N Scale USRA Light 4-6-2 or Light 2-8-2

[southernsteam64]

Do you think you will ever offer a N Scale USRA 4-6-2 Light Pacific or USRA 2-8-2 Light Mikado? You would sell thousands. No one makes a decent one. The Model Power locomotives have cast in handrails. Seems like a no brainer.  As well as you have done with all of your other steam locos, I have many, I think it would definitely please the N Scale crowd.

[brokemoto]

I would be delighted to see B-mann do these, as well.  B-mann has done a few small-to-average sized steam locomotives, most of which have been pretty good.  The SPECTRUM 2-8-0 is still one of the yardsticks against which all N scale steam is measured; the other would be the Kato 2-8-2.  Still, the rumour mill has it that B-mann is going to do one or two more large locomotives this year.  Big steam seems to sell the best, although it escapes me why.  Most of us have small home pikes with curves too sharp to accommodate these monsters and train lengths in front of which these things look silly, but still, the Big 'Uns sell.  I prefer small to average sized steam, but I did buy the EM-1 as it is B&O specific.  I am impressed, to say the least.  Still, I would prefer to see more small to average sized steam.  I would buy bigger stuff that is B&O specific (Big Six or a 2-8-8-0) or even a P&LE A-2a, but I did pass on Athearn's challenger and big boy and Kato's GS-4.

MP has shown that it can do well detailed power:  the eight wheeler and mogul have separately applied handrails.  MP even has the runnability down.  If only they would get away from their 1970s construction methods with the half wheels live tenders with wipers on tender wheels and drivers.

The Bachpersonn mogul and ten wheeler are nice locomotives that run and pull well.  I understand that the ten-wheeler was a good seller, but I do not know about the mogul.  What has been the anchor of Bachmann's success in steam is the all wheels live tender with needlepoint axles, good connexions to the motor from the tender and the bearing blocks on the drivers with the best pick-up that the presence of a traction tyre allows.

If B-mann were to do these, I would buy more than a few, as B&O ran originals of the mikado and originals and copies of the pacific (changing numbers is easy).

When working with N scale steam, I can not repeat too often Miranda's Maxim as Explained by ke:  'The poor performance of many N scale steam locomotives is almost always directly attributable to  poor electrical contact.'

[bobwrgt]

I would love to see Bachmann make the K4 in N scale. Also would like several 4-6-2 light and heavy Pacific's. Then throw in a few Hudson's.
They already (under the Graham Farish line) in England make several 4-6-2 steamers. I have a few (nice).
Look at how many would replace there Rivarossi 4-6-2's.

Bachmann are you listening???

[TJ]

It sounds a bit like this subject

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,17186.msg138515.html#msg138515

TJ

[gatrhumpy]

I doubt Bachmann would do this. Kato has the market on the 2-8-2 (along with Model Power), and Model POwer has the market on the Pacific. Yes, they're heavy versions, but the average modeler doesn't care.

[dtpowell]

I agree with gatrhumpy. I too doubt if Bachmann would try to compete with the Model Power Loco's. What amazes me is why Bachmann and other manufactures tend to produce locomotive types such as the 2-10-2 (No B&O S1a?) and the rather hybrid 4-6-0. when there seems to more desirable types. The K-4 and L-1's are highly desirable as well as NYC's 4-6-4 Hudson's. Bachmann's Graham Farish UK line has a few 4-6-2 available. As long as many of us have waited for midsized locos I would be happy with a Graham Farish A1 Peppercorn painted and lettered for Pennsylvania. Remove the buffers and smoke defectors, add a pilot and a headlight. Heck it has a Belpaire firebox. No it would be prototypical, but I think it might look darn nice pulling a string of passenger cars. I've stopped holding my breath a long time ago for the K-4. I feel quite fortunate to have lived long enough to see a B&O EM-1.

[James in FL]

I think we will see a Pacific in the next year or two, but not before we see a Berkshire.
The old Mike is way past due.
It's still a secret, that's why the rumors.

[brokemoto]

The Kato Mikado is a USRA heavy.

The MP Mikado and Pacific are USRA lights.

The last non-brass USRA heavy pacific was the Rivarossi.  Erie was the only road that had originals of the USRA heavy Pacific; it also had copies.  Southern, B&O and some others had some pretty close copies of the USRA heavy Pacific.  Some of the close copies even had the same dome types.  A USRA heavy Pacific would make sense, as no one has recently sold one in N.

B-mann did a Berkshire in HO, correct?  It would be understandable if Bachmann did one in N, even though Life-Like/Walthers recently issued an upgraded version.  Recall that while the initial issue was probably the smoothest running N scale steam ever, its pulling power was anemic.  Even (HO scale) Model Railroader mentioned, in a nice way, that it weren't the best puller. 

What Mikado would Bachpersonn do?  Kato has done the USRA heavy, MP the light.  A B&O Q-4 would be nice.  Yes, I know, it is road specific, but so is the K-4.  The big, road specific steam has sold well.  A K-4 would sell well.  Why not average sized, B&O road specific models, especially when you remember the Train Enthusiasts' Postulate?  The Train Enthusiasts' Postulate states:  Every Train Enthusiast has two favourite railroads:  The Baltimore and Ohio and one other.

[James in FL]

Way back when, Bachmann made a pseudo-Mike.
To that is which I was referring as maybe a next candidate for a complete makeover.
DCC and maybe sound if they insist.
Surly it's in the queue somewhere.
Maybe somewhere between the Pacific and the Hudson.
That Northern still needs a facelift and tender as well, and a few dimensional adjustments wouldn't hurt.
Who knows what is next to come from our host.

[gatrhumpy]

I honestly would be very shocked if Bachmann made a Mikado or Pacific in N scale.

[TJ]

Way back when, Bachmann made a pseudo-Mike.
To that is which I was referring as maybe a next candidate for a complete makeover.
DCC and maybe sound if they insist.
Surly it's in the queue somewhere.
Maybe somewhere between the Pacific and the Hudson.
That Northern still needs a facelift and tender as well, and a few dimensional adjustments wouldn't hurt.
Who knows what is next to come from our host.

Here  you go ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-Scale-Bachman-Mikado-2-8-2-Steam-Locomotive-Tender-B-O-4473-/131113889326?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1e86ff2e2e

TJ

[gatrhumpy]

Wow, ugly!

[brokemoto]

The old 'Mikado' that B-mann sold in the bad ol' days was really a 2-8-0 with a trailing truck added.  Bachpersonn  sold the locomotive as a 2-8-0, also.  It is based on a Reading Company 2-8-0 (I forget if it was I-5, I-10 or what it was).  I did a test fit of the old shell onto the chassis of the SPECTRUM 2-8-0. It was not a bad fit, but it would require quite a bit of work to get it to stay there.

I suspect that the B&O version of this was supposed to be a stand-in for the Q-4, as it had a Vanderbilt tender.  I do not know of anything that the B&O operated that had a Wooten firebox or that burned hard coal.

The motor on the old 2-8-0/2-8-2 was not the best and burned out frequently.  Further, it was not very good at turning the gears.   Funny thing, though, the gearing was not too bad.  It will freewheel nicely without the motor, something very few N scale steam locomotives will do.  I had  a couple of these that had burned out motors coupled to cheater boxcars.  I used them as switchers.

I would not mind seeing a Q-4.  I would buy two, or more. 

If Bachmann did upgrade the Reading Company locomotive, I would probably buy one.   If they did upgrade the old consolidated, maybe they could also hang Delay, Linger and Wait or Delay and Hesitate lettering on it (or both), as those roads did run anthracite burners.  B-mann did upgrade the 0-6-0/2-6-2, why not the 2-8-0/2-8-2?  (Keep in mind that the '2-6-2' is really the USRA 0-6-0 with idler trucks added.)

[southernsteam64]

The road specific locos are a small market for most. Most Class 1 railroads bought USRA standard Light Mike's and Pacific's during the late teens and twenties. I model the SAL and like the Q3 myself but they are the only RR that had this type. They were forced like everyone else to buy USRA types during that period. As mentioned,  the heavy pacific wasn't widely used with the exception of the  Erie, Southern and a few others.