Hi All,
Looking at both videos and it looked like nothing was done to relocate the air tanks so they don't rest, crooked, on top of the steam chests.
This same question has been asked on another forum and I answered with my solution to this, makes things look correct. Greg Elmassian ask to publish my answer on his website, you can fine it here

https://www.elmassian.com/index.php/large-scale-train-main-page/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips/bachmann-motive-power/big-hauler

a little way down the page under "Replace rather then repair?"

You should all checkout Greg's website.

Adam

Bill,
Have you seen this before?

In February of 2019 I purchased, from eBay, a North Pole & Southern Big Hauler #12.
One of the things I've noticed about this loco is the floorboards, like the ones on the Osh Hardware set, have wood grain and rivet details and the front edge of the floorboards, over the air tanks, are in line with the boiler strap separating the smoke box from the boiler. The standard Big Haulers floorboards stop forward of the strap, about 3/8", and don't have the wood grain.
Another thing different is the new style pilot truck. The chassis is a gen.5 with plastic gears and also plastic drive rods, connecting rods and valve linkage. The chassis definitely looks stock and unmodified.

I was not aware that Bachmann made a Big Hauler with the new style pilot truck. Seems to be a hybrid between a Big Hauler and an Anniversary

Any thoughts about this North Pole & Southern?

Adam

I put an Annie chassis under the Gen. 1 Big Hauler that I purchased at a second hand shop for twenty bucks.

Below is copied from a post that I posted on Large Scale Central.

All the Annie chassis will fit under all of your boilers. The only modifications you'll need to do is to relocate the air tanks rearward on the floorboards about 3/8" otherwise the steamchest will hit the air tank.  After you've removed the floorboard / air tank assembly, you'll see two screws that hold the air tank together and to the floorboard. Remove the screws, use the inside tank half and locate the rear hole in it to be just on the edge of the mount. File a small notch where the rear screw will go and use a small drill bit to mark where to drill a new hole, in the mount, where the front screw will go. You'll also have to lengthen the notch at the front of the air tank where the mount goes through. Do one side at a time so you don't get things mixed up. When done correctly, the front of the air tank should be in line with the boiler strap when all is reassembled.  I've put these Annie chassis under all of my six Big Haulers, you'll be happy you did. You might want to buy the proper pilot braces and screws. But if not, you can either use the Big Hauler pilot and braces or you can use the new Annie pilot and drill a hole, the same size as the old brace, directly between the two small screw holes where the Annie braces would mount. I've done it all these different ways but eventually used all Annie pilots and braces. Much better detail.   Hope this answers your question.   

The only thing I've noticed is the Gen.1 plastic is very brittle and can break easily. And the Gen.1 boiler body is a lot more difficult to remove then any of the following generations. 

Adam

Greg said...
The LED does not cause the blinking.

Au contraire,
I purchased these and installed them in a modified Big Hauler. I put a 1k ohm resistor is series of each led and connected, through a switch, directly to 14.4v battery power.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20-x-LED-5mm-Red-Candle-Flicker-Ultra-Bright-Flickering-LEDs-Light-Model-Prop/161110488690?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

They look great!

Adam

I had the same problem trying to find a floorboard for a Big Hauler 4-6-0, the one on the Fireman's side just under the air pump.
I found a scrap piece of styrene the same thickness as the Engineer's side and made a mirror image copy, painted it black with white edges. And I am very proud of myself because I can't tell the difference between it and an original. And it was made from scrap a little bit of old, black, spray paint and a swipe with a white paint pen, everything I already had on hand.

Go for it smcgill, the satisfaction of knowing you fixed it yourself is overwhelming!!

Let us know what happens!

Adam

Air pump steam exhaust.

Adam

Wow Mark,
You are lucky!!!

I purchased no less then 3 Annie. chassis and many other parts over the years. All good experiences, except the shipping charges

Then, one day I emailed them and asked to purchase just one running board, for a 4-6-0, the one under the air pump on the Fireman's side of the boiler, any color.
They emailed me back and said the only way I could get it was to buy a complete shell for $49.99.

One would think their service department would have at least a few gutted, broken boiler shells laying around.

Well now that I got that off my chest, I'm glad to hear you had positive experience Mark.
Good job Bachmann!!

Adam 

Looking real good Joe!!
Looks like it 's running nice and smooth.

Now I'm getting the itch for one

Adam

I too have four Bachmann 4-6-0s a lyn and mostly all of my rolling stock are Bachmann.
I think Bachmann's details are superior to LGB or USA's, just look at the truss rod detail, and at a better price too.

As for Aristo, I thought most of their stuff was 1:29 scale except for the 2-8-0. I try to stay with mostly 1:22.5

The one boxcar that I'd like to see from Bachmann would be a Big Hauler outside braced boxcar. Like I say, I like the, old, narrow gauge stuff.

Just a thought.

Adam

Jord,
It's also easier if you pull the red cover off the switch.

Adam

Oops,
Sorry Wade, when I looked at the first post on this board all I saw was "Radio Control" 

I should have known better

Adam

Shipcarp,
If its not the battery powered Big Hauler then click on the link below for the track powered instructions.


http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/LargeScaleBigHaulersInstructions2016.pdf


Have fun with your train, and I hope this helps you out!!

Adam

Happy New year All!!!

Adam

Pete,
I have the re-released, newest, 2-4-2 and it does have the chuff cam on the front set of the driver wheels, the rear drivers have the driven gear from the motor.
Also, the chuff cam has four contacts, across the axle, so the chuffs are correctly quartered, four chuffs per revolution unlike the Big Haulers that only have two contacts for two chuffs per revolution.
Why Bachmann does that is beyond me? Perhaps their very basic chuff-card can't handle four chuffs at higher speeds.

For what its worth, hope this helps.

Adam

Thanks again Bill.
I guess I didn't type my password and hit the "Change Your Profile" button after I unchecked the hide box.
I thought everything was good because I saw the middle icon, under my user name, that looks like a typewriter and says email when you scroll over it.

I also appreciate your offer for looking, but please don't go out of your way. I too have plenty of other projects to do and I am not really needing another locomotive at this time. And, oh yeah, there's that pesky, eight hour a day, five days a week, job that keeps interrupting my play time.

I'll keep cruising eBay. That's how I got this wreck in the first place! I really didn't need it, I just wanted the tender. Ha ha!!!

Thanks again!

Adam