Future of ON30

[Royce Wilson]

I doubt that you will see a large steam locomotive as the radius issue was used in not making a Baldwid 8-18A 4-4-0.
The arguments were that Bachmann would have to modify the engine making it not a accurate model.

Royce

[mmiller]

I heard that story too, but I suspect that wasn't the primary consideration...especially given the outside frame 4-4-0's fairly similar wheelbase to an 8-18A


it is probably just my cynicism coloring my POV, but if there were more 8-18A's that were found east of the Mississippi or south of the Rio Grande we may have seen a Bachmann On30 model of one........

[rich19]

As for the suggestion to offer narrow gauge diesels based on existing HO RS and SW frames, I think that there are already quite some very nice kits on the aftermarket from Boulder Valley, Backwoods Miniatures etc. Locomotives like the Twin Schnosser, the Double-Plymouth and the Boxcab are great models and certainly not TOO difficult to build.

[Hamish K]

I started this thread about 16 months ago at a time when there had been few new On30 announcements from Bachmann and there were rumours about Bachmann dropping the line. Since then Bachmann have announced the Heisler, log skidder, some new liveries for freight cars such as the billboard reefers and now the 2-4-4-2 and the 18 foot freight cars.  It seems clear that Bachmann intend to continue to support On30 into the future, the introduction of a whole new line of freight cars would not be done if they were not confident of the future of On30.  Thank you Bachmann.

It does seem, at least for the moment, that Bachmann are concentrating on the smaller end of On30 products, catering for those modelling logging, mining and other smalliish narrow gauge lines (whether freelance or prototype) rather than the those modelling the larger equipment used by some 3 foot gauge lines. This suits me well, but will not please all. I suspect that more On30 modellers are at the smaller end as space and already having layouts with tight curves precludes larger equipment for many of us. (No, I d' not have room for 24 or 26 inch radius curves so don't tell me I should use them.) Also some us like narrow gauge locos and rolling stock to be small and funky, not looking as though they could be standard gauge. However the question is, can On30 thrive if only one end of the market is catered for? I doubt that On30 could survive if only larger 3 foot gauge prototypes were made, but can Bachmann afford to ignore them altogether?

I am suggesting that, to ensure On30s future, Bachmann should try to cater for the widest possible range of On30 modellers although personally I will stick to the smaller prototypes only.

Hamish

[Royce Wilson]

Hamish,

I think you may be right. I wish they would consider a steel outside brace box car to go with that 18' freight line.

Royce

[railtwister]

Hamish,

I think you may be right. I wish they would consider a steel outside brace box car to go with that 18' freight line.

Royce

Hi Royce,

Dallas M. at Boulder Valley Models <http://bouldervalleymodels.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5_32> has some nice resin kits for just that in 20 foot length, and his prices are better, even more so since they are on sale right now!

Bill in FL

[Tomcat]

Hi there folks,

as Hamish said, it comes clear again and again that Bachmann does feel to be very comitted to On30. And we are grateful for that, Bachmann folks! Ok, some new items from you do just fit the ideas some of us have, some don´t. That´s life and that´s fine.

But as Hamish said too, bringing some more "chunky" On30 stuff forward, if one asks me, Rio Grande and EBT stuff would just perfectly add some cool items some of us (me too...) like. This could even reduce the risks in this market, even yet at this stage of high going waves on the finance markets...

We know that MMI is not likely to go on with their diecast/brass models of D&RGW engines. While the Bachmann Consolidations are some of the most loved On30 engines, I did make conversions following my dear friend Bill Iwan´s recommendations in the On30 annuals. Out of the shop: Both C-21´s (360,361) and the C-25 (375), later I did plough my own way from a Bachmann Tweetsie Engine into a RGS No.20 and later another one, the RGS No.22. Bachmann, you can do that too... It´s that easy.... But please, pease,please bring the Heisler forward now...=)

Tom

[curator49]

My layout uses 36" radius curves on the main line to allow me to operate the MMI K Series locos that both my son and I own. Personally, I think locops of this size are outside Bachmann's Business Plan. Their direction seems to be "small end of town" locos and rolling stock and I think that is a good thing. We have at least two of everything that Bachmann have produced.
I think that with the Centenary of the War to End all Wars - World War I - coming up in a couple of years now would be the ideal for the Bachmann to be planning a range of trench locos based around the 2 ft gauge locos used in France on the Western Front. Baldwin 4-6-0T, Baldwin and Alco 2-6-2T and dare I say it a Hunslet 4-6-0T (though being an English prototype it might not be as popular with the wider market). Suitable military narrow gauge rolling stock could also be produced. What a great commemoration for such an event

[Hamish K]

I too would like to see  WW1 trench locos made, as well as commemorating WW!, these locos were used in many parts of the world after the war, including the USA. A few run on preserved lines in Europe to-day. The 2-6-2t design, first made by ALCO for the UK Army was adopted, in a slightly modified form, by the US when the US entered the war. The US Army locos were made by several makers. This would seem an obvious choice, although any would be welcome. As I am in Australia the Hunslet would appeal is the was the most common WW1 trench loco to reach Australia, but I suspect Bachmann would keep to an American design.

As I have posted before I am a small loco man, however I think On30 needs to continue to appeal to a broad ranger of people to keep a critical mass for the scale. So, while I want more small equipment, I would not object to some new items for those people who use  On30 to model the larger US 3 foot gauge lines, although I am not among them.

Hamish

[Royce Wilson]

These small trench engines would make great industrial and logging engines and that what makes up the largest part of On30.

Royce

[Skarloey Railway]

The difficulty with the WW1 locos would be scale. Many of them worked in Europe after the war, with over a dozen in the UK alone. Problem is European O scale is 1:43 while US O scale is 1:48.

[railexpert]

Hello,

There are two different scales for O gauge in Europe:
In Continental Europe (Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and so on......) the scale is 1:45.
The calculation is there  1435 mm Normal Gauge : 32 mm O gauge = 44,8.

In Great Britain scale is 1:43,5.
The calculation is there  1´(foot) : 7mm = 43,5.

In USA scale is 1:48.
The calculation is there  1´(foot) : 1/4" (inch) = 48

railexpert

[Skarloey Railway]

I had a feeling that was so. There would be an awful lot of  faces in the UK if Bachmann brought out a Baldwin 4-6-0, as owned by 4 UK narrow gauge lines post WW1, in 1:48 scale and a lot of  faces in the US if it was any other scale.

[railexpert]

Hello,

I have once made a calculation for the difference in % of the scales around scale O, because there are vehicles in other scales.

Scale 1:       43         43,5         45          48         50          55
43               0%        -1%        -4%      -10%     -14%     -22%
43,5          +1%         0%        -3%        -9%     -13%     -21%
45             +5%       +3%         0%        -6%     -10%     -18%
48           +12%     +10%       +7%         0%       -4%     -13%
50           +16%     +15%      +11%      +4%        0%       -9%
55           +28%     +26%      +22%     +15%   +10%        0%


Example for scale 1:48: A model in scale 1:45 is 7% bigger then in Scale 1:48
                                   A model in scale 1:50 is 4% smaller then in Scale 1:48

railexpert  

[rallinen]

Beware:  Not sure if this is the right spot but from my point of view Bachmann On30 does not look good. Bought a new Cliamax about a mont ago. When I got around to it tried to run it. It would run backwards great would only run about an inch or two forward before it would stop.

Sent it back to Bachmann, I have had good luck with their warranty work in the past and had quick turn around.  Well after a little more than 6 weeks I get a call from Bachmann. Apparantly they are unable to repair or do not have parts they were not clear on that point.

In any case they did not have any to send out a replacement either. Ended up having to accept a On30 ( I hope) Porter 0-4-2T as a replacement engine.

By the way no Shays either.  So they are batting  "O" on the On30 .