Rather than hijack the future of On30 thread I will start this one.

I am surprised Bachmann has not produced on the WW I trench locomotives in On30. This would tap multiple markets, one of which is the not inconsiderable military modeling market.

The Baldwin 4-6-0s that were used for the 2 ft . trench railways were sold all over the place after the war, both in Europe and in the U.S. The Germans always had cool looking locomotives.

This type of locomotive would appeal to the kit bashers, the military modelers, and the international narrow gauge modeler.

Foothill Modelworks also sells scale extended knuckles for a variety of couplers. On the prototype (real trains) these are quite common, even still today. Watch any long industrial freight train and you see extended knuckle couplers.

Keith Wiseman of Wiseman Locomotive works also makes some.

I have use the Foothill Modelworks castings and they work very well.

Both of these companies have websites with photos of the parts I have described.

Similar but different from the one Rich Yoder released.

If you'll note, the coupler/drawbar is mounted on the truck itself. The two trucks are actually connected.

The frame and superstructure bears none of the load of pulling the train, it is simply along for the ride so to speak.

I believe this approach was taken to allow these locomotives to handle really sharp curves while pulling heavy loads. Perfect for industrial operations.

They also made for good short line locomotives for similar reasons.  The diesels the D&SNG has were former steel mill locomotives and are built, I believe, in a similar fashion.

I love Rich Yoder's locomotives, I just can't afford them. Hopefully a version of this type by Bachmann would be much less expensive than one of RY's beautiful brass locomotives.

I really like the White Pass diesels, but the links below will take you to a series of photos of a locomotive that is probably a better fit for On30. It's big enough to be small mainline power for a short line and small enough to be big industrial power for an industrial line.

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,231097

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,231097,231116#msg-231116

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,231097,231120#msg-231120

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,231097,231122#msg-231122

I would buy one of these or one of the GE 90-Class shovelnose diesels.

But having had the good fortune to visit Skagway and ride the White Pass, these are HUGE narrow gauge locomotives.

Bachmann would need to produce the container flats as well in order to sell these beasts so they could have something to pull.

They would be cool though!

The White Pass is a neat railroad.

Try the Yahoo On30 Kitbash group. The members of this group "bash" everything and the 0-6-0 conversion is a fairly common one for them.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/On30_Kitbashing/?yguid=324026507

This tiny 2-6-0 ran on the Argent Lumber Company. #3 still exists today, I just cannot recall where she resides now. Great prototype begging to be produced. Flying Zoo produced this locomotive in brass years ago but you cannot find one anywhere.



Argent #6 resides and runs at the Mid-West Central at the Steam Thresher's museum. Another locomotive begging to be produced. I have to think it would sell well with On3 modelers who don't model the Rio Grande. Began its life on the New Berlin & Winfield before heading south.



Finally, while standard gauge, this "giant critter" would probably do well with the guys who love the Porter's Bachmann has produced thus far. Vulcan built this 2-4-0. Love the cabbage stack!

Hopefully I can get this photo posted correctly here.  This beaut had 52 inch drivers! She could probably fly with the wind. She also had 15 x 18 inch cylinders. The #19 ran on the South Florida Railroad.

This is why Bachmann needs to sell roof castings and underframes for passenger coaches separately!

Mount Blue has release FOUR new passenger coach kits!

I just ordered one for an RPO - at long last!

The four kits include:

1) RPO
2) White Pass & Yukon Route style parlor car with huge windows
3) Double door baggage car
4) Private car

Here is the link - you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page!

This is great!

http://www.mountbluemodelco.com/products.htm

Change boilers using a Wiseman boiler kit, buy a 3 cylinder engine (I have seen some available as brass parts) on ebay and kitbash away!

Keith Wiseman makes a very nice replacement boiler kit for the On30 shay, eliminating the T-boiler.

http://www.locopainter.com/store/product.php?id=777

Backwoods Miniatures has released what looks like a fairly straightforward kit to convert a standard 2-truck Bachmann On30 Shay into a 3-truck shay.

For those interested, here is a link to the page depicting a 3-truck shay:

http://www.backwoodsminiatures.com/0n3kits.htm#SHAY_TENDER_KIT

Very interesting post on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum.

Check this out.

Some really nice looking Baldwins - great kitbashing ideas!

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,225732

Well, at least I knew there was a 2-4-4-2 that looked similar.

Thanks for posting the correct information as well as photographs of the beast.

I cannot find the photo or a location on line, but there is a 2-4-4-2 built to 30 inch gauge for a railroad in New Zealand.  It might well be the prototype.

If I can find it, I will provide reference for the photograph.