Hello Everyone:

well I finally got my project done that I mentioned on here last year.

it's the bachmann 2-10-2 southern locomotive.

I added weight to it, replaced the cruddy yellow leds and the bachmann dcc chip.





thankfully to the design team at bachmann, they made it where the smoke box comes off, easy to do the headlight swap, the tender was easy as well.

the added weight came from 3/8" thick solid steel slugs I saved from a job I had years ago, I epoxied them in, and the locomotive has more pulling power now.

little things like this do make a difference, and thankfully the 2-10-2 does not have that belt drive like a few of the bachmann locomotives have.

take care
George

Hello Everyone:

Bowser did make this tender a while back, it was usually with their 4-8-2 locomotive kit

different trucks, but it was the same tender, hard to find now.

everyone wanting RTR stuff  >:(killed the kits and Bowser discontinued all of their kits.

take care
George

Hello:

the bachmann version is no longer produced in decal form, there is a few others out decal wise, but the bachmann version was used on the bachmann car, and the lionel HO scale car bachmann produced for Lionel in the 70's.

Micro scale decals produced it, and so did another company, more than likely if you really want the decals, you'll have to have someone like Mike Grant or another place that does custom decal work to make them.

good luck.

George

Hello Everyone:

I am looking for a set of smoke deflectors for the bachmann 4-8-4 niagara, I contacted bachmann's service department and they told me I have to buy a complete boiler just to get a pair of the smoke deflectors.

if anyone can help, please contact me.

take care and thanks
George

  Hello Everyone:

I figure since bachmann now has williams, what a better way to get some nice O scale sets going than with some E-Z track.

all of the other companies produce it in O scale, it could be something good for bachmann.

take care
George

Hi Everyone 

I remember reading a while back where a guy near monticello Indiana had an O scale, HO scale and G scale layout in his backyard,

the O scale and HO scale parts used brass track mounted on boards that were elevated, and the G scale part ran on the ground.

it sounds like fun, but here's an idea for the 4th

take a cheapo train set and do an Adams Family explosion to it

I remember doing that when I was a kid, oh the smell of tyco buring in the morning, LOL

Hello Everyone:

Daylight, the layout is a good idea, but you have to remember when using 18" radius, you are limited to the freight cars you can use, also you have to be careful on how close each loop is.

see I listened to the people on this group, and their ideas have helped me through a lot of headaches.

I am using 26 inch and 33 inch radius curves on my layout, I am using code 100 because of the vintage HO scale stuff I like to run.

the main table is 6' x 10' with an L extension of 4'x6'

two main loops with sidings and the L area is for the shops and roundhouse.

still working on it, but the main loops are done.

as for track, there is a few places online that are cheap ridge road station is one place that's pretty cheap for e-z track

take care

George

Hello Everyone:

I am not trying to sound mean or sarcastic, but I reached a dead end when I contacted bachmann in regards to an engine I have.

it is a nickel plate 2-8-0 spectrum version, it is missing the steam pumps that mount on the fireman's side near the cab.

I want to replace it with the original part if possible, I figured I might ask here, some people change parts out for more details, and there might be a spare laying about.

bachmann told me I have to send the whole engine in and have the boiler replaced, or order a replacement boiler, I think this is a bit out of the way since it is a seperate piece that mounts on the boiler.

so it's either spend $15.00 and send the loco in, or spend $30 for a replacement shell, which in my opinion doesn't add up.

if anyone can help, please do so.

take care and thanks in advance
George

Hello Daylight 

Rustyrails is right about the rivarossi stuff, almost all of it can negotiate 18" curves, the alleghny ( I Mispelled it ) cannot.

I would recommend 22" over 18" though, the larger steam locomotives seem to roll smoother on it.

the IHC 2-10-2 and 4-8-2 will handle 18" radius curves, I don't recommend doing it with the bachmann 2-10-2,

I used 22" on my old layout, now I am using 28" and 33" , the trains can run at faster speeds and it looks a lot better on the wider radius,

just a thought

take care
George

Hello:

the bachmann plus loco is different than the current 2-8-0

the plus version is more or less a redo of the older ones, only difference, better motor, no more crappy pancake motor,

it is not dcc ready, it can converted to dcc, the motor is isolated, there is no flywheel,

one recommendation is the wheels and such by Bowser, that engine has the crappy ones with the sleeves that dry and crack.

hope this helps

take care
George

Hi Everyone:

well I contacted that seller on a few things he has (epeddeler) he is selling them on consignment,

so I take it he wants to get 4 times what someone else wants for them, look at all of his auctions, and they are pretty nuts, there is a few sellers that go insane on prices like citadel international, he's insane also.

when a bachmann item is discontinued in their book, it is gold and you must charge way above what people are willing to pay.

favoritespot is great, I have dealt with that seller more than once,

this goes to show you, people need to research what they sell before trying to price an item or items with an insane amount.

take care
George

if bachmann can't help

there is a lot of people on ebay selling these car carriers, anywhere from $5.00 - $15.00, most of the time in the box with all of the cars.

hope this helps

Hello Everyone

Lionel from the late 50's to the late 60's used Rivarossi and Athearn for their suppliers, athearn used the same shells on most of their products up to the 90's so the chassis will be easy to locat with a motor,

the rivarossi stuff is hard to find parts for, the places that sold parts in the USA either closed or ran out of parts, Hornby does not want to supply parts for older rivarossi,

Bachmann did produce a lot of stuff for Lionel back in the day, look at the southern pacific daylight and some of the diesels, all of the parts are the same except the bottom plate that said lionel,

Roco even made some of lionel's stuff.

so parts wise depending on what you have, there is a lot of sources.

if you want to remotor it and you don't know how to do it, there is a lot of sources on the net that can help

take care
George

Life like still makes those types of engines,

nothing personal, but they are junk, the motors with the plastic casing usually burn up, or slowly start to die,

tyco used a metal casing and the bad part was the plastic cover that held the motor armature usually got brittle and broke,

I agree with what was mentioned, find the chassis that will work by athearn or? and use it, if you want to save what you have.

look for older bachmann stuff from the late 70's to late 80's, and life like from the 80's till now.

Hello Everyone: 

I have a junk box find by tyco / mantua and the darned thing still runs, it is one of those diesel switchers, but this one has a motor similar to the pittman motor and not the pancake crap.

as for collectors, who cares, if you enjoy the hobby and you plan on keeping the cars and such to run and use, modify them as you wish,

I have repowered a lot of the old mantua and tyco steamers,  thanks to Dan at yardbird trains I have kept them running, and I have detailed them.

it's nice to see an engine that is heavy as heck pull a lot of cars without hesitation,

I have weathered and modified some cars, some of those old AHM cars and tyco cars were never produced by other companies,

I still have a soft spot for Train Miniature cars, I love those cars for the steam era, especially the beer cars

I think we all like to keep a part of our past with us, trains for a lot of us had a lot of special memories while growing up.

take care
George