Anyone have one of these? How's it run?
According to reviews I've seen, the prototype was listed in the 1892 Porter catalog.
So. do you think it cold pull 4 empty mine cars up a 4% grade, or would I be limited to yard work with it.
And where do they keep the fuel?
And as long as I have you, what do you think of the MRC Sheer Brilliance sound decoders. Mind you, I'm cheap and my hearing isn't as good as it used to was.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Found this in a Google search.
http://mrr.trains.com/product-reviews/staff-reviews/2013/11/bachmann-trains-ho-scale-porter-switcher
You can also look at the Bachmann HO forum.
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.
richg1998Found this in a Google search.
Thanks. I guess it's moot. The article says it's detailed for 1920. Unless I can figure out how to backdate it...
I still have the other questions.
SpaceMouseAnd where do they keep the fuel?
from the photo in the link Rich provided, it looks like there is a small coal bunker behind the cab. These small switchers never went far fom home base, so a large coal supply is not necessary. They could scoot over to the nearby coal pile for a quick refill whenever needed.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
G Paineit looks like there is a small coal bunker behind the cab.
I'm sure you meant to say "firewood bunker" not much coal in the Pacific NW.
I saw that when I looked at it in Google Images. I'd probably just stack some wood in the cab under it, as the cab is hollow.
SpaceMouse Thanks. I guess it's moot. The article says it's detailed for 1920. Unless I can figure out how to backdate it...
Thet's easy, pardner:
Remove the electric generator and headlight(s).
Install "old" headlight(s):
https://www.walthers.com/steam-loco-headlight-brass-castings-large-baldwin-style-oil-lamp-circa-1890s
The above MIGHT look a bit too bulky on that little guy, so here's another possibility:
https://www.walthers.com/steam-loco-headlight-brass-castings-lima-arc-light
There's other brands too, like Precision Scale. What you want is a headlight with that little "topknot". Which is a vent for various heat by-products.
Ed
7j43kThet's easy, pardner:
I figured actually. I just had no clue how. Thanks.
Actually, all the article said is that the dynamo/generator and electric headlight would have been a '20s addition. To backdate the locomotive would be simple: remove those two parts, and replace the headlight with an older-style oil light. Cal-Scale (Bowser) offers a Baldwin box-type oil light, part 190-305 (scroll down a bit to see it).
The linked review shows that the locomotive has a half-ounce drawbar pull, good for about 7 cars. I'd guess that the side tanks would be a good spot to add a couple ounces of lead, if you need more oomph.As mentioned, the fuel is in a bunker behind the cab - in your chosen era, it might have been wood, which would require that you replace whatever's there (phony coal load or covered area for oil) with a representation of split wood. That would then require a different style stack. Cal-Scale doesn't show any, but my Precision Scale catalogue lists several. If you decide to buy the Bachmann locomotive, contact me with a PM - I have some plastic old-time smokestacks from Model Die Casting which would be suitable(and free).
SpaceMouse ....I still have the other questions.
....I still have the other questions.
If you decide to buy the Bachmann locomotive
It's already in my shopping cart along with my track order. I'm just waiting to pull the trigger. Thanks for the offer. I'll take you up on it. I'll do so after it arrives.
This forum is acting funky this morning.
Yeah, I'll agree with Wayne on the stack.
I'll also throw in, as long as we're hackin' and hewin', that the air compressor is wrong, as it's a cross-compound. VERY unlikely to have been on such an engine back in the day. And, ya know, it doesn't like properly scale sized, anyway. Try this Cal-Scale part:
https://www.walthers.com/steam-loco-air-compressor-brass-casting-single-phase-9-1-2-quot-w-mounting-bracket
And I'll absolutely endorse the view that headlights weren't used in the daytime. If you're going to run at night (a very bad idea for a small mining/lumber operation), yup, light the light. If not, maybe you leave it empty.
Thanks for pointing out the compressor, Ed...I had completely missed it.
7j43kAnd I'll absolutely endorse the view that headlights weren't used in the daytime. If you're going to run at night (a very bad idea for a small mining/lumber operation), yup, light the light. If not, maybe you leave it empty.
If you're not planning night operations, Chip, MV Products lenses are a good representation of the reflector of an unlit headlight, although I'm not familiar with reflectors on oil lamps or it they were even used.
Here's one of those lenses on the tender of a Bachmann Consolidation...
...and on a brass Ten-wheeler...
Modernisation of the latter locomotive involved adding a second air compressor and an extension on the coal bunker, as was done to the prototype. Others in the same class retained the single pump and others had it replaced by the larger compound-type pump. As long as you keep the modifications era-specific, there are lots of ways to customise your locomotives in a prototypical manner, especially when the superstructure is plastic.
(I do cheat on some of mine which represent known prototypes, as they'll be more saleable, in an estate sale, for those modelling the transition era. I also prefer the look of the updated, more modern versions, of many prototype steamers.)
Wayne
I've got one of these:
It's also a Bachman 0-6-0, and I'd imagine it's the same mechanism under the hood. You can see the small coal bunker behind the cab.
This is a DCC engine, no sound. Since it is pretty much captive to the carfloat terminal, I put a Soundbug decoder and speaker into a small building and assigned it the same address as the engine. It works well enough for me. There is almost no room inside the shell, so fitting in a sound decoder and speaker would be difficult.
I can pull an entire cut of six cars off the carfloat, plus 3 idler flats. I'm actually very surprised at that. Yes, I was very careful to use only metal wheels on the rolling stock, cleaned out all the bearings with my truck tuner, and was meticulous about maintaining the whole package to be very level. I also replaced the plastic rails in the carfloat kit with nickle-silver rails, again to reduce rolling friction.
I've got no experience pulling loads up hills with this engine, though. It does not have traction tires and I'd expect the wheels to slip.
Part of the carfloat terminal trackage is true girder rail street running from Proto 87, and there are a couple of turnouts to negotiate, too. Someday, if I get around to it, I'd like to add a current-keeper to help the engine over spots where it occasionally loses power.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Hello all,
Yes, I have one in HO with DCC.
On my pike the 0-6-0 Side Tank Porter has been converted to an oil burner and acts as a helper on the "Olde Tyme" excursion train up the 3% grade up to the historic spiral trestle.
The head-end loco is a USRA 0-6-0 with a Vanderbuilt tender, also converted to burn oil.
This loco pulls an "Olde Tyme" combine car, two 34-foot passenger cars and a bobber caboose.
The only problem I've encountered; with both these locomotives, is the gear cover on the bottom strikes the re-railers causing power loss and derailments.
I solved this problem by using a rotary tool to remove the protruding gear cover to clear the frogs.
On the USRA 0-6-0 there was a side-rod that was bent outward which caused some binding. I simply straightened the offending side-rod and now it's a smooth runner.
For better low speed performance I set the speed control to 128 steps. I also adjusted CV's 3,4,5 and 6 on both locomotives and speed matched them.
As far as fuel; because the 0-6-0 Side Tank Porter has been converted to burn fuel oil, the diesel service facilities along the line can provide adequate fuel for the limited excursion runs.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Thanks everyone. I'm pulling the trigger.
OK, in an NWP/SWP style weird idea I have for a franken-locomotive project I have kicked this around for a while.
.
I have considered purchasing two 0-6-0 saddle tankers and running them cab-to-cab like an A-A set of steam locomotives. I would parallel the electrical systems together to get 12 wheel pickup for the unit.
This would allow me to run small saddle tankers without the electrical problems of short wheel base steamers.
I am 98% sure I will never do this... But you never know.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
MisterBeasleyIt's also a Bachman 0-6-0, and I'd imagine it's the same mechanism under the hood.
Maybe and maybe not. Mr B's 0-6-0 is Spectrum, and is DCC (or DCC ready in older production - I have one of those).
Bachmann also makes a Standard line 0-6-0 which is DC only (also a 2-6-0 and 2-6-2 using the same mechanism). I bought one a few years ago, thinking I could decoder it, not knowing the design. The design was a split frame with the motor enclosed in the frames and power routed through the frame halfs. Not DCC friendly.
maybe they have changed the design in more recent production??
The engine Spacemouse is buying (Hooray, looks like a neat model) is DCC equipped, no sound.
7j43k The engine Spacemouse is buying (Hooray, looks like a neat model) is DCC equipped, no sound. Ed
I watched a video on this model and the guy was planning to add a MRC sound decoder.
It is why I was asking about the decoder earlier. They sell for about $40--A heck of a lot less than the Tsunami.
SpaceMouse 7j43k The engine Spacemouse is buying (Hooray, looks like a neat model) is DCC equipped, no sound. Ed I watched a video on this model and the guy was planning to add a MRC sound decoder. It is why I was asking about the decoder earlier. They sell for about $40--A heck of a lot less than the Tsunami.
The engine Spacemouse is buying (Hooray, looks like a neat model) is DCC equipped, no sound. Ed
You might want to specifically research slow speed performance of the MRC. I've noticed that less expensive basic decoders, like Bachmann's and older MRC's, do not allow the loco to run smoothly until about 10- 15 mph, and starting speed is jerky.
The more commonly expensive decoders like Tsunami have much better slow speed smoothness.
If you go too cheap, you may be wasting $40. I don't know the specific motor performance of the MRC. But I think the sound is adequate.
- Douglas
I own it. I purchased one for my son for his layout.
Mechanically it's exaxtly the same as the 0-4-0T saddle tank switcher.
That means it's light on it's feet and the pickups are not so good.
However it is VERY smooth, and the only time mine stalls electrically is when I go around a PECO curved or #6 dead frog turnouts at a snails pace.
I retrofitted my mechanisms with Soundtraxx TSU 750's and 3 x 200 uF capacitors to keep it alive. Regular Keep Alives will not fit. That takes up a lot of space in the cab roof.
Will it haul 4 mine cars up a 4 % grade is questionable. I have problems hauling 4 40ft reefers on a flat level surface and free rolling wheels. Adding lead or birdshot to the nose and roof might held considerably. It's not very heavy.Also, the coal fuel bunker is slapped on the rear, just like Thomas. But if you take it the coal weight, it becomes an oil fuel tank.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!