kevin

URL is http://www.shaylocomotives.com/data/dataframe.htm

Go to number (as in above post) for specific loco.

The 3 truck Braden locos were the largest 30 inch gauge Shays made, of course there were similar sized locos in 3 foot and other gauges. It would be a good choice.

Personally I would have little use for the 4-6-0 that introduced this thread.

Hamish

Dear Bach Man

Many thanks - just what I wanted to know.

Hamish

Dear Bach Man

I note that the 4-4-0 is listed in two versions (modern with steel cab and electric lamp and old fashioned with oil lamp and wood cab). Each version comes in 3 colour schemes. Will each version be the same irrrespective of colour scheme? or will there be detail differences between the different colour schemes of the same version (modern or old)? If so, do you know what any differences might be?

This information would help in deciding which one to order.

Hamish

As well as the extra dome some who have seen the model have suggested that the driver spacing may wider than that of the Mt Gretna locos, e.g. ksivilis in the positive comments thread below. From the photos it does look a bit that way, although hard to be sure. For this reason I was interested in some official comment as to the prototype.

I like the loco, I would have had no use for a large 3 foot style 4-4-0 such as the Large Scale model, but this little loco will be right at home on my little freelance line.

Bachmann couldn't please everybody with a 4-4-0, a small loco like this doesn't please those modelling the larger 3 foot roads however a large loco would not have pleased those modelling small industrial roads, those with little space and those regarding their layouts as 30 inch or two foot gauge.

Hamish
Hamish

I would be interested in hearing from Lee Riley as to the prototype for the 4-4-0. From the various photos published it appears to be not exactly a Mt Gretna loco (were all 3 identical?). We were told that it was similar to the Mt Gretna locos, not that it was a model of a Mt Gretna loco.

Also it appears to differ a bit from the Brazilian loco to which I posted a link. I didn't expect that that would be that prototype, I published that link as I had the URL and it was a generally similar loco. I know there were other small inside frame 4-4-0s that were exported to various places. Is the model based on a particular prototype? If it is a 'catalogue' loco are any details available, e.g. date of catalogue, known examples etc.?

Thanking you in anticipation

Hamish 

According to posts on the ON30 Conspiracy Yahoo board the prototype is in fact a Baldwin catalogue loco of a type exported to South America and other places. Gven the very short delivery time of the Mt Etna loco it would have had to be a standard design and thus similar (not necessarily identical) to other locos.

A small Baldwin inside frame 4-4-0 is at
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Sparta/8579/1.htm  
This loco is s a 30 inch gauge loco that operated in Brazil. Granted the tender, domes and other details are different from the Mt gretna loco, but it does show a family resemblence.  

I look forward to the model photo. If it is indeed sufficiently generic to represent actual 30 inch gauge locos (as well as the MT Gretna loco) I congratulate Bachmann!

Hamish K

Quote from: Jake on July 22, 2007, 10:27:42 PM

Quote from: ebtnut on July 22, 2007, 10:52:03 AM

Do you mean in HO? Because the only climax I saw was ON30. (There may be on in Large scale, but I don't know.

Bachmann have released a HO two truck climax, however it is not shown in the current catalogue. (They also released a Large Scale Climax, again not current). Originally Bachmann announced both 2 and 3 truck climaxes, but only the 2 truck ever appeared. Perhaps the 3 truck will now arrive to replace the 2?

Hamish

Scot

I am not sure what percentage of people who buy Bachmann or other American ON30 eqipment model 30 inch gauge, but it may well be more than you imagine. Remember Bachmann ON30 is sold in quite a lot of countries other than the USA. American locomotive builders exported quite a lot of 30 inch gauge locos to various countries e.g. Central and South America, Africa, Australia and thus people buy Bachmann equipment to model those roads. The 2-8-0, both Porters, the Shay and the Davenport are all quite close to actual 30 inch gauge locos used in a number of countries. I live in Australia where ON30 has become popular and is mainly used to model 30 inch gauge.

In Europe and the UK O scale narrow gauge on HO track is quite common although not strictly ON30. (Europe is Oe, UK O 16.5). The same dual gauge track could be used for all three, the gauges are the same although the scales vary a bit. Thus such track might have a reasonable market.

Finally, remember the first rule of model railroading. If you don't like the look of dual O/ON30 track, fine - no-one, least of all me, is saying you should like it or that you have to use it. But don't knock those who do.

Hamish

Scot

16.5mm track inside 32mm track is marginally offset, just as 30 inch track is slightly offset inside standard gauge track.  O/On30 dual gauge looks like real life 30 inch/ standard dual gauge track, i.e. very slightly off centre. Neither look like 3 foot/standard dual gauge.

Strictly, 1n 1:48 scale 16.5mm track is 2 foot 7 and 1/4 inches gauge. In european O scale (1:45) standard gauge O is close to accurate and 16.5mm close to 30 inch. (In the British O scale 1:43.5 both are too narrow).

As I regard my ON30 as representing 30 inch gauge (I am not worried about a stray scale inch)  I would welcome dual gauge O/ON30 track and switches. If some-else thinks it looks like 3 rail O scale that is their problem, they obviously haven"t seen real life dual 30 inch/ standard gauge track.

Hamish

Unfortunately I am unaware of anybody who offers dual gauge O/ON30 track or turnouts. They do exist for HO/HON30 (under the european title  HO/HOe,  it is the same) but not as far as I know in O scale.

I too would be interested if some-one made it, but I can't see Bachmann doing it. It would be goog though.

Hamish

In a reply to a query I posted on the General Discussion board the Bach Man indicated that all remaining items, in all scales, that were expected by the end of the year would be announced at the NMRA show. Thus, if there is to be a new ON30 locomotive for 2007 it should be announced then. Just don't expect the Bachmann to give anything away before then!

Hamish

Locomotive #12 , Alder Gulch Shortline, Montana. An oustside frame Baldwin 2-8-0, originally operated in Mexico. Gauge 30 inches. This is the loco Bachmann used as the prototype for the Large Scale and ON30 2-8-0 models. The models do have a few differences however.

Hamish

1. I rode on regular steam trains several times as a boy in Australia, in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. The most memorable was the Newcastle Flyer between Sydney and Newcasle (NSW). In those days ir was electric hauled to Gosford and steam hauled by a C38 class 4-6-2 (NSW's top express loco) from Gosford to Newcastle.

In 1979 I rode on a regular steam train in China behind a RM class 4-6-2.

I have ridden on preserved steam trains - Puffing Billy (30 inch gauge line in Victoria) the Zig Zag Railway (NSW) and some mainline specials in NSW.

2. Regular - China.  Preserved - Puffing Billy, Victoria Australia

3. Regular - 1979. Preserved -  2006.

4. No although I do take photos whevever I visit a preserved steam train.

5. Puffing Billy Victoria, Australia.  Main line - the C38 Pacific such as on the Newcastle Flyer train (NSW, Australia).

Hamish

I would like to see Bachmann make a new range of plastic O scale buidings. There seems to be a bit of a gap in the market between the toy like buidings for tinplate and similar toy like trains and craftsman kits that are often expensive and require a fair level of skill to build. I am aware of only a few O scale buildings in the middle, unlike the many available in HO scale.

The Plasticville range does have potential to be devloped. While some are toy like the Bach Man's efforts on his ON30 display layout, especially the saw mill, show what can be done with Plasticville mouldings.

What I have in mind is a small range that includes some industrial structures e.g. a saw mill, some mine buildings, loading bins or bunkers (could adapt the Plasticville coaling tower as the Bach man did on his layout) and perhaps a small factory. A new small depot would also be nice.

These would be usefull for many ON30 modellers but should appeal to others as well.

I would prefer kits because of the ease of modification, but I recognise that the trend is to built-ups.

Hamish

Dear Bach Man

On the ON30 board below you indicated that announcements of new items would be made at the NMRA convention in July. Is this for ON30 only or will it cover all, or at least some other, scales?

Will all the remaining 2007 new items be announced or will there still be possible later announcements after the NMRA convention?

As ever, anticipating anticipation

Hamish