Hi:

My trolley motor block has a 86mm wheel base and a 38mm wheel thread diameter (more or less, because it's quite difficult to measure).

Hope it helps

Jose Morais
Headmaster of the Lapa Furada RR

I hope Bachmann will take over some of the Aristo line, at least the modern 1:29 diesels and freight cars.

They would complement their new 1:29 tramway.

Just a coincidence?

Hi Vince.

There is an older topic about this set in this forum (Topic: Dillard's Christmas trolley). The direction change is controlled by magnets placed on the track, and direction control is done inside the tram itself by a circuit activated by a reed switch; polarity on the track never changes. Are the magnets on your set correctly placed near the end bumpers?

Hope this helps.

Jose Morais
Headmaster of the CFLF

The Caminho de Ferro da Lapa Furada (Pierced Rock RR) was a Portuguese narrow gauge mining railroad, established in 1905. Originally operated by a US mining concern and equipped mainly with American equipment, the mine and the railroad were taken over by the Portuguese government in 1933, after the American enterprise went belly up during the Great Depression. Over time, the railroad equipment was slowly "europeised", but their American origins remained evident right up to the closure of the line in the late sixties.

The rugged countryside imposed steep gradients and tight curves. To tackle these difficulties, the CFLF ordered two small, lightweight, articulated engines from Porter, both 2+4+4+0's. In each locomotive both sets of cylinders were supplied with high pressure steam, so they were not technically Mallets, tough their architecture was similar.  

--- This is part of the fictional story behind my currently under construction garden railroad ---

The model version of the CFLF has ordered two Bachmann 0-4-0 from Trainworld and will try to reproduce one of these articulated Porters. I attach a preview of what I'll try to achieve.  

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d6bktkmuyb1e6ku/wiilj39VIs#f:Double%20Porter%204.jpg

Well, that would raise the question of scale and compatibility with existing layouts. Bachmann produces essentially narrow gauge models in 1:22.5 (Big Hauler) and 1:20.3 (Spectrum) scales.

To produce a standard gauge model, as you suggest, it would be necessary to either reduce the scale to make them compatible, size-wise, with the narrow gauge models (as Bachmann as made to the toy like Thomas series, about 1:25), or they would manufacture really large models in 1:20 or 1:22,5, but then to what gauge? 45 or 63mm? This is problem similar to that faced by LGB which manufactures some large scale locos in a somewhat mysterious and undisclosed and necessarily fictitious scale (1:26?).

Given that Bachmann has introduced 1:20.3 to be exact modeling 3ft narrow gauge, it seems it takes seriously the scale question. So I would not expect Bachmann to introduce any large scale serious models of standard gauge prototypes in the near future, particularly in the current economic climate.   

You have these drawings right here in this site: http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/G825X.pdf

Later

Joe

Quote from: laxrebel on October 11, 2012, 11:54:38 AM
Large scale $$$$ is getting out of hand, at least for me. Mostly out of the box too, with little assembly needed. Not much of a hobby for those like me who like to build rather than just operate.  With so many different passenger car types and configurations, I wonder if a basic frame and roof and ends with component sides (slabs,  various windows, baggage doors, etc.) plus interior parts like seats and etc. would would sell? Also, truck frames to match specific types and railroads. Prototype length would be a problem, unless even the roofs and floors were different. I bash a lot of Big Hauler cars - especially kits - to get close to what I want, such as Durango & Silverton cars. The G market is probably not large enough for this. Dick

I'm with you about Bachmann supplying components to make different cars, but I'm afraid it's not going to happen. They tried it before with their kits and their last boxes are still gathering dust at stockists shelves. I enjoyed bashing them, but most modelers now have nor the time nor the inclination to build things. That's why I think that, to keep costs down, Bachmann could produce new cars with a maximum of existing parts (trucks, etc), finished on the outside but with simple inside detail, which is difficult to see anyway - who can see the Spectrum caboose interior? If someone wants inside detail it can build it, or order it separately.

I like the big hauler passenger cars, but they look too small behind the Connie or the Shay - they look fine behind the 2-4-2 and the Indy tough.

I would like Bachmann to do a simple rescaling to 1:20.3 of the existing big hauler cars, with a similar level of detail (maybe even the same trucks) a one piece sketch interior and no lighting. A MRSP double that of the old big hauler cars seems reasonable.

Upgraded interiors, lighting and metal trucks could be added by us (or supplied separately by Bachmann for the all thumbs brigade).

I could then park 1:22.5 and 1:20.3 trains on different sidings and no one would notice they are not to the same  scale (forced perspective anyone?)

I would order half a dozen today.

Thanks for asking     

Nice install.

I've also equipped my Lyn with batteries, radio control (Revolution) and sound (Mylocosound). I've also used 12 AA Eneloop NiMh batteries on the loco but 2x2 in each side tank and another 2x2 in the boiler back. The Revolution receiver went in the underside of the cab roof, fixed with double sided tape (the cab is so closed that it really can't be seen, and it avoids the installation of a separate linking button). Finally,  the Mylocosound card went in the front of the boiler - it just fits in it.

It is a tight installation but not as tight as the one on the Davenport diesel (10 AA batteries, revolution receiver, mylocosound and 2'' speaker, fuse and switches - all internal). Someday I will get around to show how I made it.

Of course, the final installations are not as neat as yours, but they do work. I really do like the Lyn, very smooth and a surprising good puller.

Later

Jose

I think the 1:20.3 Consolidation is not being manufactured right now, but it is still widely available new from stock (for example from Trainworld).

A great loco in terms of detail and operation. Mine is two years old and keeps clocking scale miles; however it is quite heavy and must be operated gently, and with clean and well lubricated gears, or gear problems will probably occur - not to be operated by speed demon kids. Also, the counterweight nuts must be regularly tightened, or the side rods will jam and stress the gear train. Hope in a future new release Bachmann will use metal gears. 

It seems to me that your Porter is OK and you have a problem with your controller. The Direction switch only changes the polarity to the motor, between Large Scale (LGB) and NMRA standards. In NMRA standards, the locomotive shall move forward with positive on the right rail, and the reverse occurs with LGB standards. So, according to your description, when the locomotive moves, you shall have (-) on the right rail and (+) on the left rail, so that the locomotive moves forward when the switch is to the right (Large Scale) and backwards on it is to the left (NMRA).

So, it looks as the wheel pickups, direction switch and motor connections are all OK.

It seems that the controller direction switch has a contact problem and cannot change the polarity to the rails. You can check this with a multimeter or by placing another loco on the rails.

Jose