Hi Bachmann, just my humble suggestion for new models. While we have 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 models that look at home on mailine rails or on a branch of a larger railroad company we are lacking in ready to run 1920s to 1930s new built shortline steam locomotives for lighter shortlines in these wheel arrangements.

Possible prtotypes which are along the lines of what I would love to see for 2-8-0s if sticking with Baldwin are Sierra Railway #28, Huntingdon & Broad Top Mountain Railroad, now Everett Railroad, #38, Rahway Valley Railroad #15, Washigton and Linconton Railroad #203, New Hope and Ivyland #40 and Louisiana and Pacific Railway #252, now Virginia and Truckee #29. If we go to ALCO then Perhaps Valley Railroad #97, Arcade and Attica #18 or Lowville and Beaver River #1923.

As for 2-8-2 prototypes for Baldwin I would suggest Sierra Railway #34,Santa Maria Valley Railroad #21, Mcloud River Railroads #18 or #19 in their later upgraded appearance, California Western #45, or for that matter a generic Baldwin logging 70 or 90 ton tender 2-8-2, or Hattisburg and Southern #300 or Tedmont and Gulf #30 with a more generic tender. For ALCOs how about Valley Railroad #40,

These are just a few ideas for what I would love to see. While Big Boys and Northern's are impressive I hope that we can see some more focus go to us shortline modelers in the near future just as you have given us in the past.

Didn't we talk about this before in the old forum?  I agree totally and also have ideas about suitable prototypes.

Short line modeling is a concept that usually takes some tenure in model railroading to understand.  It's so much better and realistic in limited space than trying to squeeze a Big Boy into a phone booth.   I was lucky,  grew up in a time and place that had two branchlines that ran this very type small steam engine, I saw them in every day service.  So I tried early on as a model railroader to recreate these places, and I am still at it. After almost 60 years, I'm still building the same Model Railroad.  These vintage style branch and short lines basically don't exist anymore in their old form, and live on in the memory of people like me.

Yes we did. My original post got lost when the forum updated. I have been working on melding a bachmann alco 2-6-0 body onto a athearn/roundhouse 2-8-0 chassis and tender with modified cylinders to make a engine that resembles Sierra #28. I am probably going to redo the loco body as I am not quite happy with how it turned out but the proportions and all look pretty much right. So far its okay but as my first major kitbash I am looking at trying with a new 2-6-0 body and make cleaner cuts and such.

Honestly just put eight drivers under the alco 2-6-0 model and I would be thrilled.

My personal favorite railroad is the Sierra, and since I grew up well past the steam or transition era I got introduced to it by Back to the Future Part 111. The Sonoro Railroad is heavily based on it from 1945 to 1960 but with some changes to suit my personal taste.

The scene of a short freight train snaking its way through golden hills covered in oak and pine trees is peak railroading for me.

I too would be thrilled with an eight driver frame under the present Alco  2-6–0. It would begin to bear a great resemblance to the Mississippian #77 that I saw running up in Mississippi in 1964, or even more meaningfully to me, one of the little Missouri Pacific ex-Frisco 1001 class 2–8–0's that I saw running in my hometown in the MP last year of steam. I've actually quite often thought of such a job, but you are much braver than I.

My old layout tries to capture the aura of the old Missouri Pacific branch back home now long gone, passing through low, lying, wetland, woods and agricultural country.

One thing that I do not like about the Alco 2-6-0 is the tender. With those goofy excessively high coal boards, it is too idiosyncratic to look like any  other Railroad beyond the odd little short line engine that Bachmann decided to replicate instead of a more common type.  Bachmann used to sell separate tenders, including the one presently behind the low-boiler 10 wheeler.  That particular tender would really help that mogul resemble other engines.

The other thing is the puny headlight. The N scale model looks infinitely better with a larger headlight on it. But, on this model, Bachmann finally got the headlight bright enough to be a headlight, in comparison to the terribly dim headlights in their  earlier spectrum engines, especially the consolidation.

Yeah replace the tender with a more rectangular one and you got a pretty generic late 1910s through 1920s built shortline 2-8-0.

With the 2-8-2s it is even more barren for options in modern ready to run diecast or plastic. While there is no shortage of USRA mikados that may work for a heavy hauling shortline, like a ore or coal carrier, there is no appropriate one for small shortlines. While I am biased towards a model of Sierra #34 or a more road style shortline 2-8-2, a generic Baldwin logging 2-8-2 with tender would be more than welcome. Especially since a fair number have made it into preservation.

It just would be nice since with bachmann we have very appropriate shortline locomotive, especially for freelance shortlines, with their 4-4-0s, both Ma & Pa and generic Baldwin versions, the Ma & Pa 4-6-0s, my personal favorite as the the ten wheeler is my favorite wheel arrangement, and a 2-6-0. From there it seems a natural evolution to go to a shortline 2-8-0 and a 2-8-2. While the current 2-8-0 could be used it's just too big in my opinion for a small shortline operation as is the USRA 2-8-2.

You really need to include the decapod in your list of short line engines. That engine was smaller than many consolidations with an extra set of drivers to spread the weight down over poor branch line and short line track. 
I have every modern 4–4–0 and 4–6–0 that Bachmann ever offered. but I run nearly all my locals with my decapods. 

Plus. About that Bachmann consolidation. While it is definitely a large engine, it is astonishingly close in profile and detail to a Missouri pacific spot – class 2-8–0, numbers 1–173 and general Missouri Pacific practice.  I think they are perfectly acceptable to run down a branch line.  Both those engine styles run regularly down my branch. In fact, my trains have gotten longer, almost to 10 cars a lot of the time, very long heavy drags on my little Railroad.

I remember in high school going nutsy-cuckoo over a NWSL logging mic for sale at an NMRA regional meat. Of course, I couldn't afford it, but I never forgot about it. Those things ran all over East Texas on various logging roads not too terribly far from my boyhood home. And I always wanted one. I doubt if anyone ever brings one out in plastic, they are just too specialized and and small of an engine when everybody wants Big Boys and northerns because they've seen them on excursion trains. I already had the Wabash mogul and the ma & pa 10 wheeler, the same locomotive is Bachmann's present low boiler 10 wheeler.

I myself would like to see a plastic version of Varney's Old Lady consolidation, a beautifully proportioned small engine that I always liked, but never had.

Ah yes I did forget about the decapod. What exactly is shortline or branch line power definitely changes between railroads. Like Buffalo Creek and Gaulys larger 2-8-0s (specifically number 4 I believe, I am not very versed in railroads east of the Rockies) very much tower over Sierra number 28. Yet both are short line locomotives.

I do hope that some of these model ideas come to fruition one day as it would be much appreciated.I accepted early on that if this was what I wanted to model I would have to do some kitbashing to varying degrees,but if they came out with any of the model ideas above I would take that in a heartbeat.

You should read up on the Missouri-Illinois. I believe you would like it. A 110 mile short line that ran on both sides of the Mississippi river with a car ferry connecting them. In relatively modern times it was run by the Missouri Pacific, and the engines were lettered just like MP engines, except instead of Missouri Pacific up in the coal board, the tender said Missouri-Illinois. Plus they ran MP equipment a lot of times. They ran doodlebugs too.

http://laiben.com/wordpress1/about/

I live almost right next to the track. It's Park Hills now but it used to be Flat River.

Yes. Flat River was on the very western end of the Illinois side of the Missouri-Illinois.

I have Charlie Duckworth's M-I book and have molecularly read it cover to cover.  It definitely is my kind of Railroad.

My friend used to see M.I. Box cars with the Missouri Pacific Buzzsaw herald in the yard back home in the early 60s. He thought that they had forgotten to finish painting the "P" on those cars.😂😂

There are several great photographs around the M – I in Flat River in the 20s. There was also an electric interurban railway in that area that is covered in his book some. One of the photos has a Pacific going around a curve in front of the depot, with overhead catenary wire for the electric operation above the track.

Quote from: Terry Toenges on February 23, 2023, 10:42:33 AMI live almost right next to the track. It's Park Hills now but it used to be Flat River.

I've driven past your house quite a bit then, ha. My dad loves the MoPac so we follow the old lines whenever we're up there.

Before I go any farther, we're talking Park Hills, MO, correct? Near Desloge, MO? Or somewhere else?

Yes. That Park Hills near Desloge.

Thought so. I got family members in literally all the surrounding towns. Bismarck, Desloge, Farmington, Leadwood... you name it, I got connections there. (My dad's entire side of the family is from MO and the only member of that side in Oklahoma is my grandmother)