QuoteWilliams makes 3 rail only, some reproductions of old Lionel models, other variously described as O-27, semi-scale or scale. At one stage they made highly detailed scale limited edition 3 rail models under the Crown Edition label. (I have no personal knowledge of their trains, I live in Australia where US 3 rail is rare).

Hamish, Williams also made some 2-rail (DC) O-scale locos as well.  Although I've been inactive in O-scale for about 15 years or so, I still have a half-dozen 2-rail O scale brass locos sitting around in boxes; one of them is a Williams streamlined  PRR K4s Pacific, modelled after PRR 1120 (NOT the "Torpedo" style shroud).  It was a very nice running loco!

I think it'll be GREAT news for the O-scale community if Bachmann acquires Williams!                                                                          Tom

Looks like a REALLY little-used branchline with the sand ballast, GG!  (They actually did that on the old New Haven Chatham branch on Cape Cod; it was abandoned in 1937, recently paved as an extension to the Cape Rail Trail - biked it this past summer).

A suggestion for night lighting - I shot this video using a 500-watt halogen work light to simulate "moonlight" back on Memorial Day weekend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijXcQr9MFlc

The light fixture was actually 1000 watts  (two 500 watt fixtures on a tripod mast); picked up on sale a couple of years ago at the local ACE Hardware store for only $20!   (Great for doing late-night track work as well!).                                                                    Tom

Those of you who frequent "Mylargescale.com" may have already seen this; for those of you who haven't:

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=48120

Enjoy a chuckle (at my expense!)                                              Tom

Regarding running Bachmann locos in snow, maybe these pictures (taken 2 years ago) will answer your question!







..and here's a video of the plowing operation!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9khliFb58bo

Please note that track on the railroad is NOT Bachmann! - my "Watuppa Railway" uses a combination of Aristo-Craft & LGB track (turnouts are LGB, either R3 or R5 radius) brass track, & DCC for control & power. 
om

If you're talking just the 2-truck Shay, using truck mounted couplers (the way it comes), no problem operating on R1 (24" radius, 4" diameter) curves.   As Steve mentioned, though, it looks better on larger.                 Tom

QuoteTom, have you ever thought of using DCC to control live steam?  Or ever heard of anyone trying it?  It strikes me that a DCC link would be cheaper than a radio link if you already have the DCC installed.  On the other hand, if you can afford an Accucraft Shay, maybe the price of the link doesn't much matter.

DCC isn't really practical for live steam, Jim,  since I'd still need to drive a servo to control the locomotive (also, there are no wheel power pickups, I'd have to fabricate some); to convert the Accucraft to RC control, I removed the manual reverse lever, fabricated a small aluminum bracket, & used it to mount a mini-servo (salvaged from an old RC glider - I also fly RC aircraft) in it's place.    Tha Accucraft Shays use a piston reverse valve (sort of the live steam equivalent of a DPDT switch); when starting the conversion, I found how far I moved the reverse valve also let it double as a very effective throttle! This meant I only needed 1 servo (vs. the usual 2 - 1 for throttle, 1 for reverse) to control the loco; the consideration here was not so much cost (& despite buying a loco this expensive - my first "plunge" into a $1000+ loco of any sort!  - I wouldn't call myself rich! ) as the very limited space in the cab  - which is filled with the burner assembly, butane tank, & displacement lubricator.  (Which is why my "engine crew" stands just outside on the running boards "enjoying the scenery"! ).  I use the manual throttle only as a "master steam on/off valve"; I close it to drain the lubricator at the end of a run, open the blowdown valve at the bottom of the lubricator, then re-open the throttle to relieve any remaining steam pressure & blow out the accumulated water & any left-over steam oil.  (The lubricator mixes steam oil in the supply line to the cylinders for piston / cylinder lubrication; all it is a a brass cylinder with the steam line passing through, with a tiny hole in the steam line.  Live steam from the throttle enters, condenses to water, sinks to the bottom, & forces the steam oil BACK OUT the same hole into the cylinders).

At the time I did the conversion, I picked up an RC car transmitter (75 MHz. FM) for a controller; the "steering wheel" on the transmitter controls the reverse lever, & operates very much the same as LGB's "center-off" throttle power packs.  The wheel is spring-loaded to center; in that position, even with steam up & the manual throttle open, the Shay is in neutral & doesn't move.  Turn the wheel to the "right", the Shay runs forward, turn it to the "left", & it runs in reverse.   How far the wheel is turned either way determines speed.  This is so simple & intuitive to run that I frequently let small children run the engine at train shows.   (And this loco is not fast, even at full throttle!  Due to it being hot, I don't let the kids touch the engine; I just tell them they can play "engineer" , but I have to play "fireman"   (monitor the boiler pressure & add water via a hand pump in the tender during a run - there's a sight glass for water level on the backhead just like a full-scale loco).  If I were to do this conversion today, I'd use one of the "SPECTRUM" DX6 "spread-spectrum" radio systems; no frequency "conflicts" to worry about if running with other RC equipped steamers, & much shorter transmit antenna!  Hope that answers your questions!                          Tom

QuoteLive steam is great if you like fussing around with a locomotive to make it run for a little while.  But, in general, live steamers are not great for pulling cars, let alone switching them in and out of industries.

I'd like to elaborate a bit on Jim's comments, since I run both live-steam & electric; I currently have 5 Shays on my roster - 4 Bachmann (3 of the 2-truck Shays, 1 of the 3-truck).  The Accucraft Shay is the live steamer.

I'll agree, for minimum fuss, electric is the way to go; it's also far less expensive!

When I'm limited on "train time" , or just want to sit back & "railfan" ("watch 'em roll"), I usually run the Bachmann locos, some of which are equipped with sound.

But in terms of pulling power, the Accucraft Shay pulls just as well as the Bachmann 2-truckers; both typically handle a 6-car train up my 3% grade.

Where the live steamers excel is in the show they put on!   (Which makes the "start-up fuss" - & in the case of this engine, that really isn't much! - Worthwhile!).

Here's a sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijXcQr9MFlc

I've also modified the Accucraft for RC control, & installed Kadee couplers on it, so I can do switching with it!

...As far as the "fuss" goes, remember, this is operating a small, but REAL steam locomotive; here's what's involved:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfsJGphS0bY

- And as long as the live-steamer has insulated drive wheels (this one does,  some others, such as my "Ruby" #11, doesn't), it can "play nice" with what the live-steam crowd refers to as the "sparkies"!  (The Bachmann locos, running under DCC control in my case):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpbBhsy0ZCQ

So this way you have an idea of "both sides of the coin."   In your case, if you're planning a really HUGE railroad, you might also want to give battery / RC power consideration as an option for running Bachmann locos.

                                                                                                     Tom

QuoteSo Tom, when are we going to see and hear it run on YouTube... Wink

...Hopefully sometime in the near future, Skip!   I'm still doing some "tweaking" on the P5 sound card to get things the way I want, & was out of town this past weekend for a non-train-related  event; only thing I did on the railroad this weekend was give the hedges around the mainline a quick trim before they start growing a bit over-enthusiastic.   It looks VERY good at the head end of a 4-car train of Jackson Sharpe coaches!

                                                                                                                                    Tom

In response to "dum"'s comment -

QuoteThis is why LGB is a great product.

- Um, maybe it's because LGB DOESN'T usually put on the level of detail that Bachmann does?  ANY model with fine detail (including some of LGB's higher-end models!) requires careful handling!

Skip, this is an excellent locomotive   - I own no less than 3 of the two truck Shays, & they've all given me superb service, with few problems.

                                                                                                       Tom

                                                                                                     

Add me to the list as well Bach-man!   I'll also second Tony Walsham's comments as to the drive.                                             Tom 

Thanks for the "heads-up" on this potential problem, Kevin!

I don't have ground-cover plants to contend with (my railroad's built elevated) , but almost half my mainline runs OVER an existing box hedge (which provides some "ready-made scenery" .  As soon as it starts to warm up here in MA (supposed to start this weekend, FINALLY!!! ), I'm going to have to keep close tabs on keeping the hedges trimmed back as soon as they begin to sprout (I've had sprouts grow completely across the track in a single night!





..so far at least, I haven't had any problems with the journal lids on the 3 Bachmann 1:20 freight cars I've picked up to date (2 of the hoppers, 1 of the box cars); but if you look to the right of the passenger train in the 1st photo, you can see a few sprouts peeking through some extra decking I've added in this area; it's a narrow stretch behind our barrel shed, very tough to reach with the hedge trimmers (unless I actually climb up on the track!).  A couple of weeks ago, these sprouts caught on the hopper doors when I happend to run them upgrade on the outside track (the same direction the "Connie"-powered freight is running) & caused a minor derailment , so I think I'm going to have to "terminate" them before they cause me more problems!                                   Tom

 Oops!  Forgot to post the last picture!  (The P5 Data jack's hiding place!)...



                                                                                                    Tom

I know Mr Bach-man saw me walking out of of the dealer hall at the East Coast Large Scale Train Show with a large "Spectrum" box.   Here's what was in it....







Also at ECLSTS, I picked up one of Phoenix's new P5 sound cards.  Since my "Watuppa Railway" doesn't have much in sound-equipped passenger power (other the the basic "chuffer" board in an "Annie"), I decided the new Mogul was going to get the P5 installed...





As a result, it has a few additions not normally found on 19th-century Baldwins!

In the engineer's-side toolbox on the front of the tender, I installed the P5's volume "up-down" switch...



(Did I mention - this thing is LOUD!!!)

- but what's hiding back here



- 9600 baud computer serial interface jack  for programming the P5!

I also installed a Digitrax DG583S DCC decoder in the boiler; she runs as good as she looks!

                                                                                                        Tom

Thanks for the "heads-up" on the seminar, Stan!   I'll especially try to get to this one since I'm already running DCC both indoors & on the garden railroad.                                                                                                           Tom

Here's some video clips of my garden railroad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g16Gnxm17cA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpbBhsy0ZCQ

I have about a dozen videos in all up on "YouTube", just click the "More from this user" link to see the others.

By the way, on the  second clip, you can see the Bachmann Large-Scale DCC-&-Sound-On-Board 3-Truck Shay double-heading with my Accucraft live-steamer ; the first 3 cars in the train are Bachmann's new 1:20.3 finescale hoppers & box car.

Almost forgot: since winter's just about over here, this was from LAST year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9khliFb58bo

The railroad is just over 2 years old & is still very much a "work in progress" - main goals for the coming year are to add more yard / industrial trackage, structures, & detailing.

Enjoy!                                                                                      Tom