I have realized that no one has actually fully answered your "how to" question. If you look at the parts diagram with the model or on this website http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/H834X-IS001.PDF you will see that the coal load or oil load for the tender are secured by four round plastic pegs at the corners, which are a press-fit into holes in the tender top. The pegs are prone to snap off if you try to lever the coal load off from above (it happened to me with the small Baldwin tender) so the best way to remove the coal is to take the tender top off the chassis and gently push each peg from below a bit at a time with a suitable tool like a small round file until the coal is free. The wood load is then secured using different holes - there are four projections from the metal rails surrounding the wood load which fit into four slots on the tender top, then the "wood" sits between them. The wood casting is heavy, so you might want to secure it with a drop of something sticky but not permanent underneath, such as Copydex latex adhesive, so that the "wood" does not fall out if / whenever you turn the tender over.

The wood load looks very nice, but one problem is that it has a very distinctive appearance so if you operate two locos with the wood load on your RR at the same time it is obvious that their logs are exactly the same, so you are best with just one "on scene" at a time, unless you want to do a bit of carving and painting.

Hope this helps,
Bill.

Others must advise you about the Southern, but I did a note here a while ago about the history of the Seaboard 4-4-0s represented in the Spectrum range. It is still around, so I will not repeat it, but the essential points for you are that:

- by the early 20th century technology had moved the spark arrester process from the chimney to the smokebox so a wood burning engine had no obvious external differences, except sometimes a slightly longer smokebox;

- the SAL inherited a lot of old wood-burning 4-4-0s in Florida from absorbed lines as wood was cheaper and easier to source there than coal, and as these engines were retired the SAL drafted coal burning 4-4-0s south to replace them and converted them to burn wood when it did so. That info comes from the authoritative book "Seaboard Air Line Railway – Steam Boats, Locomotives, and History" by Richard E Prince, and so cannot be challenged by mortals;

- wood burners did not disappear from the SAL in Florida until after WW1, but in the early 1920s the SAL embarked on a big program of converting locos of all types in Florida to burn oil, apparently following lawsuits from farmers whose crops were set on fire by sparks and an incident in which sparks from a SAL loco burnt down a SAL depot.

Hope that helps,
Bill.

I agree with that sentiment, but I looked at the parts diagram and it seems to show that the smokebox door is part of the boiler casting, so an alternate door with headlamp might not be an easy manufacturing option. If it were I would suggest that that change plus issuing the model with the Richmond tender with oil bunker fitted would bring the SP / T&NO into play, as they liked moguls, and no doubt other RRs. The Santa Fe also liked oil burners.

Bill.

The Canadian National operated large numbers of 2-6-0 Moguls. Bachmann has released their model for the CN using road #s 409 (Sound Value) and 6011 + 6013 (DC, DCC Ready). As usual I saw a sale item and so looked them up, and was surprised to find that whilst #409 was indeed a mogul, the CNR used the # range 6000 – 6079 for 4-8-2 mountains. I am a bit surprised that the Bachmann research department did not spot this, as the info is readily available on Locobase. The model is of value not least because the CNR still had 2-6-0s operating into the late 1950s.

I wonder if I might suggest that when Bachmann re-issues the model with new #s it uses some more appropriate. Whilst there is no exact match for the GB&W prototype, the preserved loco on the Strasburg Railway is not unlike the model, i.e. the whistle, domes, bell, and headlamp are all in the right places and the boiler taper and chimney look right https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SRC_89_19930000_PA_Strasburg.jpg (though photos suggest that a lot of CNR moguls had their headlamp on the smokebox door in the 1940s and 50s). If I understand the data, this was a 24 strong class built in 1910 as E-10-a for the Grand Trunk Pacific as their #1000-1024, then super-heated in 1913 and re-designated E-12 and re-numbered 902-926, which #s they retained until the early 1950s, when some survivors at least were re-numbered into the 80s and 90s, e.g. #919 became #92 in 1952. http://www.steamlocomotive.com/whyte/2-6-0/Canada/photos/cnr81.jpg, http://www.steamlocomotive.com/whyte/2-6-0/Canada/photos/cnr86-5.jpg,

Next there is the similar CN class E #937, later #96, not sold by the CN until June 1959 and now at the Ohio Central Railroad awaiting restoration http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=168166.

Another large class, E-7, comprised 204 locomotives built 1898–1908 by various builders, the last of which, #713, was operating on the CNR Lewiston, Maine branch until 1957, and was then preserved at the Thunder Bay Museum, Fort William, Ontario – there is a 1957 photo on their website which shows a loco similar to the model except for the position of the headlamp https://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/16c1.jpg. Class E-7 has managed to get its own page on Wiki, where all the #s can be found. CNR #s range from 661-864. Whilst no doubt the design evolved over time, they should all be closer to the Bachmann model than a 4-8-2.

In a spirit of helpfulness,
Best Regards,
Bill.

BTW I should have added that I do know that a DCC fitted version of RI 2-8-0 #2119 appeared as Spectrum 83606, and also as the loco in Bachmann 01125 "The Frontiersman Rock Island Freight Set".

Thanks,
Bill.

Hi, re a tender for my SOU #721 2-8-0 body on its way from the Bachmann spares shop, I have an unlettered Spectrum Vanderbilt medium coal tender and have been searching for evidence of such running on the Southern without success. Did they use Vandy tenders at all? and was one ever hooked up to a 2-8-0??

As always, grateful for any info.
Thanks,
Bill.

PS, why on the message board when i write "Bachmann" does it get underlined in red as if it is a spelling error? Does the Bachmann website not know how to spell Bachmann???

Hi, I am confused by Bachmann product numbering. Walthers website says Bachmann Spectrum 11418 was Rock Island 2-8-0 #2121 "These DCC-ready, ready-to-run models feature a five-pole skew wound motor, belt/flywheel drive, all-metal chassis, no traction tires, metal side rods and metal wheels under the tender with pickup." Problem is somehoscalemodelsgi.com has Spectrum 11418 as RI #2008, and indeed I have #2008 in a box labelled Spectrum 11418, which I assumed was a loco in the wrong box as I also have RI #2121 in a box labelled Spectrum 11418. Now I have encountered Bachmann Spectrum 11418 Rock Island 2-8-0 #2119. bev-bel.com lists Bachmann Spectrum 11418 Rock Island 2-8-0, but does not specify a road #. Did Bachmann use the same Spectrum 11418 # for all of their early DC, DCC ready Rock Island 2-8-0s? If so, how many road #s were there under this same product #, and which am I missing?

And do all of these models have a bulb which needs to be changed to an LED if fitting sound? I ask because I got some sound-ready USRA medium coal tender chassis from the spares shop.

Grateful for any info,
Thanks,
Bill.

Hi, thanks for all above. One reason for my asking was that there are a lot of green SOU engines on discount at the moment - the big online retailers clearing their shelves I guess.

On the green Connie, it is clear from all the links that this is a heritage scheme for the 2-8-0. That would not rule it out for me, but Trainman's revelation of a black Spectrum SOU Connie, which I had not known of previously, Spectrum 84503 on the Walthers website, led me, via a quick  google search hoping to find one, back here to the Bachmann parts store where the loco body shell is still in stock, though the tender top is sold out, as is the un-lettered tender top. By chance I have a Rock Island Connie with irreparable body damage, so it now has a new body on the way, and I will sort out the tender later. Anyway the USRA medium coal tender is not quite right, judging by #730. Many thanks for those links. BTW you-tube also yielded Spectrum 2-8-0 SOU #724 in black, which seems to have no sound and so is presumably the plain DC version. So I have left the green Connie on the shelf (at least for now).

On the 4-4-0s, the info about the Mobile - Selma run led via google to the HawkinsRails.net image of #3841 at Selma and on the same page  #3859 at Meridian. As stated by Trainman they are not dead ringers for the Spectrum models, but #3841 is definitely in the right paint scheme, and #3859 is in the right # range, the two Spectrum Baldwins being #3856 and #3858. Anyway I have bagged the pair for $89.99 + $149.99 respectively from my favorite Brooklyn emporium as at those prices I don't expect them to be around for long, and on current form when they are gone we will not see their like again. Spectrum's green Richmond #3863 "Selma" is also broadly in the right # range, but is long gone from the retail shops.

A nice idea for these green 4-4-0s would be as predecessors to the River Street Rambler in Savannah, a role performed by a specially painted SW1500 #1733 from 1966-97 for the SOU and then NS.

Thanks very much for all your help,
Bill.

Hi, I am wondering if this paint scheme represents a preserved engine? It seems unlikely that a 2-8-0 would get the passenger paint scheme. Does anyone know? And are the green Baldwin low-boiler 4-6-0 and Baldwin and Richmond 4-4-0s also based on historical fact or preserved locos? They are more credible passenger engines. I would be grateful for any views or evidence.

Thanks,
Bill.

Hi Sid, thanks,
Bill.

Hey Mr B, maybe its me and late at night, but I just looked through the list of HO loco manuals / diagrams, both Spectrum and standard, in "Product Reference", but cannot find the Baldwin 2-8-0 in HO. Is it missing? or is it me? If it is missing, could you please add the link to the list??

Thanks,
Bill.

Hi Trainman, thanks for your reply. Your stock is greater than mine, in all categories. You probably know about this, but if not, may I recommend "Slow Trains Down South" vol 1 "Daily 'Cept Sunday" and vol 2 "Deep In Dixie" by Mallory Ferrell. As well as the atmospheric scenes, prototypes of all of the Spectrum small steam appear in the over 500 combined pages trundling through the weeds or gently simmering at obscure halts. It is organized by railroad, which is additionally helpful.

Best Regards,
Bill.

Hi, I found these web pages with some great photos of 4-6-0s that the Spectrum model could easily fit: http://www.carrtracks.com/wadley3.htm, http://www.carrtracks.com/wadley4.htm. They are all on the Louisville & Wadley (Georgia), showing L&W 4-6-0s #6 and #41, and two styles of L&W lettering, and also Wrightsville & Tennille #43 operating on the line. Some great shots of mixed trains, and the last pic on page 4 of #43 with a single coach / baggage. For me these are ideal scenes to try to capture in minimum space modelling, possibly fed from interchangable 3-ft or 4-ft casettes.

Also shown is W&T 2-8-0 #208, virtually a 2-8-0 version of the low-boiler 4-6-0. This is the sort of loco I have on these pages previously urged Bachmann to add to their small steam fleet before they simplified the 4-6-0. However, a model without the fussy and archaic detail would not be worthwhile, we already have one from Roundhouse. I have Ma & Pa Baldwin 2-8-0 #26 in brass by Aristocraft, and what I would have liked Bachmann to do was to have added that class, which was a Baldwin "off-the-shelf" design of wide application, to their Ma & Pa fleet, in the days before they decided to abandon high-end small steam models.

Fortunately I have a good stock of unlettered Spectrum Baldwin and Richmond 4-4-0s, low and high boiler 4-6-0s, and Russian Decapods, all great models full of character. Thank goodness for the Decapod, a truly characterful loco, only 10 inches long over couplers, that will fit on a small RR and be at home in a rural backwater. Let us hope that those molds never get "simplified" for the sake of shaving a few pennies off the price. Apart from loss of detail, one problem with moulding the pipework onto the boiler is that you cannot then move it to represent different locos more accurately. You can do that with a cleanly molded boiler and separate pipework.

Happy Modelling,
Bill.

Wow, you are a braver man than me! Useful photo.

Best Regards,
Bill.

Hi, in extremis you can remove the decoder from the loco and re-program it on the bench, which is where it was programmed in the first place. Google to find out how.

Good luck,
Bill.