I just bought one of the Heavy Mountains off of eBay for $50, and then I saw that Bachmann, at one time, made a Light Mountain. What is the difference? In the photos, the overall locomotive looked the same, but the tender was smaller. What's the difference between the models?

Phil

I happen to know for a fact that the project is still alive. I'm not going to throw the cat out of the bag, but the prototype is Moore Kempel #6. I remember that the original announcement was for a 3 trucker, but the 2 truck Moore Kempel #3 was in the same geographical location also. So, the restored loco was made into the model.

I also know of other 'similar' projects that have been talked about at Bachmann. But, let's wait and see before we get our hopes up.

Phil

The one thing that Bachmann did, that Proto 2000 didn't, is that they released the engines in numbers that actually still exist (i.e., 1225, 765) and not in some dumb numbers that people will not buy.

I model a HO tourist railroad, and I would rather buy a Bachmann that has the flywheel motor and good details with a good number, than a expensive P2K that has a number that no 'casual' modeler would want to buy.

Another example is the Walthers P1K RSC-2. The only MILW engine that exists in that paint scheme is the 988, at Mid-Continent RR museum. Did Walthers produce that number? No. Did Kato, who released the engine in the exact (incorrect) paint scheme as the 988 release it in that number? No, but they did produce a un-numbered version with a dry-transfer set that included the 988.

It's the difference in numbers that has always bothered me. If a company can not produce the famous engine in a number that still exists, they can have the product for themselves.

Thanks Bachmann, for the good numbers!

Phil

So, is it solved?

GP9B?

Although a Shay might derail, it isn't as serious as a rod loco, because they re-rail a Shay (or Heisler, Climax) truck like a derailed freight truck-with a re-railer.

Durring a late 60's, very early 70's ('68?) Cass Railfan Weekend, Shay 7 jumped the track ontop of Bald Knob. While the park officials were scrambling and having panic attacks, the veteran logging employees said "No problem!" and had the engine's front truck on the tracks within an hour or two.

Jumping the Rail might also come from the really bad track that most logging railroads had. They were not very level, built crudely, and had many defects. Going too fast over it might also cause a derailment.

My 2 cents...

Phil

I read your question about 5 times; though still a bit conused, I think I understand what you are saying.

Yes, the flex track will bend and pull your nails out, if directly put into the foam.

If you use roadbed (Cork), and put enough nails into the foam, and enough nails from the track into the roadbed, the track should not warp or anything. If it is solid and sturdy in the first place, it shouldn't move.

The only problem I can see (well, at least for me) is that putting track on top of the roadbed and foam will reduce the noise of the cars running over it to nothing. Putting the roadbed on plywood will be noisy.

Just my 2 cents worth. If I'm not understanding the question, let me know. My 15 year old brain might not see as well as yours

Phil

Considering Bachmann has made quite a bit if Cass Scenic Railroad equipment (Shay 5, log car, excursion car (if they ever produce them)), I suspect that if there would be a prototype for a 3 truck Heisler, it would come from # 6. It is not necessarly a standard Heisler, as it is oversized, and classed as a West Coast Special, but I don't think too many people would care.

The Rivarossi Heisler (3 truck) is wrong, as it is a 2tk with a tender.

I would like to see a West Side Lumber #3 Heisler, as it is the cutest engine I have ever seen

Phil

I'd buy 3 R-1's if Bachmann produced them. Although I can't say much for the prototype at this time (it's in pieces, and probably will never run for a long time), a R-1 model would be perfect.

3 of them exist-
-1385, North Freedom, WI-
-175, Houghton/Hancock, MI (with NP tender)-
-444, Denver, CO

Phil

My 2-10-0 had the same problem. By saying that by him installing lights (better ones than Bachmann has) caused the problem, just says that you don't know what the problem is.

My 2-10-0 ran for a while when I got it, and then stopped running. When I hit it, uhhh, tapped it a few times, it ran again. It would repeativly have this problem. It seamed that the wiper was shorting out on the blind driver for some reason. What did I do? I cut them off. Never had the problem again.

I'm not saying that you should do this, as you could mess something up with the engine.

The engine does have less pick-ups, so you might have to clean the track a little more often--something you should do anyways.

More on the light issue--Why does the Shay have a square headlight, the Climax have a orange headlight, and the 4-6-0 have a blue headlight? The 2-10-0 is the best so far, with having a white(r) headlight

Phil

Hello All-

I have 2 new Bachmann 70t's, and each one was bought from a different store. One of them runs nice, and makes no noise. The 2nd one makes a Athearn-type noise. I took the shell off, and it makes no noise. I found out that if the shell is at a certain point on the chassis, it doesn't make the noise. Is this rattling? How can I fix it? No matter how tight the shell is, or how loose it is, it still makes the noise. Maybe the Bachmann department has some advise.

Phil

I just looked on Walthers's web site, and saw that the release date for the Excursion Cars has been pushed back from May 31, 2007 to the beginning of 2009! Is there a tooling problem that pushed it so far back, lack of interiest?

Phil

I'd say they have been out of stock at Walthers for at least 2-3 years. How much did you pay for yours?

The only other Rotary I know that looks like the Walthers model (except the one at Mid-Continent) is the Rotary at Hanna, WY. It's a nearly exact plow to the Mid-Continent plow, and still has it's UP vanderbelt tender (It's still in UP paint). Of course, there are probably many other Rotarys out there that have that as a prototype.

Phil

Any updates? Pre-production photos? What's the prototype? Who can I contact about finding more info?

Phil

The rotary blade moves like a light in a Athearn BB lights up. At small throtle, it goes slow. At full throtle, it moves scale fast. It would probably work like a dream on DCC, as you could have your engine going slow, and the rotary blade going fast.

Make sure not to take apart the connections too much. I broke mine a while back (The Rotarys have been long out of stock), but eventually got it fixed.

For you who do not know, the rotary was modeled after OSL 762, which is at Mid-Continent Railroad museum in North Freedom, WI.

It was built for the Oregon Short Line, and later became Union Pacific 051, and later 900051. It lost it's original tender upon UP acquisition, and they put a higher-capacity Vanderbelt tender on it.

It was on display at a Idaho resturant from 1971 to 1980, until it was finally donated to MCRWY.

When it was donated to MCRWY in 1980, they took the vanderbelt tender off it, scrapped it, and put a MP crane tender with it. That is why it looks a bit perculiar from other Rotarys with original tenders.

It ran last in 1989 durring Snow Train when something with the drive went out (My father has video he took at Snow Train, and he has footage at the crossing when the rotary last operated). They later discovered there was also boiler problems too.

Until this year, it sat in a faded, rusted, and chipping OSL paint that was nearly 23 years old. Now, it is being cosmetically restored to OSL paint. As of yeaterday, it's primer was nearly done, and the valves were painted red, and the brass parts were, I guess you could say, painted brass. She looks a lot better than I have ever seen her.

I know they are talking about some internal restoration, but WC&C 4-6-0 #1 is top priority, and with the S1 #7 taking a dump last year, they finally found USA RS4-TC #1256, now re-lettered MCRWY #1256. So, we can only cross our fingers.

Phil