locomotive (you won't find cowcatchers on European locos). The Stainz is the LGB signature loco and is based on a small European switcher. It will last a long time and maybe you could kitbash in the future into something less toy like.
I believe the latest starter packs are 2 amps but this one may only be 1 amp.
Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month