Bachmann's Phantom 'Walschaert Valve Gear'...

[joegideon]

I've done this before... when the 2-10-2s came out.  But here it is again.

I just looked at the Spectrum Rogers 4-4-0 blurb on this site.  According to Bachmann, one of the salient features of this nifty little American is its "Walschaert Valve Gear".  Which was always very rare on a 4-4-0 and totally non-existent on ones by Bachmann.  The very beautiful Spectrum 4-4-0 models- all versions- have Stephenson gear, as do almost 100% of all 4-4-0s.  The only exceptions I can recall are the modern Americans of the FRISCO and also those of the C. & I.M.  Now... on to the 2-10-2s...

All but one version of the Spectrum 2-10-2 have Southern Valve Gear(-and all the original USRA 2-10-2s- light and heavy- did arrive with the Southern gear...).  The one variety in the Bachmann catalog with valve gear we all can recognize is the Seaboard Air Line version.  And it is advertised as having... you guessed it... "Walschaert Valve Gear"!  And the first thing we recognize is that link on the crosshead that simply isn't there on a Southern-equipped version.  But, upon closer scrutiny, we see that this isn't a Walschaert setup either; it's a Baker!   

I am guessing that a member of the Jonas Walschaert family- I've never heard of a 'Jonas Walschaert', but all those 1880-type guys had names like that- is employed at Bachmann and they are somehow collecting royalties. 

So.  I am volunteering for the position of 'Vice-president- Valve Gear' of this Bachmann outfit...  I promise to have the entire tawdry valve gear scandal resolved by Q4, 2010.

Sincerely,

Joe 'I know it all' Gideon

[Atlantic Central]

Joe, I understand, but you fail to realize one simple fact:

Those who know the difference and the correct names don't need to be told, and those who don't know generally don't care.

Sheldon

[Steam is King]

I for one would LOVE to see Bachmann's 4-4-0 equipped with the Walschaert Valve Gear! Part of the beauty of steam locomotives is all the moving gear that makes it come alive.

[rogertra]

Joe, I understand, but you fail to realize one simple fact:

Those who know the difference and the correct names don't need to be told, and those who don't know generally don't care.

Sheldon

Never a truer word was spoken Sheldon.

It's like people who will buy anything lettered for their favourite road even if that road never owned that particular prototype.

[jonathan]

I like to think of myself in the "willing to compromise" category.

Finding an exactly correct model, in my 'favorite' road is a monumental task (or a very expensive one).  If the model comes reasonably close, I can live with that.  

Does it run well?  That's the question.  For me, it is better to feel good than to look good.

If you can move a compressor here, or a bell there... Works for me.

I once spoke to a dealer in superdetail parts (I was looking for 'correct' B&O stuff).  His 'number one' requested item is for a generic valve gear that one can add to model steam engines that don't have valve gears.  The dealer called it adding "monkey motion".  

Reminds me of the Docksider that use to run on the Gorre & Daphetid.  Only half the valve gear parts were added, ran all the time, and very few noticed, including me.  Someone had to point it out in writing before I caught on.  Go figure.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Woody Elmore]

When Kemtron was in business, they offered Walshaert's valve gear. The parts were done in lost wax and were really fine models. In my many years in HO I only saw the Kemtron valve gear assembled and installed - and the owner of the engine ran a machine shop. Assembly of the Kemtron kit was not for the faint of heart!

Back in the days of the late Bill Schopp (of RMC fame) he would have been taking engines apart and swapping parts. Today, folks do not want to pay good money just to take an engine apart.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Back in the days of the late Bill Schopp (of RMC fame) he would have been taking engines apart and swapping parts. Today, folks do not want to pay good money just to take an engine apart.

You can say that twice and mean it! I'm always afraid I won't get it back together correctly. 

Since somebody mentioned "monkey motion," how about a 19th-century S.P. eight-wheeler with "real" Stevens "monkey motion" valve gear?