Positive comments on the 4-4-0! Thanks Mr. Riley and The Bachmann!

[ksivils]

First of all, the initial photos that show the two pre-production
models from above are not very flattering.

When you see a good side view, the locomotives look much better.

The tender trucks on the wood cab version - early version I guess -
are really cool! Many narrow gauge locomotives had these kinds of
trucks, but you never see them on models. Warning: complaint - the
steel cab version does not seem to have these trucks but rather arch
bar type tender trucks.

I hope Bachmann makes these trucks available separately as these would
be the ones I would want with a steel cab version. If not, I'll just
have to swap with someone.

The spacing of the drivers is further apart in actuality when viewed
from the side than they appear to be when viewed from the top. Also,
the locomotive, visually at least, appears to have a wider driver
spacing than the Mt. Gretna 4-4-0.

If someone out there can figure out how to do it, this locomotive
would look really cool as an outside frame locomotive. It is very
similar in profile to the 4-4-0s that made their way to South America.

It also looks like it has an extended smokebox that is plastic which
would allow it to be separated from its boiler to shorten the length
of the boiler.

I can think of lots of things to do to alter this one.  If I had a wood burning version, it will need a footboar pilot, hoses around the steam dome, lots of tool boxes, possibly a fluted sand dome to have mismatched domes, a huge cordwood pile, a water siphon on the tender similar to those used by the Argent Lumber Company.  The ideas of how this tiny 4-4-0 could be converted from a cast-off common carrier passenger locomotive to a woods logging locomotive are just almost too many.

The decision now for me is do I get just one. I would love to see one
mocked up with the Bachmann cabbage stack so I could visualize what it
looked like as a wood burner. Or, will it be an oil burner?

This little locomotive is pretty cool all in all. It's different
that's for sure. I guess people wanted an 18-8-C or nothing at all.

I just need to be able to raise the couplers to On3 coupler height in
order to justify purchasing at least one. If anyone has been able to
touch one physically, I would love to know if this coupler conversion
is possible!

As far as the naysayers - I am not sure why they feel the need to post
their decision not to purchase a 4-4-0. I did not buy a Shay or
Climax or any of the Porters or other locomotives as I did not like
them, too small, etc. I do have two 2-6-0s, a 2-8-0 and a Porter for
my 9 year old daughter who likes trains and thought it was CUTE! Note,
it really is her's, I don't run it. I did not post my complaints or
decisions not to purchase - didn't want to rain on someone else's day
so to speak. I know lots of guys were really excited about ALL of the
locomotives I did not purchase.

I guess most people have forgotten the old adage "if you have nothing
nice to say, say nothing at all."

Final comment: I have reserved and paid a substantial part of the
price for my dream narrow gauge super power, one of the upcoming
MMI/PSC Sumpter Valley 2-6-6-2s in On30. I can't wait to pose this
giant next to this tiny 4-4-0! It would make a really cool photograph!

Imagine this as well, pose the 4-4-0, then a MMI K-36, then an O
standard gauge 2-8-4 or something like that, in a photo where you can
see the size difference, tiny narrow gauge dwarfed by giant narrow
gauge power, dwarfed by standard gauge power. It would make a cool photo!






   
Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:46 pm

[Bob Peterson]

Some of us have been waiting patiently for the things that we want, with a hint now and then.  THREE CHEERS for Bachmann for the 4-4-0.  It is just GREAT.  I don't think it would be that hard to make it "spot  on" for the Mt. Gretna engines with a little work.  I am looking forward to my attempt.
Bob Peterson  --  modeling Maine in Michigan  [with an extra engine]

[kendoitall]

ksivils said it all and kudos to Bob for his comment too. If we are all going to list those locomotives we don't intend to purchase, the list would fill this blog. But why go through all that? I can see nothing but lots more fun working over a couple of these beauties like many of us did with the Moguls. Think of all those posts we read from people bit... er complaining about some of Bachmann's locos not being able to run on extremely tight 8 inch radius track on their shoebox layouts. This 4-4-0 should fit around just about any layout anyone could dream up.

Ken

[Jeff in NJ]

I'll probably be buying one...once I found out the price...

[Tomcat]

Hi all: Thanks for your comments - would not need to add anything just than to say "Thanks Bachmann -  this Lokie is a Beauty and will give a payback to you by selling pretty well!!!"

She will fit, as mentioned before, to a certain lot of On30 Layouts already exisiting plus hopefully drag other Model Railroaders to this great Theme if Model Railroading...

Cheers from Germany...
Tom

[Terry Toenges]

If the only comments about the new 4-4-0 are from people who like them, then how is Bachmann to know if there any dislikes about them?
So Bachmann sells a handful of them to people who expressed their like for them and the rest sit unsold because there are more people who dislike them than like them but never let Bachmann know of their dislike or what they didn't like about them.
Personally, I don't care for the looks of them based on the photos, but I'll probably buy one just to have a 4-4-0.

[kendoitall]

If the only comments about the new 4-4-0 are from people who like them, then how is Bachmann to know if there any dislikes about them?

Corporations and even small companies which manufacture anything in a capitalist market-based economy will not offer anything for very long if there is not enough sales to produce profits. Remember the Edsel? Market  pressures work well in the long run. So if not enough people buy the new 4-4-0, it will vanish from the market quickly enough, replaced by something else as surely as night follows day.

In my humble opinion, we seem to be trying to go where the HO modelers are now. With all the choices the massive HO crowd has, they can nitpick much more about not having a certain loco available with the exact individual characteristics they require. If something offered with the paint a shade off, they can complain and their much larger base will cause the many HO manufacturers to be jumping to satisfy their cravings. I suspect however that Bachmann has done their homework in creating another locomotive that can satisfy more of us than not.

On30 is a much smaller nitch market, so don't expect the exact locomotive or rolling stock that you need from the very few companies who thankfully provide On30 stuff, domestically or from the Asian slave workers of The Peoples Republic. When I started in On30, there was only HO locos being converted into On30. We have come a long way since those early days.

Until Bachmann or others produce the exact loco we have drooled over, kitbashing or scratchbuilding will have to be the answer. If you want something in particular, you might have to make it on your own or convert what is available. Or give up and change scales - joinng the HO or N multitude. It's all up to us.

Ken

[Charlie Mutschler]

The pre-production models look very close to the little Mt. Gretna 4-4-0s, and also to some 4-4-0s built for 24 and 30 inch railroads in Mexico and south America.  I would think this will be a very popular little mill for the people modeling 24 and 30 inch prototypes, especially outside the USA - or the guy who wants to exercise a little modelers license and add one to his 'what if' Maine two footer.  Unlike the Baldwin 8-18C, this should negotiate the 18 inch radius curves on a lot of On30 model railroads, especially the free-lance ones.  I expect a lot of happy free lance purchasers, including the people who are doing On30 as an inexpensive alternative to On2. 

These little machines really were "cute," if one dares apply such a term to a large object like a locomotive. 

[ollie]

In the beginning I was not sure wheter a 4-4-0 would fit my general idea of the railroad. But found our that one swedish railroad bought one elderly, yet heavily rebuilt engine for sservice one of their brarnches so with that backgground I found it plausible that my RR bought a cheap elderly engine in good shape to replace on that has been worn out... I think it will look so nifty with a baggage-combine-coach consist. That will free the proposed Moguls more or less freight only engines along the cons...

This engine must be very small as I guestimated from image shown here along 2-8-0 it not that much longer than a Forney.... So I guess the prototype would have had some trouble with that consist. In other words, perfect... Hopefully there will be a wood pile and a wood stack along the package.

[Jeff in NJ]

Just pre-ordered my 4-4-0...the black & graphite, steel cab, electric headlight version.

[Dusten Barefoot]

I know I was aming for a ten-wheeler, but instead I got  a 4-4-0. Ha ha, I like the choice of 4-4-0 design, I think the engine looks really good. What are the features of the loco and what will the price be? Are there any variations.

[450sel]

When I saw the first pictures ( view from above ) a few days ago I had my doubts, now that I've seen the other pictures I am definitely going to get one, possibly two....it's a beauty !

Ron

[rkex]

Mr. B-
I'm thrilled with the 4-4-0 (would have preferred a Ten Wheeler), and will definitely buy two of the 1920's versions, but not until the sound-equipped versions come out. That's all I'll buy anymore.

Ray