That is a *MAGNIFICENT* locomotive!!!!

Thanks again, Bachmann!

I didn't mean to imply that mine pulled *only* 5 cars- that's all I tested it with at the time since that's the max it will be pulling  on my shortline model. It pulled those cars with ease and I am sure it will do more.

My grade on the model is 10 out of 10 !!

Thanks,

Matt

Frisco-

Go join the Yahoo Group called "Tweetsie".

In the photos folder, there are some shots of ET&WNC #11 boiler and tender that were at the Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland last month.

Matt Bumgarner

Got my black undecorated 45-tonner on Wednesday and fired it up today. I was more than a little impressed with the detail. OUTSTANDING job Bachmann!!  After cleaning my track, the engine ran on DC just fine, pulling 5 weighted 40' cars with no problems.

And don't let the similarity of weights regarding the 44 and 45-tonners shape your view of side-by-side size comparisons.

The 45-ton GE engine was originally designed for slow speed switching operations and was equipped as such. The bulk of the engine's weight was mere ballast, and power was provided by two Cummins 150 engines with two traction motors. The strength of the locomotive was rated at 350 horsepower. The gear box was designed with an extremely low 19:1 gear ratio and even while running light the locomotive could barely achieve a speed approaching 20 miles-per-hour.

The 44-tonner was also built by General Electric. Despite the similarity in name to the 45-tonner, the two types of locomotives were vastly different. The 44-tonner had specifically been designed for branch line operations where traffic density was fairly light over long distances. The design was a lightened 65-ton unit that was made to fit a loophole in a railroad union agreement of the 1930's which allowed engines under 45 tons to be operated without a fireman.

As such, the product was a perfect match for branch and short line operations. The locomotive boasted a fair amount of tractive effort, an ability to accelerate, and the ability to operate with a load at a respectable speed. Compared to a 45-tonner, it was actually a larger locomotive and built with very little ballast. It was equipped with two Caterpillar D-17000 engines rated at 180 horsepower each. The engine also had four traction motors and more importantly, the gearing was adjusted to an 11:1 ratio. The end result was a locomotive that had similar power to a 45-tonner but it had a top speed of 35 miles per hour. 

Check out www.thejunebugline.com and click on the roster page for a railroad that used a 45-tonner originally, and still uses a 44-tonner to this day.

Matt Bumgarner

It's not much easier over 40 either Dusten!

I see the natives are restless over on the Tweetsie Yahoo Group.

It's gonna be a good Xmas/Happy New Year, I'm sure!

Matt

Check out www.thejunebugline.com

Roster shows the different paint schemes of their 44 tonners, and one still in use today!

Yeah, its a shortline, but Athearn and Atlas both sold a lot of RS11's and CF7's with with their shortline name offerings.

Just a suggestion!

Thanks

Matt

Many of us here in the SE are thrilled with the recent releases and regional names of some of the On30 equipment (thanks Bachmann!). One of those cars/names is the Lawndale Railway Ventilated boxcar. Although the car is not "quite" right, here's the real deal that our local NRHS chapter is restoring- now THIS is a ventilated boxcar

http://www.tarheelpress.com/LawndaleBoxcar/

Thanks

Matt Bumgarner

Charlie-

Thanks for your thoughtful post. I am like you, I think Bachmann has done a helluva good job serving all geographical areas. I made my comment because I was, and still am, amused and somewhat taken aback by the "Bachmann lost interest in western roads" remark.

That being said, and I do realize that it might just be inborn geographic semantics, but to me, there is a world of difference between the Colorado roads, the Maine roads, and the southern roads. And down here in North Cackalacky (that's Carolina), to call some of the rolling stock "East Coast" when its based in the Ohio River just doesn't hold quite true. From here, it might as well be lettered Chicago & Northwestern or Burlington.

But like you said, it is a GREAT time to be a modeler, especially for those of us east of the Mississippi and south of the Mason Dixon Line. When I was cutting my teeth in the 1970's, the only available factory "Southern" rolling stock was a bright red Tyco pulpwood car lettered "The Southern Railroad", which is laughable on so many fronts. Then, through about 1984, all we had was a Lifelike F7, an Athearn SW7, and a horribly painted Atlas SD24. Oh, and I can't forget that horribly ugly lime green "Cresent" pacific that AHM had. Geesh, that was one ugly engine. On the other hand, one could find nearly anything, including bridges, lettered Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Pennsylvania, Southern Pacific, and B&O.

So again, sorry if it is semantics, but those of us here in the southeast have come a long way.

And don't call us hillbillies- we prefer the term "Appalachian Americans"

And also remember to visit us in 2011- the site of the National Narrow Gauge Convention that year!

Matt

AMEN!!

I am thrilled with the 45-tonner release:

Check out   http://www.tarheelpress.com/junebug/roster.html

Now with this release, one can model the entire roster of this cool shortline.

Bachmann has made a lot of Tweetsie fans very, very happy!!!

Congratulations!

I'm one of 'em !!!!

Matt

Dusten-

From a pure business standpoint, it makes sense to come out with this locomotive, as 90% of the tooling already exists from the IF 4-4-0. No, its not my cup of tea either, but I do applaud  Bachmann for continuing to come out with some very unique and niche type locomotives.

Hang in there. Maybe next time around we'll get what we're looking for!

Matt

Hi All-

I am about ready to start hacking on my new, beautiful Forney in order to create a Lawndale #1 0-4-4T and have identified eleven or so major changes to make on the locomotive.

I am having some trouble locating a detail part- an Eames brake system muffler- which is sort of like a fluted coffee can on a post.

Any suggestions on who might have one, or how to scratchbuild a can with flutes?

Thanks

Matt Bumgarner

Dusten Barefoot had it right the first time- we need an ET&WNC 4-6-0. Wouldn't mind an inside frame Vulcan 2-8-0 a la' the Lawndale- just in time for the 2011 Narrow Gauge Convention in NC!

As I said, my 4-4-0 struggles with a couple of 80' coaches, and yes, they have stock wheelsets, not some $12 precision crafted laser-honed doo-hickies. I wish they did, but they don't.

I'm ok with it because I generally pull a small combine and two shorter coaches; or, 4 to 6 forty foot cars. I don't see anyway/anyhow that MR found it to have the tractive effort to pull 34 cars. Or 24 for that matter. Or even 14.

That being said, it is a *GREAT* locomotive, and given my model roster and the real life one I model, the 4-4-0 was the weakest of the bunch anyway. That's why it was/and is assigned to my branchline short passenger train.

Matt