Just had a great experience with Bachmann Customer Service.  I contacting them regarding a small missing part from a recent purchase.  Within a week I didn't just receive the part, I received a new green box in the mail!   

Jim in Texas

I have had a noisy non-sound equipped Forney for several years.  Despite everything I have done to it, it still is noisy.  On a positive note it is a superb runner.

Jim   

I don't own any to measure but the 18' cars I have seen are definitely more narrow than the other Bachmann freight cars.  They are around 6 scale feet wide.  The box car's height and width make the ends look much like Maine 2' gauge cars.

Jim in Texas

Excellent point indeed! 

If your other locomotives run correctly you have an internal problem with your Porter not your controller.   Contact Bachmann service or return it to where you bought it. 

Jim

Very nice!  I thought awhile back about doing the same thing.  Now I know what it will look like.

Jim

Some of us are real happy with the new 18 foot cars.  There is a lot of beautiful On30 modeling representing 2 and 3 foot gauge lines.  But these new cars represent what On30 is for many of us.

By the way, did anyone catch that the price is for two cars not one.  Take into account what the street price will likely be and the cost becomes more attractive compared to the cost of a kit without trucks and couplers.

Jim

My Forney has had a growl since I got it several years ago.  Tried just about everything. Like yours it runs great but it is the noisiest locomotive I have.

Does anyone know anything about the Model Railroader announcement of what sounds like brass track from Bachmann?

Jim Pipkin

Great job!

Check out Backwoods Miniatures at:  http://www.backwoodsminiatures.com/0n3rtr.htm

Scroll down to bottom of page.

If you have the original E-Z Command in the gray box you cannot change CV's; only locomotive addresses. 

Jim

To answer your original question, the Bachmann Porter 0-4-0 has a late 19th. early 20th. century wooden cab.  It has an oil headlight with a steam turbo generator which indicates it was converted at a later date to an electric headlight.  Pictures I have seen of similar locomotives show the forward sand dome in front of the bell (to sand the front of the first set of drivers) and no turbo generator.  So, it appears to be a modified locomotive originally built around 1900. 

Jim

Interesting that you brought that up.  I was just thinking about one of my locomotives, a non sound equipped Forney.  Even with proper break in and lubrication it is still noisy.  However it runs like a fine watch and ran beautifully in a recent train show.  Despite best efforts, some locomotives just seem born to be noisy. 

Jim

Check this out:  http://mainetwofooters.fotopic.net/p22466994.html