I created a poll on the Yahoo Bachmann On30 Group web site concerning what future pieces of rolling stock purchasers and users of Bachmann On30 rolling stock would like to see.  If you want to see the results of all of the types/suggestions of potential rolling stock you could vote for, you can go to the site and see the total results.  I have only listed the three top vote getters here.

I was a little surprised by one of the top two vote getters.  Tied for first place as a RPO (the surprise) and a long caboose of some type (not really a surprise).  Third place was for a steel box car.

Hope this is interesting to someone.

OG,

What magazine might that be?

Kevin

We modelers always seem to be interested in new locomotives that we
would like to see produced rather than new rolling stock.
Understandable of course as the locomotives are the "stars" of the
action so to speak.

Bachmann has done an excellent job of producing a reasonably wide
range of rolling stock in its On30 line and I would imagine they sell
more rolling stock than they do locomotives - I could be wrong.

There are only three pieces of rolling stock that I would love to see
Bachmann introduce to its product line. Everything else I can want or
need is either already in production, available from another
manufacturer, or best of all, can be kitbashed from existing in
production rolling stock.

I really would like to see a 24-25 ft. steel box car brought into
production. I would imagine that the same underframe casting could
then be used to make an all steel flat car, and possibly a tank car by
adding a tank to the flat car sans the deck. Some narrow gauges
modernized in an effort to survive.

I really want to see a closed vestibuled coach similar to those used
on the Rio Grande's San Juan/Shavano run and by the ET&WNC, shortened
to the same length as the current Bachmann coaches.

And last on my list, a parlor car with an observation platform on one
end and a closed vestibule on the other. I would settle for the
kitbashing/splicing an existing Bachmann parlor car with a "closed
vestibule" coach to make one though.

What else in terms of rolling stock would other On30 modelers like to see?

Check Tony's Train Exchange.  The link is below.  These guys can do just about anything with DCC including doing the installation for you at a reasonable price.  They stand behind their work as well.

I have had nothing but great service and have only positive things to say about Tony's Train Exchange.  They will be very patient in answering any questions you might have.  They carry almost every DCC product being produced, and if they don't have it, they will try to obtain it for you.

http://tonystrainexchange.com/

Mr. Bachmann,

Now that the cat appears to be out of the bag so to speak, would you be so kind as to post some photos of the new outside frame 4-4-0?! Unless of course the rumors and photo on the internet are some kind of a cruel April's Fool joke in July!

It would be great, since I am asking, if you could pose it with the inside frame 4-4-0 for one photo as well.  The railbus looks really good too!

Thanks!

Here is the link for the prototype.

My apologies, but the locomotive is not located in San Paolo, Brazil, but rather, Sao Joao del Rei.

http://www.steam.demon.co.uk/trains/pics02/sjdr03.jpg

I hope this is not someone idea of an April's Fool joke delayed until July.  Below is the link to a hobby shop in Japan that is advertising this beautiful model of a "Bachmann" OF 4-4-0! 

Wonderful locomotive!  Once again, if true, it would appear that the Bach Man has hit yet another home run!

A prototype for this little beauty, or at least a similar prototype, was exported to Brazil by Baldwin and is preserved today on the 30 inch line in San Paolo.

http://www.45mm.jp/page174.html

Hamish and other fans of a Puffing Billy, I would imagine that  a Bachmann model of either the 24 or the 23 would be very welcome amongst the On2 crowd for conversion and On30 modelers who want a Maine themed lay-out.

But, if these two prototypes are similar enough to the Puffing Billy, I bet Pete at Backwoods Miniatures will have an aftermarket kit cranked out in no time - his kits are outstanding.  I have assembled several including the centercab Whitcomb conversion.

If it is close enough, some enterprising individual will come up with the aftermarket kit.

Actually, a baggage car would, and almost always did have doors on each end.

The only "baggage type" cars that did not have end doors were Railway Post Office (RPO) cars that had working post offices.

Stoves would have been common.  If a baggage handler or crew member road in the baggage car, which was not too uncommon - it had to be kept warm.

Also, baggage cars handled less-than-carload-lot freight often and this could range from milk containers to who knows what - some of which had to be kept warm.

I would look at photos of actual narrow gauge baggage cars to see if the stove pipe was on or not.  Grandt's book on C&S Narrow Gauge rolling stock has photos of almost the entire C&S narrow gauge passenger car fleet.  I am sure this would be a very helpful resource.  It has the freight cars as well.

Hope this helps.

Steel box car!

Mr. Bachmann,

Since you are at a major train show, can we expect a new On30 product announcement?

The 4-4-0s are here, could it be time for a new piece of rolling stock?

Mr. Bachmann,

A steel box car, patterned after the ones of the EBT would be great.   I realize that a full size model would probably be too big for the Bachmann On30 line, but one the same size as the wooden box car currently in the line would be great.

Plus you could use the Vulcan trucks that you already manufacture.

Just a thought, and a request!

Kevin

Mr. Bachmann,

I have a nice new steel cab 4-4-0 on order from by Bachmann supplier.

Could you by chance tell me what alternate details come with the locomotive as standard?

I am planning to send a good sized order for detailing parts to several vendors prior to the locomotives arrival and knowing what comes with the locomotive will help me with making up that detailing part order.

Thanks!

Kevin

San Juan Car Company has announced on their r-t-r page on their web site, it can be found under the our products page, that they will be doing both the 268 and 278 in On30 as well as On3.

They have also announced that they will be doing the frameless Gramps tank cars as well.  No word on whether or not this will be in On30 as well, but I would be surprised if it wasn't.

So for those who wanted a different kind of tank car, it will be a bit pricey compared to a Bachmann offering, but it will be worth the money as it will be super detailed.

I was surfing the net out of shear boredom and in looking under the
section of the Peco web site called Product news saw that a On30
American style armstrong turntable was to be released in February 2008.

Nothing about price but the deck is 305mm. Just how does that
translate into inches?

Nice looking turntable!