Glenn,
          the Bachmann 4-6-0 is based on the ET&NWC 'Tweetsie' loco from the east coast.   The Bachmann 4-6-0  is painted to represent a D&RG loco.  As the D&RG 4-6-0 was a T-12,  then any manufacturer model would be of the prototype operated by the railroad.


          The RGS 'inherited' its #20 from the F&CC and it is a fair representation of the prototype, more so than the 'T-12'.  For the RGS you would need to replace the valve gear for the simpler Stephenson type, replace the steel cab for a wooden cab and do something with the 'Tweetsie' tender body.

Final photographs.  #167 would not have carried the flying herald as it was removed from service and dismantled in 1934,  around eight years before the introduction of the flying herald.  however,  I like the herald and it gives a family look to my roster.

The loco is painted (black of course).  It requires decals and reassembly.

Alex,
       hopefully by the end of the week it will be resplendent in a nice coat of black paint, along with the standard Bachmann tender.    I will build a reasonable tender in a few weeks from my Sam's Club spares.  I really am tired of looking at the Christmas colour schemes on my latest two bashes.  It is a relief to get some primer happening.

It may be a suprise to some but the Bachmann D&RGW T-12 bears little resemblance to the prototype.  I am in the final throes of modifying a spare parts loco to more resemble the 'real' thing.  Basically paint to finish it up.  A teaser photo,  with temporary tender and as yet no pilot truck fitted.

Charley,
            Not the link that you were after,  but here is one from MLS.

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=31809

Bill,
     apparently the two screws that are in the bag with the snowplow are perfect replacement screws.

John,
        it will be around August this year before the unmentionable will be mentioned.  With the K due at Christmas, then August/September will be a likely update date (the crystal ball is not always totally on schedule).

Kenny,

          unfortunately very common complaint.  In most of the cases that I have seen the outer packaging is intact.  The problem is that the shipper will torpedo the package into the ground when placing it down.  The effect is that a heavy object inside,  a boiler weight, will continue, due inertia and wreak havoc.  I have received two expensive brass railbuses basically totalled due shipping mishandling and yet the outer packaging was unmarked.

Jeff,
       good to see you still around.  I have not seen a posting from you in sometime.  welcome back.

Today,  I completed my Sam's Club 4-4-0 built entirely from Sam's Club spare parts,  with the exception of the Lionel cowcatcher and the Heritage Express headlamp bracket.  Runs exceptionally smoothly.   

       

The problem is licencing rights.  At present,  LGB has the rights to market the Disneyland brandname in largescale.

Kenny,
           my advice is to never use cheap supermarket paint on models.  It is fine for painting the side gate or the back fence,  but models require a paint with finer pigment particles.  I have used the cheap generic paints in the past only to find that they are full of gunk.  It only takes one piece of gunk on a beautifully detailed piece of rolling stock to mar the whole surface.  I only opt for the more expensive 'brandname' paints.l

Jon,
      I will take the $2.00 and the brick watch please.  One should not make idle bets.  I go so far as to disassemble the Bachmann wheelsets and salvage the wheels that are not wobbly to rebuild as smooth running sets.  However the wobbly wheel is not the only symptom as a wheel may run true but the car lopes along the rails.  A check will reveal a wobble free wheel but closer investigation will disclose that the wheel is actually eccentric. 


      I have enough Bachmann rolling stock and enough Bachmann wheelsets to know what I am talking about.  If I purchased six cards of Bachmann wheelsets then I could guarantee that at least one card (four axles) would finish in the garbage bin and that is after carefully interchanging wheels on axles to attempt a decent running set. 

Dave,
         I simply hate Bachmann wheels.  I have yet to find Bachmann wheelsets that do not run eccentric or wobbly.  My 'failure' rejection rate is around 20%.  I have since gone towards Aristocraft or USA Trains wheelsets as I know that I will get reliable wheels.


         Bachmann are not on their own.  LGB also has its fair share of wobbly wheels,  not just current metal wheelsets (made in China)  but wheels from up to ten years ago, presumably made in Germany.  I demand a wheel that runs true.  Paying a premium price for an inferior wheel is simply unacceptable.  If AMS put the same wheels on their 1/20.3 scale rolling stock then the critics would have a field day, considering that both manufacturs share similiar price levels.