I have several 4-6-0s that unfortunately come only with slide valves instead of the more modern piston vales.

Before I order parts, or dismantle one each of the 4-6-0s and 2-6-0s to try the parts out,  can anyone tell me if the piston valve casting(s) from the Alco 2-6-0 will fit onto the the 4-6-0s?

The newly announced 2-6-0, Spectrum of Standard Line?

If it's Spectrum, I can two or three for the GER.

If it's Standard, I can see none.  I have almost no faith in the Standard line.

Hopefully, it's Spectrum.

Are Bachmann North America planning on releasing pre-weathered models as Bachmann UK Ltd. does with its range of UK steam and diesel locomotives, as in this example: -

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/32-858DC.jpg&cat_no=32-858DC&info=25&width=650&height=234

I see my original post pointing out the error has been deleted.

No need to thank me Mr. Bach Mann for bringing it to your attention.

However, the correction still  contains an error as it refers to the locomotive as a "2-4-2" when it is in fact, a 2-4-2T.

An engine with the water supply carried in side tanks on the locomotive's frames is correctly and technically referred to as "Tank" engine and is described by affixing the letter "T" after the wheel arrangement.  Thus, "Lyd" and the other versions of this loco should be correctly described as a "2-4-2T".  Even the Baldwin catalogue described these locos as a 2-4-2T.

To omit the "T" and only use 2-4-2 describes a locomotive with a tender.

I found this on my computer, forgot it was there.

Sorry for the poor quality of the video but it does demonstrate just how smooth the turntable works.

Video was taken during the rebuilding of the Granville Junction roundhouse to accommodate the 90 foot turntable replacing an old kitbashed 1960s era Airfix hand operated kit.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17855079/2004%2006%20Jan%20001.AVI

Recently, when I try to post a reply after quoting a previous message, I can only type so far and then my new text keeps dropping down below the text window, disappearing from view,  as though there is a limit on the number of lines of text you can post after a quote.

As you can guess, it makes it very difficult to type as I can't see what I'm typing.

This happened before some time ago and a fix was posted, which I've obviously forgotten.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sometime ago, well over a year, one of the board's subscribers started a project to convert the Spectrum 2-8-0 into a 2-8-2.

The subscriber posted some interesting photos of his progress to date but then, as far as I can tell, nothing else.

Was the 2-8-0 to 2-8-2 convertion ever completed and could you please post more photos?

I have over half a dozen 2-8-0s and converting a couple to 2-8-2s would keep me busy until I can start construction of a new Great Eastern Railway.

One of my UK magazines, "British Railway Modelling", April 2010 had attached a free DVD entitled  "Dynamis - Guide to Digital Railways".

This is an excellent DVD and was provided free to all issues of the April magazine, not limited to subscribers as a certain North American magazine does with special offers.  As in "You are currently not logged in. This article is only available to Model Railroader subscribers."

The DVD was produced by Bachmann Europe Plc and I'm wondering why Bachmann North America doesn't do the same thing for North American purchasers of any North American magazine.  In fact, attaching free DVDs and or CDs to UK magazines isn't that uncommon yet I've never seen it done with a North American hobby magazine.

Well, how about Mr. Bach Man?

Yes guys, it's in the dumpster.

My Great Eastern Railway has been scrapped, account moving into new home.

All salvagable structures etc., have been packed away for future use as I do hope to rebuild a new GER, sometime in the near future but first, I need to finish the basement in the new house.

Sorry for re-posting the following but Pacific Northern has locked the original thread.  I re-posted this as I'm interested in how other people build their locomotive or rolling stock rosters.

First, let me make it clear that the following are my preferences and are not to be taken as criticisms of those people who do things differently.

Before I even started to build the current GER, ten years before in fact, I wrote a complete corporate history detailing all routes, acquisitions and locomotive roster up to 1972, the year I planned to model and did, until Spectrum released to 2-8-0, when that all changed. 

With one or two minor tweaks, adding a small drivered 2-10-0 and Alco RS-1s and a couple of slight history changes so as to accommodate the 2-10-0s and the RS-1s, I've pretty much stuck to that history.

The history and now from that history the locomotive roster as it would have existed in 1958, have been my guide for all locomotive purchases.

I believe in trying to make the GER as believable and as realistic as my abilities allow me.  When I compiled the GER's history, I studied the motive power of the CNR and CPR in southern Quebec and used that as a guide.  "Were locos of this type and wheel arrangement used in this region of Canada and in my era?" were the questions I asked myself.  If the answer was "Yes", then I could add them to my GER roster.  However, even then, I left some types off the list as being too uncommon. CLC (Baldwin) diesels for example, I considered too uncommon for the GER roster, though I did use the aforementioned Alco RS-1s as a substitute even though none were ever sold new in Canada.

I also believe in having a fleet of locomotives, not one of each.   I don't want my crews to say something like, "Ah, here comes the 4-6-2" but rather "Here comes a 4-6-2", and if possible, I'll have at least two classes of each wheel arrangement.  The exception to this rule is yard engines.  As yard engines are typically assigned to the same yard for years having only assigned to a modelled yard is protypical.  For my yard engines I have 0-6-0, one 0-8-0 and one Alco diesel switcher.  However, this may change on the new and larger GER, once I move into the new house.

On the GER, you will not therefore find any 2-6-6-2s nor any other articulated locos as they never ran in Canada.  You'll not find anything in GER colours who's design screams "Norfolk & Western" (Much as I like the NW), or "New York Central" nor any other design easily identifiable to a particular railroad.  You will however find suitable NYC, Rutland, D&H, and of course CNR and CPR locos as the GER interchanges with all of these.

To keep the over all fleet and class effect when I purchase locomotives, I always order a minimum two, usually three and if the budget can be stretched that far four of each.  If things are tight, I will add additional locos of the same class as finances permit.   I also try to add GER details to the locos so that they all look like part of the GER family.

Does anyone else have the same criteria when building a roster?  Period accurate?   Only locos and rolling stock  suitable for your era and region?   Or are most of you in the "Must have one of those" category?

Does anyone else experience the following probelm?

When posting a reply to a previous post, once your post scrolls down to the bottom of the window and the text you are posting scroll down out of the window, the new text does not remain visible in the window but keeps in disappearing as the window "bounced" back to the top of your post.  Thus, the bottom of your post, where you are typing, disappears from view.

You need to scroll down quick to find your text and to see if what you wrote is correct before the text and or the window jumps back up to the top of your message.

Makes replying annoying to say the least.

No doubt many of you, like myself, you cannot understand why so many people on this and other lists cannot spell well known product names.  Look at the various thread lists currently running for examples of misspelling of product names.

Here are four of the most common misspellings, feel free to add to the list -

"Bachmann" - Not Backman nor Bachman nor Bach man.

"Kadee" - Not Kaydee.

"Athearn" - Not Athern.

"Walthers" - Not Walters nor Walther's nor Walter's.

Mr. B.  How about adding these manufacturers and other to the spell check list?

What's happened overnight?

Board was lightening fast on Sunday and although I have a DSL connection, today, Monday, it the slowest it's ever been to load. 

After a few weeks with all the previous problems fixed, we're back to dead slow to load again.  I pitty the guys on dial-up and 56K modem.

Or is it just me?

Anyone else not able to "reply" or "quote" on the "tenders" thread?

This new forum has been up and running for sometime now and the various bugs mentioned by us users when it was first installed still do not seem to have been addressed.

Mr. B., is anything being done?

Just thought I give a preview of a work in progress taking place in the GER's major workshops.

This is a boiler (Thanks Gene) from a C&O heavy 4-8-2 fitted onto a light 4-8-2 chassis from a failed light 4-8-2 kitbash (Fat fingers).  Vestibule cab fitted and running board skirts added for that Canadian look.  Smokebox door from light mountain used as heavy mountain's door was lost by postal services en route to Gene.  Work still to be done is adding Elesco Feedwater Heater and associated plumbing, airpump on left side, water pump on right side, cab windows, boiler handrails to left side of boiler (originals missing) GER's stock airtank on pilot deck and other bits and bobs and then final letter and weathering.

Mr. B.

Any idea when the posting issues with the forum will fixed?

It's been a few weeks now and the problems are not going away.

Gene.

I've just obtained another heavy 4-8-2 with the "long" coal tender?  Got a short one you're willing to swap?

e-mail me.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/ttv/arts.jhtml?bcpid=1358314062&bclid=1363192294&bctid=1482436596

Tuesday, March 18th at 12:41 PDT.

I have a dsl/highspeed connection and a 6th month old computer set up for on-line gaming so it's no slouch and my goodness, this board is S L O W today.