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
Well, on the On30 board, the emphasis would be primarily on steam modeling, since that is the basis for Bachmann's On30 line - Narrow gauge steam from about the early 1900's (aside from the Davenport). If you're looking for diesel-era modelers, their mostly on the HO or General Discussion boards.
Most narrow gauge lines went to their end running steam.
D&RGW ran into the 1960s that way; EBT ceased in 1955 as a steam road; the Southern Pacific narrow gauge had one diesel in the mid-late 1950s but from what I've read it wasn't very successful and a steam engine was kept ready and often used as back-up. The Maine narrow gauge was abandoned before WWII. The Catskill Mountain RR was abandoned during WWI. And so on. There really is no "transition era" for narrow gauge lines, they either went out of business or got standard gauged.
Plus, the only Bachmann "diesel" is the Plymouth, which is a very small engine that wouldn't physically be capable of replacing the large steam engines, which means until someone comes out with a good GE-type On30 diesel you're left with kitbashes or craftsman kits to build your own. (I'm waiting for a damaged Flyer Baldwin switcher body to turn up cheap to build something with).
Gil
MLW-ALCO DL 535
GE Shovel Nose
Personnal favorite JUNIN a Hudswell-Clarke DH 2-6-2 built for the Junin 2&1/2 Ft line in Chile.
Ken Clark
GWN
IIRC, the Southern Pacific diesel on the narrow gauge Keeler Branch was a 65-ton GE unit, very similar to their standard gauge 70-ton unit that they make in HO.
The closest thing I will ever get to a diesel in On30 is a Davenport side-rod.
And that runs on petrol..... :D
STEAM RULES!!!!!!
:)
In North America narrow gauge diesels, apart from small industrial locos, were rare with the exception of the White Pass and Yukon and the Southern Pacific diesel mentioned by Ivrr 325. These were large 3 foot gauge locos that would dwarf most of the existing Bachmann range.
Overseas it is different. Narrow gauge lines lasted in quite a few countries, some still exist. Diesel and electric locos were introduced for such lines, including on gauges around 30 inches as well as metre gauge. These lines are modelled and some ready to run equipment is made, more in HOe (european term for HOn30) or HOm ( HO scale on 12mm gauge track representing metre gauge) than in O scale (Oe or Om). Bachmann's German line Liliput has an HOe range which has 3 diesel locomotives, one of them very modern. These are of an Austrian prototype. Popular subjects for European modern narrow gauge include the Swiss electric metre gauge lines and the Austrian 760mm gauge lines.
Hamish.
North America's largest fleet of narrow gauge diesels was not based in Skagway, but in St. John's, Newfoundland. Lasting until 1988, the former Canadian National (Terra Transport in their final decade) 42-inch gauge six-axle diesels worked a 500-plus-mile mainline over roller coaster terrain.
More typical of a narrow gauge railroad, however, was the Grand Falls Central shortline between Grand Falls and Botwood, Newfoundland, powered by General Electric's only narrow gauge 70-tonners. Again, this was 42-inch gauge. I rode the GFC in 1976, before abandonment, and saw GFC's bright orange boxcars in 1980 operating in Costa Rica.
Most modelers of Newfoundland's railways work in S scale, where 1/64 car bodies on HO scale mechanisms work out to accurate 42-inch (three and a half foot) scale.
Gil Hulin
This topic reminded me of this picture Scary 2' diesel. I would be afraid to ride in this thing.
http://www.narrow-gauge.co.uk/gallery/images/13/236.jpeg
NM
Hi NM,
Please forgive my ignorance, but why would you be afraid to ride in that thing?
Is it a play on words, or am I missing something?
:)
In addition to the White Pass, the Rio Grande tested two diesels for the U.S. Army, one of which wound up on the White Pass. The Rio Grande also had the former Sumpter Valley #100 which became the Rio Grande #50.
The USG operates today with DL535Es originally built for the White Pass. The two diesels it operated with originally now belong to the Ashby's who used to operate the Georgetown Loop with WSL shays.
The Porter 1203 now operates on the Loop.
These are all fairly large locomotives and would make great models. The U.S. Army locomotives were used with Rio Grande steam and the Porter was backed up by a steam locomotive (it was replaced by the two GE's now at the Colorado Railroad Museum so it is fitting it followed them to the Loop operation.
The Durango & Silverton also has several former steel mill diesels. The C&TS has a nice diesel the #19.
The last two examples are use of both steam and diesel TODAY.
Anubis,
it just looks very unstable to me, though it maybe unlikely it would turn over, with the rails so close it just looks scary to me.
NM
NM,
Now I see what you mean.....yes, it does seem to be a little 'narrow', narrow gauge...
:)
Interesting link posted by Narrow Minded, when I first saw it I assumed that it has been regauged to 2 foot gauge, but no, it was built that way by GE for the South African Railways 2 foot gauge lines. The class operated for about 20 years, as far as I know without major problems. Some have, as a result of closure of the lines, been sold and regauged to 3 foot 6 inch gauge. They appear to be about the same size as smallish locos made for 3 foot 6 inch and metre gauge by GE and EMD. There is some potential then for an American design narrow gauge diesel that is plausible for 30 inch and 2 foot gauges as well as the broader narrow gauges (3 foot, metre and 3 foot 6 inches). Not to my taste, but then I remain (mainly) a steam person.
Hamish
I wish I could find another link i had seen before with a diesel that looked like a 2ft gp35. Im a steam guy too but l;ike to see things like that.
NM
If you're willing to freelance a bit, why not have a transition era 30" narrow gauge set somewhere in the US (or anyplace else)? What if history had been just a bit different... Perhaps narrow gauge lines could have adopted diesel well before the standard gauge lines. And perhaps that lowered their operational costs allowing them to better compete with the standard gauges and trucking. And perhaps ....
Have fun and build what ya want. :D
-John
Gentlemen, At the Colorado Railroad museum there are 3 large narrow gauge diesel locomotives that all cane from the Rio Grande. I believe that they are #110,15,130. and we also have a GE switcher, a small plymouth and a Caterpillar switcher #50 that I believe SMR trains makes a brass model of. I could be wrong about their numbers, I'm not a diesel fan, but have worked on some at the Museum.
Rex
One American narrow gauge diesel that has not yet been mentioned was the "Little Giant", an end cab GE 50 ton unit that looked a lot like the GE 70 tonners. It was used on Southern Pacific's 3' gauge "Slim Princess" line in the high desert. It wore at least two different paint schemes during it's service on the line. Rich Yoder Models is importing a brass model of this loco that will be available gauged for On30, as well as On3, O and Proto:48.
See:
<http://www.richyodermodels.com/rym_owens_bd.htm> for prototype photos
<http://www.richyodermodels.com/rym_owens_reservation_model.htm> for reservation info
Regards,
Bill Nielsen
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
I mentioned the SP diesel in the second post.
Since initiating this thread just over three weeks ago, we've had a comprehensive listing of prototype North American narrow gauge diesels and some discussion of available On30 internal combustion models. But no one has come out and admitted that they model a 1970's, '80's, '90's or current day freelance railroad that is 100% diesel-powered. The hobby of model railroading has long been compared to a time machine, and apparently narrow gauge attracts followers who prefer to live in the past. Either that, or this forum is not read by modelers outside of North America where modernized inter-city narrow gauge survives today.
Gil Hulin
Gil, People like to model the past because research is part of the fun. I model the turn of century in O scale and believe me the research keeps you busy! ;D
Royce
well it does say "/home-usa/board" on the web address for this board so I would be shocked if the vast majority here WEREN'T North American modelers
Modern european narrow gauge is modelled, I have seen exhibition layouts of this. However I would not expect to find such modellers here. HO (either HOe on 9mm gauge track or HOm on 12mm gauge track) is more common than O scale ( Oe on 16.5mm gauge track and Om on 22.5mm gauge track).
The overseas modellers who are here either like US prototypes or are, like myself, from Australia and other countries where American style equipment ran on narrow gauge lines. Thus Bachmann On30 models can be used. Some lines in Australia, South America and elsewhere used a combination of US and British or European equipment, offering much scope for the modeller.
There could be some scope for modern modelling from some of these countries, e.g. that South African loco posted by Narrow Minded. I suspect if Bachmann had a suitable model, modern overseas modellers narrow gauge modellers would turn up on this board.
Hamish
Hello, my name is Jorge, I live in Argentina and model argentine Belrgrano meter gauge railway. GE shovel noses and ALCos RSD 35 or DL 535 are plentifull here. These locomotives are very similar to WP&Y ones, save that they came early to my country, GEs in 1948 70 strong and ALCos in 1962, only 40 units.
These are the locomotives I want Bachmann produce in a not so distan future.
Enclose a link to show my poor kitbashing efforts, some Alco pictures are on, and also ALco and Baldwin Mountains and Santa Fe steam locomotives.
As this thread was dead for so long, I do not know if I could get any response, but I trying.
https://picasaweb.google.com/116117975911339107595/TrenBelgranoG
Wait for your comments
Regards from Buenos Aires
Jorge
Jorge,
Kitbashed car and pix look great. However, it appears to be large scale, not On30.
Moderator, can you transfer this to the large scale forum?
Thanx,
Chuck
Jorge
Always interesting to hear from a South American modeller, regardless of scale or gauge.
I model in On2' 6" various Railways from Argentina. Brazil, Chile with other rolling stock from
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Peru & Russia for good measure.
Just rebuilt a model of the Norquinnco River bridge from the Esquel line, now need to rebuild
approach abutments.
Long term modelling includes 2 Misubishi Rio Turbio 2-10-2s and Baldwin-Whitcomb road & switcher units built for Braden Copper in Chile. A Esquel Henschel 2-8-2 is progressing a bit at a time.
Ken Clark
GWN aka Canada
I find it odd how many diesel conversion kits are out there, yet hardly any RTR diesels are made for On30.
I gotta give props to Bachmann for the Whitcomb, even though I haven't bought one as it simply doesn't work in my 1943 ET&WNC layout concept... I still drool over them when I see them at my local hobby shop. I've seen/heard one run with the sound installed.
I freelance my own quirky little diesels. Freelance line is set in 20th century.
Some sample photos, taken several years ago: our little county seat farm burg of 8,300 or so started a model RR club and being the only On30 modeler there, I got involved in the HO modular layout, so my own On30 progress has become very very slow.
There has been progress made since these photos but there aren't newer images.
The red ones are now green and lettered. Plywood cab one is now silver.
6-axle one sill needs much work.
There are several other large locos in-progress, too.
Also doing some electrics.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/26404029873_048088059d_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Geeybn)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7342/26404029683_5bce21288b_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Geey86)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1715/23860192664_57b1a62f01_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/CmrJ19)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7696/26974474906_6ee6ba54c5_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/H6DeBy)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7062/26402225044_809423052e_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ge5iEC)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7076/26974475286_3cc497a135_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/H6DeJ7)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7112/26404029973_ef475b18a7_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Geeyd6)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7349/26402225664_1b82598ea1_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ge5iRj)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa309/FSW4picts/On30/IMG_2951.jpg) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/FSW4picts/media/On30/IMG_2951.jpg.html)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa309/FSW4picts/On30/IMG_2953.jpg) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/FSW4picts/media/On30/IMG_2953.jpg.html)
My color inspiration - it is far greener than it looks, must behave like "Green screen" for special effects.
My color is 1/2 and 1/2 NYC Jade and GN Glacier Green.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7215/26402224954_e162db136b_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ge5iD5)
Has anyone seen the photo of the gasoline locomotive built by ,Fate-Root-Heath that is in the May/June 2016 Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette?.
Royce
I don't get the magazine, so don't know the picture: given that Fate-Root_Heath was sold and became Plymouth in the 1950s-60 it is possible that type of loco is pictured in Jay Reed's book Critters Dinkys and Centercabs, or here on the Plymouth industrial locos page http://www.northeast.railfan.net/diesel81.html
Some of those locos such as the TLC/6 look more like a cartoon of themselves than an actual cartoon would.
There was a model TLF which used a Ford power train.
Brookville had one which used IH tractor power train.
The Little locomotive pictured in the Gazette looks to have what looks like a tender from a Bachmann Porter 0-4-2T and a steam cab. It has a small steam looking sand dome and a wood cab.The radiator looks as if the stack omits from the middle of it though the photo is not that clear and all this sits on a 3 wheel frame.
I am a steam fan an know next to nothing about critters but this needs attention,also you should consider the Gazette.
Royce
I read some stuff in model railroader and one man had made a critter out of a Bachmann DCC equipped diesel (probably spelt that wrong) chassis. But other than that I have no idea who would sell ready to run critters