kstrong
ty, that is a very pretty Loco, I will go the cheaper route for now. Maybe some day in the future.
As others have mentioned, Barry's Big Trains makes a 2-8-0 chassis that's accurate for a C-16 in 1:20.3. Yes, it's a bit pricey ($400), but Barry's chassis have a l-o-n-g track record of being reliable. I've scratchbuilt a few locos over the years, and it doesn't matter how good the modeling, if they don't run for beans, it's not worth building. You're not going to go wrong starting with one of his drives. It also comes with siderods, so that's one less thing you have to build. It's well worth the expense to know you've got a solid foundation (to say nothing of the time saved in building the frame, etc.)
If you're determined to go it alone, give Hartland Locomotive Works a call. They sell drivers, including 1 3/4" (scale 36") drivers that will work as well as motors and gears. Their stuff's pretty good also, but you're on your own for the frame and siderods. You could buy LGB Mogul drivers, which are also the right size, but at $80 for only three axles (you'd need four and can only buy them in sets of three, so you'd need two sets), it's a very pricey proposition. I priced Hartland at one point, and it was very reasonable.
I just finished a 2-8-0 built on one of Barry's drives--not the C-16 drive, but his other 2-8-0 drive. Same motor and gears, different (larger) drivers.
It's easily one of my smoothest-running locos, and will in all probability prove to be a favorite over the years. More on its construction can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/EBT2803
Later,
K
TY for that link I enjoyed it. If I could find an Annie cheap enough I was willing to tinker with that would be great. TY.
Also there's the Barry's Big Trains drive that turns the Annie into a consol. It's a little pricey though
Aristo will sell you the motor block for their Mikado/mallet--8 drive wheels. 1.9 inches/48 mm. I'm not sure what size those drivers would be in 1:20, but Accucraft's c-16 has 44.5 inch drivers. If you can live with a driver that's 1.4 mm too big, you could use that. It's under $150 bucksAlternatively, you could modify the chassis of a Bachmann Annie--over at the large scale central forum Bart Salmons has done exactly that to make a 4-8-0:
I made a really nice 1:29 consol out of a Aristo Mikado drive and a Lionel Atlantic, but that does you no good
Rex, ty I am very much interested in keeping with my 1:20.3 scale. Backmann has a 2-8-0 C-10 in 1:20.3 scale right now. Want one of those to some day :) Astro-Craft has a 2-8-0 C-16 in 1:24 scale which if the scale was the same I would settle for. http://www.aristocraft.com/catalog/index.html pg 78 -79
Cabbage, yea I want cheap. I would buy a Loco if what I was seeking was available under $500. I was hopping for something assembled with drivers, gears and, motor. Motor I could do without but I don't have the skill for that. Brian posted something before that was pretty much what I was looking for, but they wanted $275 just for the drive assembly if i remember correctly.
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
Bachmann sells a 1:20.3 Connie. I have one. The detail is good. I did convert it to RC and battery power. The only problem I've had is the main drive gear breaking off the drive axle. I replaced the nylon gear with a metal one from RC car parts. Bachmann did provide replacement parts under warranty.
Rex
I would like to build in 1:20.3 a 2-8-0 Consolidation C-16. I need the 8 wheel drivers, gears, and motor to start. I don't know where such a thing might be sold. There are not any models available in this scale I have been able to find. I don't wanna spend a fortune for it though. Any ideas would help.
Thanks all in advance. :)
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