Has Bachmann ever considered releasing this engine in HO? It certainly would be on my roster if it was available.
Has Bachmann ever produced HO narrow gauge steam engines in the past?
I thought this wheel arangement was mostly a narrow guage engine. Im sure they are modeled in HOn2 1/2 or HOn3 but not a standard scale guage.
As far as I know, the 2-4-4 Forney was for the Maine narrow gauge lines. The standard 0-4-4 Forney was used mostly for elevated lines in Chicago and New York City where many ran tender first. I read somewhere that running tender first, the Forney used similar running characteristics to the 4-4-0. This was before electrification of the elevated lines. I have seen a couple HO scale 0-4-4 brass standard gauge locos some years ago.
Do a Google search for Forney locomotive. You will get many hits. A few other countries used the Forney..
Rich
Several major railroads had 2-4-4T in short distance commuter service. Two that come to mind are the Illinois Central (also had 2-4-6Ts and 2-6-6Ts) and the New York Central.
One of the ICs is preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL.
http://www.irm.org/cgi-bin/image.pl?conf=img600&img=/pictures/600/201ic01.jpg (http://www.irm.org/cgi-bin/image.pl?conf=img600&img=/pictures/600/201ic01.jpg)
The NYCs were much more modern and rather attractive
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/nych1911.jpg (http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/nych1911.jpg)
PBK
pbk:
Thanks for posting the picture links, I added them to my collection.
I do have one question for the 2-4-4T oficianados. The trailing truck obviously is to support the cab and tank, but must also pivot sideways. How is the support mechanism designed? Is it a "swing" suspension, a roller/track or merely a greased rail similar to the pivot on a semi-trailer?
I also read somewhere that as a model, it is not suited to tight curves, any comment on this issue?