World War 1 Centenary

[Hamish K]

World War 1 commenced in 1914 in Europe, the USA joined in in 1917, Canada and Australia and New Zealand were involved from 1914. While the centenary is still some years off it is not too early for Bachmann (and other manufacturers)  to start planning what they might release to mark the occasion. Can I hope that Bachmann will release a series of On30 models of  WW1 light railway equipment? It would be really nice if they worked together with their European branches to produce models from both sides, e.g the USA 2-6-2 tanks, the German Brigadelok 0-8-0 tanks, a British Hunslett 4-6- tank. There are many others to choose from including internal combustion locos and the French Pechot-Bourdon articulated locos that look like they have two boilers, one at each end (many of these were built by Baldwin). After the war this equipment was widely used on light railways in many parts of the world, and a few examples of all the main types have been preserved.

I realise involving the European branches has a scale problem, O scale in the UK is 1:43 and 1:45 in much of Europe (1:48 in the UK). However I am sure a compromise could be found (either use 1:45 for the entire WW1 series or use the scale appropriate to the country of origin for the particular item).

Can we hope?

Hamish

[mabloodhound]

If they were to be done in On30 then the current convention should be followed at 1:48.   Otherwise the market would be too limited and offer nothing for the current On30 modeler.

[Hamish K]

The difficulty is that current Oe modellers (1:45 on HO track) and 016.5 modellers (1:43 on HO track) might be put off by 1:48 models and this would limit the market, especially for UK and  European prototypes. These scales are used in the UK and Europe. I suggested 1:45 as a possibility as, being in the middle,  it involves less of a compromise for everybody. If  US On30 modellers are going to insist on 1:48 or nothing the alternative of using the scale appropriate to the country of origin is probably the best option. This would however mean that a collection of items from different combatants would be in different scales. Making everything to 1:48 would depend on enough UK and European modellers accepting models in that scale, or enough US modellers buying the foreign prototypes. Some WW1 narrow gauge models are currently available as kits in 1:43 scale.

Hamish

[Linzthom]

There would have to be compromises in every direction for this to work. After all, those light railmways were around the 2 foot/600mm gauge and wouldn't be true On30 models which everway you look at it.

Lindsay (NZ)

[Woody Elmore]

Wow. I just realized that my Grandfather's helmet, which I have hanging up in a prominent location in my office/train room is almost 100 years old.

He used to tell a story about being moved around on tiny trains where the GIs would sit on wooden boxes containing ammunition of some sort. I sure hope that nobody was smoking!

Doing WWI trains would certainly be an interesting project.

[rayport]

Thanks for the suggestion, it is a great idea of wonderfull prototypes, some of which are still in operation.

The scale differences can be a theoretical problem but On30 seems to have become so well established globally that if Bachmann were to stick to their current format regarding scaling and compromise it should turn out to everyone's satisfaction.

...and then there was that drawing on page 59 of the Mar/Apr Gazette, seems to me that some of the earlier On30 releases have followed drawing/photos in the Gazette...

[Nick_Burman]

There would have to be compromises in every direction for this to work. After all, those light railmways were around the 2 foot/600mm gauge and wouldn't be true On30 models which everway you look at it.

Lindsay (NZ)

Yes, but not quite... remember, after WWI most of the equipment was sold off to new owners. Many of the 4-6-0s and 2-6-2s were disposed across the world and a large number were regauged in the process. Indeed, the last batch of Hunslet 4-6-0s were made gauge-adjustable because the WD knew that the war was winding down and that it would have to dispose of equipment after the Armistice was signed. After the conflict was over the WD set about disposing of the stock through dealers, incredibly enough some equipment passed from the builders to the WD and back to the builders (or also to other loco builders and dealers in case of the Hunslets) without having ever turned a wheel in war service! Several Hunslets were regauged, one unit was regauged all the way to metre gauge without much cosmetic change. So it would be quite plausible to have a BLW 4-6-0T or Alco 2-6-2T as a On30 loco, so long it it depicted in "post-war" condition.

Cheers NB

[Linzthom]

Thanks for that insight, Nick. That's a great idea and something to ponder over, eh? Maybe something could be done. In one of the latest NG&SLG there is a set of plans for an American loco. Must look into this more.

Lindsay