I found that by trying the long shank coupler on the rear I was able to get around 18" curves without "throwing"  the following car off the track.  If your track is fairly level, the "long center shank" will work fine.  If you have a lot of dips and rises, you may find that the "long over shank" will work better, as the Forney is a real stiff locomotive.  I used the Bachmann E-Z Mate Mark 2-the one with the metal spring.  You may also help the situation if you attach a long shank coupler to the car you wish to have directly behind the locomotive.  I found that having one of the passenger cars first in line made life real easy.  Best of luck to you.  John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

I bought mine from Crusader Rail Services.  They are at www.crusaderrail.com.  Ask for Mary or Ray (Mary's a lot cuter).  Very nice folks and real supporters of the Narrow Gauge crowd.  You can tell them I sent you-not affiliated, just a happy customer.  John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

Several weeks ago I thought I heard a squeak coming from my Bachmann On30  2-8-0.  It made me nuts for a short while, as it went away while running in reverse.  Forward brought it back.  It turns out that all of those really nice rods and pins turning 'round and 'round need lubrication just like the real ones.  Just don't go crazy like one can with the real ones.  Remember-a little goes a long way.  I simply took an old Pringles Chips plastic lid (that has no recycling number and will end up in the trash anyway) and dripped onto it several drops of Labelle's #107 medium oil.  Do not use the metal dropper to place the oil on the engine-it gives too large a drop.  Use a toothpick, and just put a small amount on all of the sliding shafts and moving joints.  It runs like new once again.  Merry Christmas to you all.   John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

Don't laugh at this, but several years ago I found a collection of "O" scale figures at my local dollar store,  called "Windham Heights" by Cobblestone Corners Collectibles.  They are by no means perfectly formed and painted figures, but as I needed a nice crowd of people to be hanging around a couple of railroad stations, these fit the bill.  Not great if they are right up front within close eyesight, but fine for backround figures.  At $1.00 for a pack of 4 or 5 figures, you can't go wrong.  They are dressed as turn of the LAST century figures, so they fit right into my layout.  I was always able to find them around the Christmas Holidays, so now is the time to start looking.  John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

Just a quick note to say nice first try of hopefully annual Narrow Gauge Meets in the Reading area.  I was only able to stay about one hour, and I'm real sorry I had to leave.  Nate did a nice job of setting up the room, running various trains, and at least four different vendors were showing their wares.  Our On30 guru  John Weigle from Peterboro Railroad was present, a fellow  WW&F RY fan from Kutztown Steven Potteiger had a stand, and unfortunately that's all I had time to talk to.  If you happen to be a Brother Shrine Mason, you will understand that today was the Rajah Shrine Picnic, a Pote's call, so I was kind of oblagated to be there.  This show has all of the earmarks of a winner, so I really hope more Narrow Gauge folks will take a chance and attend next year.  Thanks, Nate-ya done good!  John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

Here's hoping against hope that we'll finally get the Prairie we so richly deserve.  That model from Victor's Models in England looks great, but I have zero confidence in my modeling abilities to attempt one of those-especially when the price of failure would be dear.  John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

Please keep in mind that our On30 trains are "O"scale-1/4"=1 foot.  If you are used to the old Lionel "O" gauge trains, remember that they were actually not true "O" SCALE.  The actual gauge for Lionel is 5 feet, not 4 feet 8 1/2 inches.  The Plasticville buildings are fine for our On30 trains with the following exceptions-the trestle bridge, which is truly designed to handle Lionel style track, the coaling tower, unless you cut off the first (lowest) level of the legs, stairs, and rear elevator, and finally the water tower, which works fine as long as you don't use the big fat base.  Go visit a couple of model train shows and check out the Plasticville buildings no longer offered, and you will also find a couple of nice buildings just right for On30.  The old style Suburban Station, old square switch tower, and the hard to find factory come to mind.  These buildings are not as "perfect" as the laser cut wood kits now available, but they are quick and easy to build and look fine in the backround.  John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

I'm sorry to hear that your experience with Bachmann has been less than favorable.  I have a total of 11 On30 locomotives from Bachmann, and only ever had trouble with one. I've got one 0-4-0, two 0-4-2, two 2-6-0 Mogels, one 2-8-0 Connie, one 4-4-0 American, and four Forneys, one of which had problems two weeks into ownership.  It started to growl and really sounded as if it were tearing itself apart.  It was sent back to Bachmann and it was replaced within two weeks.  The replacement had the same problem several days into running, and that one was also cheerfully replaced.  I ran the replacement for several weeks to make sure it was ok before adding all of the replacement parts from Mount Blue.  It's been two years, and it still runs fine, as do all of the others.  Be nice to the folks in service at Bachmann, and they will treat you nice.  Now if they would only come out with a 2-6-2 Prairie.........John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

Today has been one of those days you really enjoy going out to the mailbox.
To what to my wondering eyes did appear but the new Bachmann On30 SR & RL
caboose from the elves at Peterboro Railroad (thanks, John), the new On30
Annual from Carstens, and the November/December newsletter from the WW&F
Railway Museum. Bachmann has done it again-the caboose is really nice, well
thought out, and even has opening end doors. Carstens has yet another winner
with issue number 5, and begs the question-why not more than one per year?
Last but not least, my favorite 2-foot railroad has made it to "top of the
mountain", and continues to amaze me with what they have accomplished since
resurrecting the railroad.
I don't always get the chance to send messages, so I'll take this
opportunity to wish all on the list a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. John
Tumolo _Britcarfan@aol.com_ (mailto:Britcarfan@aol.com)
P.S. Thank you, Bachmann for the spare parts-much appreciated!

Is the new 4-6-0 in any way (other than wheel configuration) close to the EBT # 8, second #4, or #10?  I may be a Maine 2-footer at heart, but I'm putting together an EBT train consisting of a Deerfield River Laser/Bachmann conversion of combine #16-#18, Bachmann EBT coal cars and an old Quality Craft Models double-sheathed wooden boxcar.  One of the new 4-6-0's would sure make my consist complete, if it's anywhere near correct.  Opinions?  And please, all you rivet counter's -I know the gauge is off by 1/8".  John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com (still building a bit of Maine in my Pennsylvania basement)

Christmas is coming-is there an ETA for the new caboose?  Any plans for showing at the Allentown, PA "First Frost" November 14 & 15?  John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

I for one am thrilled that Bachmann has seen fit to produce a copy of the SR & RL caboose.  For all of you purists out there, calm down-the Mount Blue kit is just for you. From the photo, it looks like Bachmann has captured the essence of the caboose, and if you take note, the number on the photo (559) is a fictitious number.  The SR & RL caboose numbers ended with 558.  Now I have something to look forward to in the fall-and something to keep bugging John Weigel at Peterboro Railroad about.  "Is it here yet???"  Now to keep asking Bachmann for a Maine 2-foot 2-6-2 Prairie..........            John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

re: Deerfield River kits-I highly recomend them.  I have built no less than four of the On30 Bachmann replacement bodies, a 36' version of the SR & RL Rangeley parlor car, a 36' version of the P & R RPO-Baggage car,  a 36' WW&F Vassalboro, and a 36' WW&F Taconnet and each one was a breeze to build.  Admittedly, all 4 were direct body replacements, not stretch bodies.  Each one was well thought out, much like the Mount Blue kits, and  following instructions was not a problem.  Well worth the money, and in the case of the WW&F Vassalboro and Taconnet,  a much appreciated addition to my little bit of Maine in Pennsylvania.  John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

All I wanted for Christamas was a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2 (come on, sing it with me).  Seriously, a Prairie modeled after WW&F #6, or even one modeled after SR&RL #24 shouldn't be too much of a stretch for Bachmann, considering all of the mechanisms they already have in production.  One can always hope.................   John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

Has anyone received their copy of the 2008 On30 Annual?  I know I ordered mine what seems a long time ago, and I was just wondering...........John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com