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Bachmann Spectrum USRA 2-6-6-2

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Posted by C&O Fan on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 6:23 AM
 cudaken wrote:

 Any links or PIC of the 2-6-6-2?

       Cuda Ken

I did a 15 second video of mine Double click on the picture titled Tsunami Sound 

http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q4/TerryinTexas/?sc=1&addtype=local

I'll post a better picture in this weeks Photo fun

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

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Posted by C&O Fan on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 6:27 AM
 JohnT14808 wrote:

Wow!  When I received the direct email from Micro Mark, I ordered one right away.  It will be a perfect loco for my military train.  {Note to self....Try to figure out how to get teeny tiny numbers onto the number boards on this puppy....} I got mine on Friday, 5/4.

However, I took apart the tender to see how the "DCC ready" really looked and I can not believe how SMALL the plug area is for the decoder.  Is it supposed to be THAT small of an area?  I know that decoders have gotten pretty tiny, but the "plug" that is in the decoder socket right now is smaller than my thumb nail!!

 Then I went out to Lenz and Digitrax sites and realized that decoders HAVE gotten pretty darn tiny.  I will be testing this guy on Thursday at the clubhouse.  Hope it runs like several of the forum members have noted in earlier parts of this thread.

The Tsunami Sound Decoder fits nice with room for a 1.1 inch speaker in the coal bunker

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

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Posted by Isambard on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 7:42 AM
 cudaken wrote:

 Any links or PIC of the 2-6-6-2?

       Cuda Ken

Here's a link to the Bachmann Spectrum 2-6-6-2:

http://www.micromark.com/detailimgs/83866d.jpg

Smile [:)]

Isambard

Grizzly Northern history, Tales from the Grizzly and news on line at  isambard5935.blogspot.com 

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Posted by MidlandPacific on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 9:36 AM
 Isambard wrote:
 Isambard wrote:
 twhite wrote:
 Isambard wrote:

Is the painted/undecorated Spectrum HO 2-6-6-2 currently listed on Micro-Mark's  website ($129 no sound) based on a specific railroad's version or is it a generic USRA 2-6-6-2, also what era - 1920's, 30's or '40's?

 

 

Isambard:  To my knowlege, the Bachmann 2-6-6-2 is based on the USRA WW1 C&O/NKP/W&LE 2-6-6-2 design, which was common among those three railroads.  It pretty much depends on whether the model has the twin pumps on the boiler front (C&O) or the single pump on the right hand side (facing the front).  It's definitely NOT a Rio Grande, GN, NP or Western Pacific prototype, since the cylinders are simple, not Compound, and the 2-6-6-2's for those railroads mostly pre-dated the USRA design.   But it's a little charmer of a loco, and very much worth running if you have mine or coal traffic on your MR. 

It would work on any layout from the 1920's to the early 1950's.  These locos were fairly long-lived because of their versatility. 

Tom   

Tom: The photos on the Micro-Mark site show the loco with pumps on both sides of the smoke box front. The front set of cylinders look considerably larger than the rear, so it looks like a compound to me. Both sets have cylinder valves.

I think I've found the answer, by comparing the photos on the Micro-Mark site with those in MR's Cyclopedia- Vol 1 Steam Locomotives, edited by Linn Wescott. The Spectrum 2-6-6-2 appears to be based on the ten Class H6 1949 models produced for C&O by Baldwin - compound, with rectangular tenders.

One of these will be entering Grizzly Northern service soon - overtaking the road's USRA 2-10-2 Santa Fe type in tractive effort, length and weight - looks as if there'll be a need to beef up the rail weight and strengthen  bridges and trestles to handle the big guy!

The C&O H-6 class 2-6-6-2s were updates of the H-4 class; the USRA engines were the H-5 class, and deviated from normal C&O practice in several respects.  Eugene Huddleston's book on the USRA engines says that the USRA 2-6-6-2 was derived from the N&W Z-1, which was itself derived from a series of tests the N&W ran with a borrowed H-4, but the H-6 was not an update of the USRA design - it was a straightforward update of the predecessor to the USRA design.

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 10:32 AM

Mine arrived from Micro-Mark in great shape and time.  

Runs Great.  

But the tender will not stay on the track.  

Am using the last hole in the drawbar.   22r. track, plenty of slack with the wires.  

I think the front truck needs to be removed   and the hole needs to be reamed.  

As soon as my arthritic hands loosen up I will work on it.  

That's why I prefer On30, easier too see and work on.

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Posted by Isambard on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 11:27 AM
 twhite wrote:
 Isambard wrote:
 Isambard wrote:
 twhite wrote:
 Isambard wrote:

Is the painted/undecorated Spectrum HO 2-6-6-2 currently listed on Micro-Mark's  website ($129 no sound) based on a specific railroad's version or is it a generic USRA 2-6-6-2, also what era - 1920's, 30's or '40's?

 

 

Isambard:  To my knowlege, the Bachmann 2-6-6-2 is based on the USRA WW1 C&O/NKP/W&LE 2-6-6-2 design, which was common among those three railroads.  It pretty much depends on whether the model has the twin pumps on the boiler front (C&O) or the single pump on the right hand side (facing the front).  It's definitely NOT a Rio Grande, GN, NP or Western Pacific prototype, since the cylinders are simple, not Compound, and the 2-6-6-2's for those railroads mostly pre-dated the USRA design.   But it's a little charmer of a loco, and very much worth running if you have mine or coal traffic on your MR. 

It would work on any layout from the 1920's to the early 1950's.  These locos were fairly long-lived because of their versatility. 

Tom   

Tom: The photos on the Micro-Mark site show the loco with pumps on both sides of the smoke box front. The front set of cylinders look considerably larger than the rear, so it looks like a compound to me. Both sets have cylinder valves.

I think I've found the answer, by comparing the photos on the Micro-Mark site with those in MR's Cyclopedia- Vol 1 Steam Locomotives, edited by Linn Wescott. The Spectrum 2-6-6-2 appears to be based on the ten Class H6 1949 models produced for C&O by Baldwin - compound, with rectangular tenders.

One of these will be entering Grizzly Northern service soon - overtaking the road's USRA 2-10-2 Santa Fe type in tractive effort, length and weight - looks as if there'll be a need to beef up the rail weight and strengthen  bridges and trestles to handle the big guy!

Isambard--

Actually, the C&O and N&W used these 2-6-6-2's on mine branch trackage a lot--where curves prohibited a large-wheel based non-articulated.  And they were used to 'light' trackage, so if you prefer not to, you don't have to 'beef' up your rail weight.  Those little gals were incredibly versatile locos. 

Have fun with it--I think you'll REALLY like its running and pulling characteristics.  I know I do!

Tom Big Smile [:D]

"Those  little gals" may have been little by comparison with later articulateds, but still were sizeable loco's at about 96 feet total length coupler face to coupler face, 449,000 lbs weight, 98,300 lbs T.E. in simple starting mode. Those characteristics compare with the CPR's largest loco's, the 2-10-4 Type "Selkirks" T1 Class locos, which were about 98 feet over the couplers, 447,000 lbs and 78,000 lbs T.E. (plus 12,000-12,500 lbs starting with booster).

The only articulated's that operated in Canada (apart from Shays, Heislers and Climaxes) were the CPR 0-6-6-0's built in 1911, later converted to 2-10-0's. By introducing a 2-6-6-2 to the Grizzly Northern, history is being re-written - call it historical license. 

Isambard

Grizzly Northern history, Tales from the Grizzly and news on line at  isambard5935.blogspot.com 

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Posted by howmus on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 1:22 PM

If you are going to get one from Micro-Mark, you had better hurry.  I called this morning to get another to add to my roster and they had 2 left in stock.  Well when I hung up there was only one in stock........Wink [;)]Big Smile [:D]

 

The one I already have is indeed a sweet running and beautifully detailed loco.  It is also a great puller pulling 20 40' boxcars up a 2.5% grade with no modifications.  I really didn't want to spend money on more locos right now but this deal was too good to pass up! 

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by C&O Fan on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 10:33 PM
 DigitalGriffin wrote:
 twhite wrote:

  It pretty much depends on whether the model has the twin pumps on the boiler front (C&O)

The "Flying Pumps" mounted on the front is a sure sign of a C&O.  The low mounted headlight is another common sign of a C&O train.  They became a signature trademark of their steam train's design.

However to be a true C&O the tender has to be a Vanderbuilt with a round horizontal tank like structure behind the coal.

So what we have here is a hybrid.  LUCKILY, Bachman still sells the C&O Vandy tender seprately both lettered and unlettered if you so desire.  HOWEVER, the decoder fit is "tight" in these type tenders.  The circuit board is mounted UNDER the coal load and the rounded corners of the water tender, leave little room for a decoder. 

I think the smallest decoder out there with BEMF, and silent running is the Lenz Silver series (hence why I like to recommend them).  But I'm sure there's one or two from digitrax that will fit just fine.  I have managed to shove a Tsunami in mine, but it required me to remove the circuit board from the top of the bunker.  (There's a single screw that holds it in place)

With their small drivers, 2-6-6-2's were good for freight and ore/coal service.  The 2-6-6-2's were phased out after WWII in favor of Berks 2-8-4, USRA Heavy 4-8-2, Texas T-1 2-10-4, and H7 (2-8-8-2 simple articulated...a miserable disaster) and the strongest bad boy of them all, the H8 2-6-6-6 producing 7000HP at speed. 

For more information please see http://www.cohs.org/.  They have a year ordered roster of the train class and numbers.

 

Actually i just tell every one mine is an H-5 because they used the box style tender

and it's very hard to tell the difference between the H-5 and H-6 other than the tender

See the photo

http://www.chessieshop.com/database/ndbsearch.pl?command=showphoto&id=40893

 

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

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Posted by selector on Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:16 AM

 Isambard wrote:
 

...The only articulated's that operated in Canada (apart from Shays, Heislers and Climaxes) were the CPR 0-6-6-0's built in 1911, later converted to 2-10-0's...

In fact, Canadian Forest Products, Ltd., at Wass on Vancouver Island used a 2-6-6-2, #111 originally built for Weyerhauser of Longview, WA.  It was a simple articulated made by Baldwin, and was in use until well into the 50's, perhaps beyond...my source doc does not say.

-Crandell

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Posted by cudaken on Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:26 AM

C&O Fan thanks for the link and I stole a few pic as well. Still looking for ideas for the new bench section. Just wish the clip was longer. What radius does the engine need anyway.

 On link, I meant where to buy one. Like I need more engines, well I guess I do.Big Smile [:D]  

            Cuda Ken

I hate Rust

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Posted by C&O Fan on Thursday, May 10, 2007 6:54 AM
 cudaken wrote:

C&O Fan thanks for the link and I stole a few pic as well. Still looking for ideas for the new bench section. Just wish the clip was longer. What radius does the engine need anyway.

 On link, I meant where to buy one. Like I need more engines, well I guess I do.Big Smile [:D]  

            Cuda Ken

The Loco will do 18" Radius but looks and runs better on larger

I bought mine at http://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=999002687

You can buy the decoder kit seperate and do the install yourself ifyou already

have the loco

Or you can buy the whole thing from them

I'm guessing the decoder must sell for $90 Maybe some one else here woul know

Since my eye site is not so good I had them do the install for an extra $40

But shipping is free and no tax

 

Here's a link to MicroMark

http://www.micromark.com/

 

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

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Posted by Isambard on Thursday, May 10, 2007 7:07 AM
 selector wrote:

 Isambard wrote:
 

...The only articulated's that operated in Canada (apart from Shays, Heislers and Climaxes) were the CPR 0-6-6-0's built in 1911, later converted to 2-10-0's...

In fact, Canadian Forest Products, Ltd., at Wass on Vancouver Island used a 2-6-6-2, #111 originally built for Weyerhauser of Longview, WA.  It was a simple articulated made by Baldwin, and was in use until well into the 50's, perhaps beyond...my source doc does not say.

-Crandell

Shucks, and I thought I was rewriting history! Any photos of #111? What became of it?

Isambard

Grizzly Northern history, Tales from the Grizzly and news on line at  isambard5935.blogspot.com 

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Posted by oldline1 on Friday, May 11, 2007 1:15 AM

Well, I got mine a few days ago from Micro-Mark. It's gorgeous to say the least.

I finally got a chance to run it today and it's very smooth. I have Digitrax DCC and it's very noisy without a decoder installed. Lots of buzzing and humming noises but it was slow and smooth. I installed a Digitrax DH-123 decoder after I ran it on analog for a few minutes and all the noises went away. It ran even slower and smoother on DCC. I can hardly wait to get another Tsunami and speaker setup. This engine with sound will probably move into the position of FAVORITE ENGINE!

Great engine....great buy!

Roger

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Posted by selector on Friday, May 11, 2007 2:31 AM
 Isambard wrote:

...Shucks, and I thought I was rewriting history! Any photos of #111? What became of it?

My source is: Turner, Robert D.(2005). Vancouver Island Railroads. Winlaw, British Columbia: Sono Nis Press.  I would love to scan and post an image, but ....copyright...

If you can find a photo of the new Mantua 2-6-6-2 with the Weyerhauser logo, that is the very same one...with a two truck tender and what look like thin side tanks on either side of the boiler just at the running boards.  The sand dome seems to be wrapped all up and down its side with tubing.  I haven't seen that before.

This is quite close, but missing is the tender and the side tanks in the book are about half as tall as the ones in the model shown below.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/csm/csm351601.htm

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Posted by Isambard on Friday, May 11, 2007 6:58 PM
 selector wrote:
 Isambard wrote:

...Shucks, and I thought I was rewriting history! Any photos of #111? What became of it?

My source is: Turner, Robert D.(2005). Vancouver Island Railroads. Winlaw, British Columbia: Sono Nis Press.  I would love to scan and post an image, but ....copyright...

If you can find a photo of the new Mantua 2-6-6-2 with the Weyerhauser logo, that is the very same one...with a two truck tender and what look like thin side tanks on either side of the boiler just at the running boards.  The sand dome seems to be wrapped all up and down its side with tubing.  I haven't seen that before.

This is quite close, but missing is the tender and the side tanks in the book are about half as tall as the ones in the model shown below.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/csm/csm351601.htm

 Thank you Selector! I must try and find that Turner book. I have his "West of the Great Divide", also from Sono Nis and it's a great book. I'm looking forward to seeing his "Steam Along the Boundary".

Isambard

Grizzly Northern history, Tales from the Grizzly and news on line at  isambard5935.blogspot.com 

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Posted by GT Mills on Thursday, September 12, 2019 10:39 AM

Just an update to this old thread.  I got an unlettered C&O type on Ebay with DCC, no sound, in mint condition except bell is missing, though the bell frame is on the boiler, $166.00 and I ran like I stole it.  Could not believe such an excellent model was still available such a reasonable price.  I am not disappointed!  Stopped by No. 1308 at Memorial Park in Huntington WV on my way up to Michigan last year to visit the real deal, hoping WMSR get No 1309 finished - I will go visit her, too.  

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, September 12, 2019 11:17 AM

I am glad to hear it runs well. I have the dual mode DCC/no sound version of the EM-1 2-8-8-4 from Bachmann, and I could not be happier with it. It is by far my best running locomotive.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Thursday, September 12, 2019 12:49 PM

I have five of them, three on the ATLANTIC CENTRAL, and two C&O. They run great and are one of my favorites.

Shledon

    

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Posted by richg1998 on Thursday, September 12, 2019 1:45 PM

Yes, it is a very old thread but what ever.

If you go to the Bachmann site you can see the loco diagram and Parts list and parts that are available. It shows a sound vesion. I just looked.

Just Google Bachmann forums.

There is also a HO forum with company reps.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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