Speaking of steam locomotives,

I am sure that most steam locomotives showed signs of weathering ... on the other hand there are good prototypical arguments for 'shiny' new looking locomotives as well. Just recently shopped, just purchased or built new, just rebuilt ... etc, etc. The photo below is one of my favorites on this subject. A bright, shiny, 2-10-2, and ICRR 2800 series which were the last and largest of the 2-10-2s on the IC. I don't suppose it stayed this way very long ... but sure looks nice here. 



Obviously, weathering, etc. is a personal modeler's choice and those who do it and do it well, have very beautiful results that are very realistic looking. I personally am not into weathering though I do a tiny bit to highlight the 'super detailing' I have added to my ICRR locomotives. "To each his own" I think might be appropriate here.

lanny

I model the Illinois Central RR during the 1940s ... and stretch it into the very late 1950s so that a few black, 'green diamond' diesels are not out of place running with ICRR steam. I also have an imaginary 'connection' with the 'Fort Dodge, Des Moines, & Southern RR' shortline.

Rye Guy, regarding your post showing my partially finished ICRR #908 2-8-0, here is the finished model. The prototype photo you posted from Steam Town is indeed an ICRR 2-8-0 but I think it is a #700 series ICRR Connie ... they had smaller drivers, were smaller locomotives and had some significant differences from the #900 series that I am modeling (Best wishes on your air force career.)

(photo below)

Gene,

No doubt you have already done this ... but ... using a piece of very fine grit sand paper, 'burnish/enlarge' the hole of the truck arm through which the screw attaches the pilot truck to the body. In fact, if you can get it apart, I would 'burnish' all surfaces that the wheel/axle touches including the area of the chassis where the truck is attached to get as 'friction free' movement as possible. (Since your wheels are in guage, it might be possible that some surface that contacts the pilot truck or some surface of the pilot truck itself is causing the derailement.)

One other possibility? Perhaps the pilot truck frame is slightly warped? If so, I am not sure how that would be fixed.

hope you get it solved,

lanny nicolet

Hi Jay,

Doneldon has a good suggestion for you to consider. I model late steam-early diesel era and I have 3 long passenger trains (6-8 72+' cars on each). Head end cars such as baggage, combine, RR post office, REA, etc. all need good, reliable couplers. For me that means Kadee #5s, though there are many other options.

For the rest of the passenger trains I use dummy couplers mounted in draft boxes that are screwed into the underside of the car.

One thing I have found is that in order to keep from having any derailments; specially when backing through turnouts - which is a great way to test your trackwork!, I allow the draft box to swivel freely as well as the coupler. This free-play draft box with dummy couplers had completely stopped derailed cars that are being backed, as well as uncoupled cars when the train is running.

As others have said, don't put dummy couplers on head end cars that may be switched and/or changed at various locations.

lanny nicolet

Mark,

The 'noise' you describe sounds like there is a possibility that your problem has to do with the main inside metal chassis which consists of two 'halves', factory 'press fit' together. There is a 'molded' area in the rear which encases the gears. I suspect yours was not assembled properly.

The reason I say this is that I also had a Spec 2-8-0 which was very jerky and noisey, though taken out of a new 'sealed, wrapped box'. I took it 'apart', only to find that the 'assembler' (possibly a 12 year old laborer working in a Chinese factory?) had 'forced' the two halves together and bent/broken part of the casting around the gear, making it impossible for the gear to mesh correctly.

The only 'wise' thing to do is 'send it in' ... as far as I can tell, such 'assembly damage' is irreparable. (You will like your 'new' replacement !)

lanny nicolet

Gene,

The 'Covered Bridges' are about 30-40 south of where we live. Be glad to have a cup of coffee with you if you stop in this area (contact me privately when your plans are firm).

lanny nicolet

Quote from: SteamGene on August 16, 2007, 10:15:18 AM
But Lanny, suppose the B&O Museum were to bring their C&O 2-6-6-6 back into operation and you were to stand trackside at Alleghany as it crested the hill and headed east towards Clifton Forge.
My wife stood by the tracks as N&W 611 thundered by and even she was impressed.  Those big ones were brutes, no question about it.
Gene

Gene, I can assure you that if the C&O 2-6-6-6 were to be running exhibition/excursion anywhere (within a fairly reasonable distance from Central Iowa) I would drive there just for the thrill of seeing, hearing and feeling, once again, the raw, unparallelled power of big steam!

I read that the recent excursion #844 UP, when running south on mainline UP tracks in Iowa, hit 80MPH for a time. Wish I would have been there! 

lanny nicolet

Gene,

I imagine they were on "Lovers Leap" watching all those neat trains Terry mentioned. 

lanny nicolet

RAM,

Thanks very much for posting those great web resources for ICRR steam!

lanny nicolet

Gene,

When you mentioned the 'Amazon poison arrow frog', were you talking about the 'tractor' or the 'Challenger'   

Now I have one more comment, but before I write it, take a deep, deep breath and relax my friend, Gene, so this doesn't overly tax you for today   

Here it is ... I really would kind of like to be standing near the RR track when that excursion Challenger went by. I've never been much of a UP fan, but when the recent #844 4-8-4 went by, it really, literally sent chills up my spine ... oh the memories of 'steam power'!

Okay, I'm done, Gene, you can exhale   

lanny nicolet

Kyle,

The last thing you should 'feel guilty about' is 'hogging' this forum. You most certainly are not doing that!

Besides, those photos of your great scenery and layout are well worth 'hogging' if something thinks that's what you're doing!

My suggestion, Kyle, is to post more photos. Your use of mirrors is excellent (I assume you are using mirrors) and your scenery, lighting and structures are top notch modeling work.

Congratulatins and 'keep posting'   

lanny nicolet

If you are looking for big steam of any kind be sure you have a layout with large enough radius to support your large steam (i.e., 4-8-2s, 2-8-4s, 4-8-4s and on up the ladder ... (4-10-4? ... that would be a 'rare' one even for UP ... I don't think they had that though they did have a 4-12-2 I think).

No matter what mfgs may advertise ... the larger locomotives need large radius curves to look and work well. My personal suggestion is that if you are planning on getting into 4-8-4s and larger, you should probably use a min. 28" radius track (even though some will run on 22" and maybe a few even on 18" ... but they will look really strange nd may not be totally reliable going into and through those curves)

lanny nicolet

Something else that works 'very fast' but requires great care in using it AND will probably require some paint touch up, is acetone base finger nail polish remover. (don't leave it set and soak as it will also begin to affect the plastic body). Get it 'on' and get it 'off' right away.

I use a 'Q-tip' and gently scrub using (to quote Gene's Ogden Nash ditty) 'a little' but never 'a lottle'. It immediately (almost) removes the lettering, but it also will affect the paint underneath. If your locomotive is steam and black, its easy because you can use commercial model spray cans of 'engine black' or other suitable black to spray over the area before adding decals.

This method becomes much less desirable if you are working on an intricate color pattern of locomotives or cars because of its effect on underlying paint.

lanny nicolet

Hi Frank,

I'm not Mr. Bach Man, but I will say that my experience is that Bachmann Ind. provides as good a 'customer service' as you will find anywhere in model RRing. At times, their repair service takes a fair amount of time because of the back log of work (after Christmas for example). However please remember that your request is not in the normal pervue of 'service' in that it involves a request for a part that was not 'defective', but rather 'misplaced' some years ago (I assume you had it at one time and it has been since, lost).

I highly recommend you follow Gene's advice, spend 'your dime' and call the direct number (not the 800 number). Bachmann may or may not be able to help you, but they will try to do their best (from my experience, anyway).

Regarding any Bachmann products that don't presently exist ... I 'think' that Mr. Bach Man can only pass along your suggestions and wishes to Bachmann. I don't believe he can initiate any kind of comments or promise anything regarding products that Bachmann Ind. does not presently have in its current catalog.

Micro Scale decals and Champ decals are your best bets for getting decals. As Gene pointed out, Bachmann, as with most all model RR mfg. 'silk screens' or 'stamps' its car and locomotive markings when the item is mfg (in China). Decals are a 'third party' product that can be purchased and added by you after you remove the initial 'paint base' printing.

Since this is model railroading, you can do anything you want with you 40' hoppers, but 'prototypically', as Gene pointed out, an 'ore loaded' 40' hopper would have been impossible because of the weight involved.

best wishes on getting the truck replacement for your locomotive.

lanny nicolet

As far as I know (and I could be wrong!) if the locomotive is a true 'Bachmann Spectrum' it will have a at least one headlight or more, depending on the kind of locomotive.

lanny nicolet