Annie chassis on Big Hauler 4-6-0 Loco Bill has question!

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hi all,

I just got another question about replacing the Big Hauler 4-6-0 chassis with an Annie chassis.  I have been told by many that there may be modifications needed on the BH shell to make it work.   I have never done one myself, so have not been able to state specifically what must exactly must be done to make it fit.

If any of you have done this could you report on what had to be modified on the BH shell to make the conversion work., it would be really great if you would.  I would be glad to add it to the Repair Tips  post with a credit to you.

A recent look at available Annie Chassis in the parts store is discouraging ans they seem to be selling out and the price is up to $102.  Forum members thinking about doing this may want to get one while they can.  Prices have gone up on the Big Hauler Standard chassis as well, but for now they seem to be reasonably available

Keep having fun with your trains!

Loco Bill

[Mark Oles]

Hi Bill!

I have done a couple of these and found that the main thing that I had to modify was the spot where the switches go through the backhead.  On the earlier BH models, there were not provision for the switches.  On the Annie chassis, there are two. I think one switch is for the chuff signal and the other is for maybe the back up light? I don't know because I was using old tenders.  In any case, I had to use a dremel and make a little cut for those connection points on the one engine.  On the other, I removed most of the wiring and installed a Revolution control in the tender, so the holes in the backhead are for the wires that control power input, motor output, lights. 

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Thanks Mark,

Great points, you are correct the early BH's did not have a backup light, so no connections for it when adding the Annie chassis.  The Annies have the operating  backup light (except for the woodburners) sothe one doing the chassis change will either have to add the connection, or live with no operating backup light. 

With respect to adding the Big Hauler loco shell to the Annie chassis, did you have to make any alterations to the BH shell?  If so do you recall what you may have done?

It is guys like you who make this forum great, so a great big thanks!!

Bill

[Mark Oles]

Hi Bill,

I think it was just the backhead. I did get a new to me Annie a few weeks back.  I'll check it out.

I had to pair a ATSF 'red comet' boiler to the annie chassis I have here.  I repainted it first.  The old molding was not so great.  I also had to drill the hole out for the bell a little bit more. The original boiler for the NP&S loco had clearly been dropped and the mounting holes broken off. With the new boiler, I was able to fix all the old problems. I did have to repaint all of it, but it turned out really nice! I even made the boiler bands and loco lettering out of permanent vinyl.

[tedyarbrough]

Bill,
This video by one of the Georgia Garden Railway Society member's may help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRrWzNRWaTw
Happy Rails To You,
Teddy

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Good one Teddy! Thanks for posting it.

Here is another one which explaines some of the issues when the direction switch needs to be added  to the smoke box. It also shows the modifications to the backhead to add a light to the tender.  The author Kevin uses incandescent grain of wheat bulbs and reversing diodes.  I personally would stick with using the LED headlight and if adding an operating light to the dummy light in the tender to use an LED there as well and protecting it with a 1K ohm resistor if the voltage is too high.  I think the voltage to the tender light will not need the resistor since the protection is in the loco wiring but check to be sure.  The new Annie chassis is wired to turn on the rear backup light when the loco power is reversed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVQzlJJkg3Y. 

Anyway a big thanks to Kevin for showing the modification details so well in his video!! It illustrates the modifications mentioned in my Repair Tips post very well.

Forum members should review both videos and will gain a lot of confidence in how to do it. 

Also remember that if you buy a Big Hauler(Standard) chassis, or an Anniversary chassis,  the motor and gearbox is exactly the same in both. The metal valve gear on the Annie is the major advantage of changing as well as the additional detail. 

[A Trainman]

Hi All,
Looking at both videos and it looked like nothing was done to relocate the air tanks so they don't rest, crooked, on top of the steam chests.
This same question has been asked on another forum and I answered with my solution to this, makes things look correct. Greg Elmassian ask to publish my answer on his website, you can fine it here

https://www.elmassian.com/index.php/large-scale-train-main-page/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips/bachmann-motive-power/big-hauler

a little way down the page under "Replace rather then repair?"

You should all checkout Greg's website.

Adam

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Thanks Adam for your post, and detailed instructions.  I would like to post them in my Repair tips section with your approval. When you did those Mods to the Air tanks, did you take any photos?  It would be great if you could post photos. If nothing else could you please post a close up side view photo of one your conversions showing how the modification looks?

Your help is most appreciated, and very welcome to those who are not satisfied with the way the tanks look without moving them back!

Bill

[A Trainman]

Hi Bill,
I would be happy to have you post my instructions in your repair tips.
I haven't taken any pictures of the process or any of the end results but I will. I just opened an account with flickr but don't have any pictures downloaded yet.
I've been fortunate to not have lost a minute of work during this pandemic but on the other hand I haven't had much time to play with trains either. I'll take some shots of the finished product and some shots of the floorboard/air tank assembly, as I have an extra set from a bash turning a 4-6-0 into a 2-8-0, and then download them to flicker. Then all I'll have to do is figure out how to download my pictures from flickr to this forum 

Hopefully I'll have something before Friday, I'll be busy with other issues over the weekend.

Adam

[A Trainman]

Well I took some photos, uploaded them to flickr and now we're going to try posting some here.

First off, here's the finished project with the air tank moved rearward off of the steam chest.



Nice! That seemed to work, here's a couple more.




Adam

[A Trainman]

Now for a some build photos.

First off, here's the original assembly. Notice how the tank is more or less centered under the floorboard.


All taken apart.


Using the inside tank half, position it rearward so the rear hole is just off the rear of the mount to get an idea where to file a notch for the rear screw.


File the notch, place a screw in rear hole of the inner tank half to locate it and using the correct size drill bit, drill a hole in the mount using the front hole as a guide.

[A Trainman]

Now we need to lengthen the notch in the front of the outer tank half. (The black lined area)
   

Here's a shot of what the top front of the outside tank half should look like when done.


Now all you gotta do is put it all back together again. Notice how the tank is now positioned towards the rear.


Do one side at a time so you don't get things mixed up.

Bill,
Thanks for prodding me along for photos. I've always wanted to get this photo posting thing figured out. I don't know if you remember, but, a while back I asked you about a Big Hauler Christmas engine with the new style pilot truck. You didn't think a Big Hauler was made with the new truck and asked for a photo. Well, I think now in the very near future I'll be asking you again but this time with some photos for you to review.

I hope this is useful for anyone wanting to put an Annie chassis under any old Big Hauler, I've done it with the first generation on up.
It's easy to do, you already have the floorboards off, and I think it makes things look correct!

Adam

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Adam,

This is is a great post, and perfect form those wanting to position the air tanks further back.  I will add a link in my repair tips to this post as soon as I do the next revision. 

Your effort is very much appreciated, and will be perfect for the forum members.

A big thanks to Mark, Teddy, and Adam for the great input!!!

Bill

Note to Adam:  The Big Hauler Standard 4-6-0's were never made with the new style front truck, only the version six Annie.  I have seen many photos of the BH 4-6-0 with Barry's Big Trains replacement front truck installed on them though. it is just like the version 6 Annie front truck, which Bachmann basically copied from Barry.  If you want to discuss it. Please do a new post.  Thanks  Bill