don7 don7 Has anyone acquired or seen one of the new re-issued Bachmann 4-6-0 steam engines? I forgot to ask if there was a preference over one version or the other between the low driver 52" version and the high driver 63" version? I would opt for the low driver version myself, it seems to be a bit sleeker that the high driver version, also looks older.
don7 Has anyone acquired or seen one of the new re-issued Bachmann 4-6-0 steam engines?
Has anyone acquired or seen one of the new re-issued Bachmann 4-6-0 steam engines?
I forgot to ask if there was a preference over one version or the other between the low driver 52" version and the high driver 63" version?
I would opt for the low driver version myself, it seems to be a bit sleeker that the high driver version, also looks older.
Don, if I read the Bachmann site correctly, the new loco is only offered in the 52" driver version. The prototypes were offered at the same time, with different roads opting for different driver sizes based on their operating conditions and uses.
I actually live just a few hundred feet from the old Maryland and Pennsylvania right of way, they had the 52" driver version because of sharp curves, steep grades, slow trains.
But on a railroad with a better right of way, even the 63" driver version would have been an effective freight loco, and a very effective dual service loco.
I have two of the 63" driver versions, and modified them by installing the Bachmann medium Vandy oil fired tenders, to make them a little more modern and plausable for my 1953 time frame.
Photos later if I get time.
Sheldon
OK, a few photos of some of my Bachmann kit bash projects. Nothing here as impressive as what Wayne posted, and my photo skills are not as good either.
Also note, all these photos were taken before weathering, which I keep pretty light anyway. An at least one is before the paint shop at all.
USRA Heavy Mountain with Hicken tender and replacement Delta trailing truck. I have two like this, two in C&O, and 6 coal fired versions.
Bachmann 2-8-4, converted to heavy 2-8-2 with brass Delta trailing truck with booster. About 6 oz of weight added to loco for better pulling power. This is one of five of these I did. USRA 2-6-6-2 with long Vandy tender and Delta trailing truck - did two of these and have one each of the C&O lettered versions. I don't have any pictures of the two Ten Wheelers or my 2-10-2's, maybe tomorrow if I have time. But all these locos run well, pull well, look great, have high levels of detail. I have made a number of small general improvements, which I posted a thread about some years ago - it has come to the top several times since. Things like all tenders get extra weight, some drawbars have been modified to clear the wires better, extra weight for some locos, and removing capacitors from lighting circuit boards (I run DC with pluse width modulated radio throttles). I have also put Bachmann tenders behind a number of other brands of locos. BLI heavy Mikes, heavy Pacific, 2-6-6-4, as well as behind a Mantua 4-4-2 and sevral brass Pacifics. This helps give the fleet a "family" look......... Sheldon
Bachmann 2-8-4, converted to heavy 2-8-2 with brass Delta trailing truck with booster. About 6 oz of weight added to loco for better pulling power. This is one of five of these I did.
USRA 2-6-6-2 with long Vandy tender and Delta trailing truck - did two of these and have one each of the C&O lettered versions. I don't have any pictures of the two Ten Wheelers or my 2-10-2's, maybe tomorrow if I have time. But all these locos run well, pull well, look great, have high levels of detail. I have made a number of small general improvements, which I posted a thread about some years ago - it has come to the top several times since. Things like all tenders get extra weight, some drawbars have been modified to clear the wires better, extra weight for some locos, and removing capacitors from lighting circuit boards (I run DC with pluse width modulated radio throttles). I have also put Bachmann tenders behind a number of other brands of locos. BLI heavy Mikes, heavy Pacific, 2-6-6-4, as well as behind a Mantua 4-4-2 and sevral brass Pacifics. This helps give the fleet a "family" look......... Sheldon
USRA 2-6-6-2 with long Vandy tender and Delta trailing truck - did two of these and have one each of the C&O lettered versions.
I don't have any pictures of the two Ten Wheelers or my 2-10-2's, maybe tomorrow if I have time. But all these locos run well, pull well, look great, have high levels of detail. I have made a number of small general improvements, which I posted a thread about some years ago - it has come to the top several times since. Things like all tenders get extra weight, some drawbars have been modified to clear the wires better, extra weight for some locos, and removing capacitors from lighting circuit boards (I run DC with pluse width modulated radio throttles). I have also put Bachmann tenders behind a number of other brands of locos. BLI heavy Mikes, heavy Pacific, 2-6-6-4, as well as behind a Mantua 4-4-2 and sevral brass Pacifics. This helps give the fleet a "family" look......... Sheldon
I don't have any pictures of the two Ten Wheelers or my 2-10-2's, maybe tomorrow if I have time.
But all these locos run well, pull well, look great, have high levels of detail. I have made a number of small general improvements, which I posted a thread about some years ago - it has come to the top several times since.
Things like all tenders get extra weight, some drawbars have been modified to clear the wires better, extra weight for some locos, and removing capacitors from lighting circuit boards (I run DC with pluse width modulated radio throttles).
I have also put Bachmann tenders behind a number of other brands of locos. BLI heavy Mikes, heavy Pacific, 2-6-6-4, as well as behind a Mantua 4-4-2 and sevral brass Pacifics.
This helps give the fleet a "family" look.........
Nice-looking roster, Sheldon. I also like the fact that you added weight to the ex-Berkshires - lots of room for it in those locos and I'll bet that they pull a lot better. My favourite (and hometown) prototype road, the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo, ran the only two Berkshires owned by a Canadian road. I've modelled an interchange with the TH&B, but the Berks ran pretty-much only between the namesake cities, and not ever, as far as I know, to the smaller towns in the area which I'm modelling. Those were the realm of Consolidations, and I hope to build a model of at least one of them.
Wayne
Thanks Wayne, yes the ex 2-8-4's pull much better with the exrra weight.
They are also fitted with a drawbar that attaches to the frame ahead of the trailing truck, improving the tracking and dynamic load on curves, given the long fire box.
They are based on the DT&I 800 class mikes, and a lot of research which suggests that the NKP/C&O Berks could have jusf as easily been mikes on roads with suitably heavy trackage for maximum axle loading, no heavier than a GN O-8.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/dti/dti-s805ggC.jpg
Sheldon, did you keep the Pere Marquette road name on that one steamer?
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain Sheldon, did you keep the Pere Marquette road name on that one steamer? Rich
No, they are lettered ATLANTIC CENTRAL, that photo was before paint.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL richhotrain Sheldon, did you keep the Pere Marquette road name on that one steamer? Rich No, they are lettered ATLANTIC CENTRAL, that photo was before paint. Shrldon
Shrldon
richhotrain ATLANTIC CENTRAL richhotrain Sheldon, did you keep the Pere Marquette road name on that one steamer? Rich No, they are lettered ATLANTIC CENTRAL, that photo was before paint. Shrldon And, I see that you relettered your name, Shrldon. Rich
And, I see that you relettered your name, Shrldon.
I'm still getting use to this tablet gismo.....
For all the price complainers above, today I was at Star Hobby, a brick and mortar shop in Annapolis, Md, and they had lots of the new Bachmann 4-6-0 - priced at only $150.00 for the DCC ready/non sound versions.
As well as the new USRA 2-8-2, without sound, $160.00