A 2-6-2 or 0-6-2, T or ST (my personal preference is for a 2-6-2ST) would be a VERY welcome addition...

Cheers NB

B'mann already makes a GE 45ton loco in G scale, it's just a question of shrinking it to fit...

Cheers NB

For the time being a Garrat is not in the cards, but I would consider one if B'mann (or some other large manufacturer) were to produce it. Not the NGG16 though, it's too associated with the SAR NG lines. Would consider a NGG11 or a G class, however my favorites are the Sierra Leone locos, which are as "generic" as Garrats go http://users.powernet.co.uk/hamilton/bgpix/slgr50.jpg or the loco delivered to Nepal, which essentially is a copy of the Sierra Leone locohttp://users.powernet.co.uk/hamilton/bgpix/ngr6.jpg. In any case, a 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garrat with inside frames.



Cheers NB

Hi all, a friend of mine is looking for a Sir Topham Hatt (Fat Controller) figurine, any scale. Could someone point me out one?

Cheers Nicholas

To Frank Savery: sent you an email in private.

To remainder of list... I will post about the proposed OdeM equipment kits as soon as I have more info (prices, pics), since the project is still in the embrionary stage. What I can say is that there are plans for the following pieces:

- Baggage/Conductor car (also used as cabooses on the freights);
- 1st Class coach;
- 2nd Class coach;
- Steel boxcar (BRCW/Gregg/Magor, ex-Leopoldina Railway converted from meter to 30" gauge)
- Wood boxcar;
- Shorty steel drop-bottom gon;
- Long steel drop-bottom gon;
- "Whale" tank car.

As I've said it'sall still in the pipeline. Most probably the first car to come out will be the shorty gon. Stay tuned.

Cheers NB

The loco is a model of OdeM/RMV/VFCO/RFFSA #21 and #22, more specifically of #22 as she looks today. The only fly in the ointment is that if Bachmann used the NG&SLG drawings for the engine there there will be a few detail discrepancies between the prototype and the model - not bothersome especially if one is modelling freelance. Unless Bachmann did the right thing and sent someone to measure the real #22...

Again, this is no engine to hitch on the head-end of a "Shavano" on Marshall Pass, although the prototype could happily keep a 6-to-8 car mixed train on the roll at 25-30mph on the flattest portions of the OdeM main line. Sizewise, she won't be much bigger than the IF engine - the MtG loco is only about 36" shorter (engine only) and about the same height and width as OdeM #1 (which is preserved at the museum at Sao Joao d'El Rey).

There is a possibility that a pro modelmaker in Rio might be releasing kits and build up models of OdeM passenger and freight equipment in On30. These would make a great match for the 4-4-0...

Cheers NB
Sao Paulo, Brazil

Actually it was built by the Four Wheel Drive Corp.

cheers NB

Hi all,

Just bought my 4-4-0, a gem of a little loco... however while looking at it I noticed that the axis of the cylinder does not line up entirely with the axle center, as it should be in most real steam locos; rather, the axis is set up a little higher. Is this a design/manufacturing error, or was it set up like this deliberately? Were there real stemers with this setup? Looking at the Mt. Gretna drawings I noticed that the cylinders were very slightly tilted from horizontal, with the axis aligned to the center or the rear driving axle, I wonder if folks at R&D failed to notice that... apologise the nitpick, just plain curious...

Cheers NB

Some suggestions...

China: C2 or C4 0-8-0 - the C2 would also please the Eastern European/Russian fans as they are copies of locos delivered to that part of the world;

Germany/Austria: Hey, what about carrying on from where Fleischmann Magic Train stopped?? A U-class 0-6-2T (cheaper than Henke's, please!!!), bogie (double-trucked) coaches and freight cars, some modern equipment, maybe even a 99-series 30" 2-10-2T???

UK: Welshpool & Llanfair equipment; my vote for a loco goes to the Sierra Leone Hunslet 2-6-2T, this is a loco which could have been sent to all over the world...

Cheers NB

Henke in Germany makes a HF 110C in Oe/On30...not cheap, though!

Cheers NB

Dear Mr. Bachmann...

I understand that the plans for the N scale Russian Decapod were put on hold because problems with finding/developiong a suitable motor. If by any chance the project doesn't pull through, I have a suggestion... why not go for a Baldwin "Sports Model" 2-10-0? These were built later than the Russians (1920's-1930's), have taller wheels and a fatter boiler which makes for a easier motor choice. Not only that but there is a working example not far from Bachmann's - Strasburg RR #90.

Cheers NB

 I suggest 2 loco possibilities:

- a 2-6-2 with tender - a SR&RL #24 lookalike is a good bet;
- a 4-6-0 - a proper 30" gauge loco, with outside wheels, tapered boiler (a Tweetsie-lookalike) and with a size which is intermediate between the 4-4-0 and the 2-8-0.

- Steel freight cars would be welcome...

Cheers NB

I believe that we could do with a whole range of steel equipment and not just boxcars. A steel-frame tank car would be nice, so would a steel gon.

Cheers NB

Hi all,

Trawling through my books I found a picture in "Porter Steam Locomotives: Light and Heavy", page 47, of another vest-pocket sized American-built 4-4-0 which might be of interest. This beauty was built for a 36" gauge RR in Central America; fitted with a pencil-sized boiler and 42" drivers it had 10x16" cylinders and weighed (engine only) a sprightly 35.000 pounds in working order. Plus or minus this loco sort of matches the B'mann 4-4-0 in size.

Now, the interesting info about this engine was it's theoretical haulage capacity, this will help you guys give your 4-4-0s proper trains... on the flat the loco could haul between 500 and 800 tons (depending on the rolling characteristics of the equipment); going up a 1% grade this dropped to 150-175 tons and on a 3% grade the engine hauled a measly 45-50 tons. Oh, 30-pound rails, please...

Cheers NB

After a lot of complaints about the loco's size, it turns out that the 4-4-0 is just the right size to wheel the tipical NG "accomodation" (combine + 1 or 2 coaches)...  which brings me to my questions, has anyone given the loco a tractive effort test?

Cheers NB