Annie in 20.3 scale

[Larry S.]

Bach-Man,

I don't know if this has been brought up before, but if it has, consider this a vote for it. Is there any chance that there could be a new Annie made to 1:20.3 scale and be made closer to its ET prototype? There seems to have been a big shift to western prototypes and 20.3 scale and the 10 wheeler seems to have been left behind. I would get rid of all of the 22.5 scale equipment I have if the 10 wheeler comes out in 20.3.

Larry S.
(returning after a several year absence)
Southern Ohio Narrow Gauge RR

[Barry BBT]

Larry,

Just my opinion, but I think Bachmann made that decision 12 years ago when they brought out the "Tenth Anniversary" models.

I was hoping for the same thing, but a 10% increase in size is a big call and I suppose they took a look at the change as it might have been and decided it wasn't enough.  We always have Spectrum.

Barry

[Kevin Strong]

Being a fan of eastern narrow gauge myself, I can certainly empathize with the lack of iconic "eastern" prototypes in 1:20.3. On the other hand, the C-19 is very close to a number of inside-frame 2-8-0s that ran on many railroads across the country, as are the 4-4-0 and 2-6-0. They're not the iconic Tweetsie 10-wheelers or EBT mikes, but historically, they're far more universal in terms of railroads who owned them. Sadly, I think those of us who want the more iconic locos in 1:20.3 are going to face the same uphill battle those in the smaller scales face. It's a numbers game, and we ain't got 'em. We can certainly always hope, and keep prodding; just don't hold your breath.

I do find it curious that on the On30 forums, the modelers there are longing for the 4-4-0, 2-6-0, and other locos we have in 1:20.3. Personally, I'd love to see the On30 mogul released in 1:20.3. I'd love a more modern mogul with evenly-spaced drivers. Heck, if you wanted to keep the Colorado theme going, C&S #9 is just ripe for modeling, and is similar enough to moguls that ran on eastern lines as well.

Later,

K

[Skarloey Railway]

I think the lure of the 1:20.3 4-4-0 and 2-6-0 for the On30 brigade is down to the different nature of smaller scale and large scale modelling. In the smaller scale there is usually more of an attempt to model a 'railroad', be it a prototype or a fictional interpretation while in large scale it's more about running the trains you like without intending to create a specific railroad with a backstory (Tuscarora is a great exception).

Hence, while the largescale railroader will tend to buy a loco because he likes it, those in the smaller scale trying to create a particular railroad will tend to want the appropriate stock to operate it and the key thing about the largescale 2-6-0 and 4-4-0 is that while they were found everywhere (even central/Latin America as I discovered yesterday) there were many railroads that - at least for a period in their history - ran little else. This is especially so west of the Rockies where the rosters of railroads like the E&P, Nevada Central, N.C.O, Truckee-Lake Tahoe and the coast railroads in California were dominated by them. Indeed, just as it is 'impossible' to model a decent logging RR without a few geared locos, it is impossible to model a Nevada, Utah or Californian common carrier without a handful of 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s. Thus, models of these two engines will not only fit on most modellers' existing railroads they will open up new areas of modeling that have previously only been possible with expensive brass.

[tac]

I bleeve that one of the biggest oversights in recent years has been the 'blind eye' view of the major manufacturers with regard to the White Pass & Yukon Railroad.

True, we had the disaster of the LGB/Aster mike, in 1:22.2 scale, and a few nods in the direction of the WP with a ten-wheeler from Bachmann in 1/24th? scale, as well as the non-existant connie - in Fn3.  Lgb played around with the Alco 535d diesel by compressing it until it was a cartoon version of the real deal, and also made an outside rod switcherdiesel - all in approximately 1:22.5.  #1 diesel was undergoing a restoration, last time I looked in, at the Duncan BC logging heritage centre on Vancouver Island - and that was eight years ago.

Now that AccuCraft AND  Ricjh Yoder have BOTH have produced an Fn3 Baldwin for EBT, surely the time has come for a correct Fn3 version of #73 - one of the most iconic and well-loved locomotives on the west coast.  It's not for lack pf publicity or ignorance - the WP had over a million paying visitors last year, for the fourth or fifth year in succession - the lack of the correct gauge/scale models for this most popular line is unforgiveable.

I would squander some of my granddaughter's inheritance for a CORRECTLY scaled #73, and I'm not alone here, I'm certain.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
ovgrs.org