I just purchased the brand new run of the Mantua 0-6-0t "Yard Goat" from my LHS fro 59.99. It is DCC ready with a 9 pin socket and has a completely revised electrical pickup system. Gone are the ugly springs between the first two drivers and it now has all wheel pickup. I had an older version as well and It was a piece of garbage, But I have to say that I am VERY pleased with giving the new version a try. No derailments forward or backward and running characteristics are great. It IS worm gear driven as oppsed to a reduction gear so it will be a little faster out of the hole for a switcher, but as it is, it's a great little locomotive and dare I say? Will give the Spectrum 0-6-0t a run for its money ANY day.

Oh totally bro.

I've seen your website and love the way your two truck came out. I have a large collection of MDC 2 truck shays but would estimate that the one you made would be around 50 tons and provide a nice variety to the rather slim pickin's on the market now.

I'd say check out the Heart Of Georgia Layout plan, just make it 1 foot by 2 feet larger and you're set.

So....

The new versions of these locos DON'T pick up power from the frame halves? I'm confused.

MY hobby shop has one for 29.99 let me know if you want it.

MY spectrum 2-8-0 happily runs on 15" radius.

The older Loco's that cam in this set have a hydraulic lifter on the smokestack, the newer ones do not. The older ones also don't have blackened siderods. The one I got in my set is exactly (mechanism wise) the same as the newest run of 4-8-4's sold seperatly. Great engines.

I go to Gulf Coast Model Railroad in Sarasota FL. I have a good relationship with the owner and manager. Both are an invaluable source of information and most always I get a great deal. I can come in with 15-20 dollars and get a wonderful deal on SOMETHING in the store. If you are in the Sarasota area give these guys a call. 941-923-9303.

Thank you, It would be greatly appreciated. Can you also tell me if these have the same old split axle design?

Do these loco's have the NMRA 8-pin recepticle in the tender or the loco?

This is a genuine box for the mikado. It says P# 54512 HO MIKADO 2-8-2 WITH SMOKE B&O. My theory is that someone bought this loco....had it break at some point, and got a newer mechanism when they sent it in for repair.

I bought an old Bachmann Mikado 2-8-2 which is the 2-8-0 with a trailing truck basically. It has a can motor but the 1990 diagram on hoseeker.net shows a pancake motor, so this is obviously a later model. What puzzles me is that it came in a YELLOW box that says "Bachmann HO" on the upper left hand corner and has pictures of rolling stock on both sides and a picture of a Reading 2-8-0 pulling a freight consist on the back, with a list of Locos and rolling stock in text form. This is not a plus model as it is in a regular box. Can the Bach-man or someone tell me what era these boxes were from? I geatly appreciate it.

~Dave Mfn' C

Ha! You're right, the G-string would make excellent handrails! Never thought of that. I would agree that there is definitely a positive relationship between the skills as a musician and model building in a subliminal sort of way. I forgot to mention that I also model steam exclusively as well. In my 10 locomotives, I have one diesel, a GP9, for the early transition period. I think I stopped modeling around 14, the whole high school and college business and what have you. I got back into railroading about 2 years ago. I was in a supermarket with my girlfriend at the time and picked up a "Model Railroader" and that was all she wrote. It was a Godsend as well because I was weening off of an addictive medication at the time and also trying to quit smoking and that helped to take my mind off things as well.

I know for a fact from experience that a Spectrum (Now standard line) 2-8-0 will handle 14-15 inch radius turns without a problem. I bent some flextrack to what I thought was 15" and undershot just a little bit, nevertheless, the 2-8-0 performed fine.

I also have to add that I am younger and enjoy this hobby as much as the next guy. I'm 25 and last time I was in my LHS, my buddy Kelly has told me that sometimes I keep him sane....He's in his early 40's and says sometimes he just needs a break in that he deals with customers with the median age of 70. He respects me in that I can build an MDC shay and get it to run with stock parts better than anyone he has seen before. To add, I got started in this hobby as a child....I was about 5 when I got my first HO train set....Marklin made, let me tell you, recognizing the shear quality in those sets was very easy for a child my age. Hats off to you and beautiful build thus far Rye.

The music is another thing, I am also a professional guitarist....I can't tell you how many times I've worked on my layout with Sevendust, Tool or Mudvayne jamming on my stereo.