Well I'm happy enough for them to go down the 1:29 route provided the 1:20.3 (or thereabouts) doesn't get completely neglected.  One would imagine that if they are going to move into standard gauge then 4 axle diesels are the most likely product; but I'm not up with that market enough to know if there are significant gaps in it.  You'd have to think that a mallet using two of the bug mauler or C-19 mechanisms would also be a possibility.

In narrow gauge I would have thought that a re-release of the Heisler with an upgraded spec must be a good possibility given there are "current" Shays and Climaxes; but timing probably depends on the stock levels of the latter and indeed how well they are selling.  That may be wish fulfillment though, as it's my favourite geared loco.

From a wider perspective a more modern image 4-4-0 or 2-6-0 based on the Spectrum versions would certainly be attractive to me (damn, I just typed 3-3-0 instead of 4-4-0, now that's a prototype I'd like to see....).  But those possibilities aside, I would have thought variations on the C-19 theme with the aim of keeping tooling costs down, possibly looking at the EBT prototype, is the most probable.  My personal wish list includes a mid 20th century coach and a railmotor, a Brill if possible but a Doodlebug if no other choice - however, I'm not holding my breath.

Steve

Not sure whether to post on this board or the Thomas board; this is my natural metier though - so if I offend, I apologise.

Mr Bachmann, when is Toby arriving?  I have two grandsons who know he is due.  They are going to be very disappointed if Granddad doesn't have Toby for them at Christmas, and that has to include conversion to battery & r/c so in reality November is a must.  Any chance?

Steve

The C-19 stack (in two colours) is advertised on the spares board for the enormous sum of $12.  I haven't got one to compare, but in the photo there it doesn't look that much bigger than the Annie stack.

I reckon it's probably a firefighting pump based on ones I saw on the back of the tenders of locos around here 40 or 50 years ago.  I was told that they had them for two reasons - first to access areas of shunting (swiching) yards which it was difficult to access with a fire truck because of parked wagons, and secondly for firefighting in remote locations out in the bush which were not accessible by road.  Given the propensity for ash and cinders from steam locos to start fires in the summer both seemed reasonable.  However, I don't remember tank engines with them.  I've kept the one on mine (my line is set in the Tasmanian bush) on the basis that I might need firefighting capacity 

Win anything on the Cup Tony?

Got mine yesterday - great article Bill and filled a gap in my knowledge......

As an aside, I wonder how come I get a magazine from the US at almost the same time as those is the States while I don't get the mag from the UK for two months after they have seen it over there?  Australia is that much closer to the North America than to Europe?

Seeking help from the Yardmaster or Bach-man......

Could you please tell me if parts for the 2-4-2T are likely to become available?  - I'm particularly after the smokebox door for the Brit version, as I want to modify my two to a stage midway between the US and the Brit versions.   There are a couple of cottage industry players in the UK who make smokebox doors, but the sizes are not quite right, and in any case I'd like to get the one designed for the loco.

Thanks

Steve

Modifying the front coupler on the Indy to shorten the bar and make it less obtrusive is easy; I've pulled it almost all the way back to the cow catcher and there is still plenty of swing to go around 4' dia curves.  Agree that it's not the world's greatest puller, but it's still a great little engine - pull as couple of Jackson & Sharp's up my 1:30 (about 3%) grades without any trouble, looking good while it does it.  However, I would also agree that you're better off with the ten wheeler for general use.

So, Bacchy, Mr Yardmaster, does that mean that there will be a new production of Connies with brass gears?  If so acquisition of one just went to the top of my wish list; it's always been a great model with the gear problem as its only down side.

The Indy 2-6-0 package doesn't specifically include lubrication instructions but mine seems to be coping OK with the generic approach of gears/bearings/wheels/motion.  There are a number of youtube videos of the Bachmann instructions for other locos, such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvKKpfA-or8 which shows the Connie process, which can be applied directly to the Indy.

How about a Connie with a metal gearbox, like the Annie now has?

I don't have an Annie so I'm not sure.  Certainly my Indy doesn't but it does have a polarity switch and a DCC/DC switch; but suggest you post this on the "large" board under the "beginner's section.  You'll quickly get a definitive answer there.