It seems that 95% of the posts on this board concern steam locomotive issues. How many readers model a post-steam era railroad, or one that is at least 80% dieselized? And of those in this category, how many care if their locomotives have sound? A dieselized On30 layout could have a few Bachmann Plymouths, as well as Boulder Valley, Backwoods Miniature and Mount Blue conversion superstructures over HO or S scale mechanisms.

Every time the subject is raised as to what new motive power Bachmann should produce, the response is almost 100% steam. If the question is what internal combustion locomotive would you most like to see, what model would top your list?

[I model a 1950 transition era railroad with a 50-50 motive power split.]

Gil Hulin
Eugene, Oregon

A meeting only for On30 modelers will take place June 4, 2011, at the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club in Portland, OR. Hours are 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and admission is free. Attendees are invited to bring one or two examples of their models. Other activities may include up to three clinics by Oregon O scale structure manufacturers, a display of On30 modules from Washington and California clubs, and discussion on future gatherings. For more information contact Gil Hulin, ghulin@earthlink.net.

Although the billboard reefers are colorful, I would like to see the On30 refrigerator car offered in the Railway Express Agency scheme, suitable for inclusion in either freight or passenger trains. Of course, I want the classic lettering and herald with Railway Express Agency spelled out on the red diamond on dark green car, rather than the later appearance with revised herald showing only REA initials on a brighter green carbody.

Gil Hulin
A fan of mail and express trains

Thanks for the input. Looks like I will use one source for DC power to the reversing shuttle track, and make the first use of my E-Z Command DCC system for the rest of the 3'x3' micro layout. The entire scene is enclosed within tall, brick manufacturing buildings. One-car trains will shuttle among seven loading spurs and a backstage storage yard. The layout will have one Atlas HO turntable in front, and a sector plate and traverser behind the backdrop. In fact, the entire staging yard will be on the traverser. The reversing track on an upper level will keep something moving when the ground level train is backstage preparing for its next appearance. The layout, with a 1"x2" lip around the bottom edge, is designed to fit over a standard card table. Current drafts call for 8" radius curves. If that doesn't work, I'll switch to shorter cars.

Gil

If you really want to detail the interior of a saw filer's work area, consider the Saw Filer's Shack available in O scale from www.rslaserkits.com, as well as other logging camp structures from this Oregon company.

Will the reversing (streetcar) trackage still reverse if powered by DCC? I don't believe that the streetcar is DCC-ready, but I will be using a Plymouth gas-mechanical locomotive instead in an industrial setting.

When is the next shipment of 45-ton diesels expected? I have had one back-ordered since mid-summer. Although this seems like a question that belongs in the HO scale discussion board, these mechanisms are very popular for use in scratchbuilt On30 'critters'.

Last weekend at the World's Greatest Hobby on Tour show in Puyallup, Wash., I discovered that the sawmill on Bachmann's operating On30 display layout had been kit-bashed from three O/S scale Plasticville covered bridge kits. With the siding changed from barn red to gray, and well weathered, it looked great. Bach-mann, any chance of you providing a list of the other parts and pieces added to the bridge walls to create this model?

Although Boulder Valley Models makes some nice On30 diesel or gasoline superstructures for Bachmann's small HO scale diesels, your company already owns the 44-ton, 45-ton and 70-ton mechanisms and should consider offering some ready-to-run "critters".

As for On30 rolling stock, an outside-braced, single-sheathed boxcar with door opening to the right would be at the top of my wantlist.

My railroad was inspired by the Bellevue & Cascade, Milwaukee Road's narrow gauge subsidiary in Iowa. But I am taking it a step farther, by painting my passenger cars in Milwaukee's orange and maroon scheme. Don't feel limited to the four car styles that Bachmann offers; it is not that difficult to kitbash a four-door baggage car, Railway Post Office car, dining car or your own version of an open platform observation car from the stock combine and coach. You have a choice of cut and glue assembly if you want only a few cars, or mold making and resin casting if you need a large fleet.

A true O scale pantograph (as used on GG-1 models) would be the full width of an On30 car. You should look for an HO scale pantograph to mount on top of the clerestory roof. Since it doesn't have to operate, look for a GG-1 or other junker at an HO swap meet, or search parts catalogs of firms that have offered GG-1's.

While I agree that a Heisler would be a good addition in the next five or six years, and that a survey of rod locomotives would be worthwhile, why limit the survey of potential new motive power to steam locomotives? Two-, three- and four-axle "critters" are always popular, and Bachmann already has the GE 44-ton, 45-ton and 70-ton HO mechanisms. Or for something larger, Terratransport (Newfoundland) and White Pass & Yukon operated six-axle diesels well into the 1980's. Looking beyond internal combustion, how about straight electrics? My introduction to anything narrow gauge was a intra-plant tramway using former mine electric motors (two axle). I'm sure that Bachmann is always looking for accessories and add-ons as well as trains, so a simple "plug and play" catenary or single-wire trolley system would be a plus with a line of steeplecab electrics and Birney-style trolleys.

gmhtrains

Back in early March there were several postings regarding baggage and head-end cars. I am about to start converting a Bachmann combine to an RPO, and wonder if anyone else has already done this? I will leave the end with the large baggage doors as is, as well as the adjacent three windows. I will blank out the fourth window from the side door, and create small doors where the fifth windows (one each side) now exist. The sixth window space on the left side is already blanked for the toilet, and I will blank out the sixth window on the right side. The mail-bag catcher across the small door is the signature hardware. RPOs were high-security cars and certainly didn't have end doors with windows. However, rather than eliminating end doors entirely, I'll use sheet styrene to create solid steel end doors.

The March postings discussed the Bachmann two-door baggage car as a separate sale item not found in any set, and the rear platform observation car as an item available only in sets. I will have a surplus observation car (C&S green) available for trade (for any baggage car or combine) at the May 31 On30 Barn Meet in Penryn, Calif. 

Why limit the discussion to steam locomotives? Bachmann's gas-mechanical critter is very popular, and as we are designing for a worldwide market, I would add a short four-axle diesel locomotive. And considering the hundreds of body kits that Boulder Valley Models has sold to fit over Bachmann GE 44-ton and 70-ton mechanisms, Bachmann already has the perfect power unit for a diesel of its choosing. Although Europe is still building narrow gauge diesels today, to promote more sales I would pick a model that fits with the steam to diesel transition era. 

  To add to the ongoing On30 layout survey, I am in the process of building a freelanced common carrier shortline that is located in the western half of Oregon, where I live. By operating both steam and diesel/gas locos, this pretty much fixes the era as late 1940's/early 1950's.
  While my favorite narrow gauge experiences were in Newfoundland (both the ex-Newfoundland Railway during CN and TerraTransport eras and on the Grand Falls Central), I've also ridden the White Pass & Yukon (Whitehorse to Skagway and return) and Mexico's FUS (Sureste) routes out of Merida, Yucatan, (daylong roundtrip to Tizimin in 1981). In fact, the corporate family tree for my On30 shortline may include subsidiary status under the imaginary YyY (Yukon y Yucatan) empire extending from Carcross to Compeche (previously known as the CyC). I have spent very little time on the Colorado narrow gauge, probably due to over-exposure.
  But I digress. Structures on the layout are a mix of plastic, resin, laser-cut wood and hydrocal kits, kit-mingled projects and scratchbuilding. I have many Chooch (now Berkshire Valley) and Yorke kits from the early 1980's as well as the latest Mainstreet Heritage and Schomberg Models structures.
  The layout is being built on two-foot by four-foot "domino" tables that will be connected in a twisting point-to-point configuration. The railroad headquarters, enginehouse and yard will be at one end and an interchange yard at the other. I invite other, local, On30 modelers to build their own railroads off the same central yard.
  I picture the central yard, which will have a train-length traverser or transfer table, as a "starter double" in a game of dominoes. My shortline, which will probably end up with 14-to-18 four-foot tables, wanders out from the central yard in one direction. Two or three other shortlines could head other directions. I just don't want anyone to build a tail-chasing loop that is the basis of most modular club layouts.
  Ideally my shortline will have one industrial or station spur per table, although I'm now thinking that four feet of open countryside between each switching location may be preferrable. Most "stations" will just be wayside flagstops. The principal town will be built on three-foot wide tables to allow both sides of the main street to be modeled, likely with the railroad running down the center (with curbed, private right-of-way rather than in-the-pavement street running).
  My favorite locomotive will probably be a 14-ton Climax, built from Bachmann's HO Climax and Boulder Valley's On30 conversion kit. I plan to operate primarily Boulder Valley and Foothills Models 20-foot length freight cars, as well as others that I shorten.
  I will have 14 to 15 months to get this layout built and running for the 2008 National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland, Oregon. In the meantime, I will be giving a prototype clinic at Portland, Maine, this year.
gmhtrains