Hello all,

I have a Bachmann HO 3-truck Shay that I acquired several years ago, and which has had very little use (less than half an hour).

I am thinking of bashing it into a (small) On30 runner, by replacing the cab, smokestack, and sand domes, as I have already done with some older 00 and HO 0-4-0 locomotives.

Has anyone else ever attempted anything like this conversion, and what are your views?

Hey guys,

Thank you for your suggestions.

I will look into Banta and RS Laser Kits.

Hey Bach-man,

I have been trying to post an article with a diagram for a couple of days now, but all I get is the following Error Message

"The upload folder is full. Please try a smaller file and/or contact an administrator."

Am I doing something wrong?

Hi guys,

I have just received my new Bachmann Saw Filer's Car, and apart from the other issue with the under-sized doors, (dealt with elsewhere) it has a very nice future on my On30 mine layout.

It was always my intention to fit it out as a bunk car, and I have since sketched out my idea for the interior. Remembering my old Army days, and the way they always seemed to find organised ways of fitting things together, I came up with this idea for seven bunks, all with storage underneath, and a kerosene heater at the near end.

The door at the far end is sealed, allowing the fitting of the seventh bunk, but could be made to open if only six bunks were fitted.

I will construct the interior on a separate 'drop-in' module, which can possibly be removed in the future, if I decide to turn it into a mess car, or a shower car, or an explosives storage car......you get the idea.

The car will have a removeable roof, and will be illuminated internally, as well as having a couple of illuminated keroene lamps hanging from hooks above the steps.

Hope someone else finds it useful .

YummY 

I just received my Bachmann Saw Filer's Car, and it immediately went onto the prepared spot on the (disused) mine siding.

The wiring looms for the interior and exterior lighting had previously been added, and I was looking forward to fitting it all out, when it occurred to me that something just didn't LOOK right.

It puzzled me for a few hours, until I grabbed my scale ruler and checked some of the dimensions.

Width was OK at 7 feet, length was fine at 26 feet, and headroom was acceptable at between 5' 9" and 6' 9"......so what was the trouble?

Then it hit me....the doors! Whilst the width of them was all right, at 2' 3", the total height was only 4' 9", which meant that a reasonably-sized O scale bloke might just have a bit of trouble getting through!

I'm not sure whether Bachmann are aware of this anomaly, but it simply means that when I add the interior detailing and lighting, I shall have to fit taller doors..........This will be OK for the ends, where there is sufficient headroom to allow it, but the door in the side will have to remain impossibly under height.

(Aldous Huxley once said "There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors......" )

Old Aldous was right about the in-between doors..... 

Hey, that's great!

I was wondering the same thing myself.

Looks good, Alan.

I'll give it a bash.

Thanks, mate.

Hi guys,

On my latest layout, I have just started using Peco On30 Electrofrog turnouts (after using Insulfrog for over 35 years) and I am finding them to be something of a headache when it comes to routing power to the selected roads.

I have painted the sides of all the rails (except for the contact ares) but have not as yet, added ballast to the turnouts. The rest of the layout has been ballasted.

The problem seems to be in the contact blades, for when a locomotive stalls, I can usually get it running again by applying added pressure to the throw rod.

Has anybody else had similar problems using Peco?

What do you think?

Hi Ken,

Yes, I was thinking along the same lines.

Good Onya.

Hello again Ken,

One other question, if you don't mind.

Is the car equipped with internal lighting, as are some of the other of Bachmann's coaches?

Thank you.

Hi Ken,

Many thanks. 

I always knew that On30 people were the BEST!

Hello Bach-mann,

I am currently awaiting the delivery of my On30 (160-26994) Saw Filer's Car, which should arrive in about three weeks from yesterday.

I am planning on fitting this thing onto a spur track on my mine layout, and I am looking at a rather small area that has been begging for some focal point.

If anyone has one of these things (or the similar 160-26994 Mess Car) would I be able to trouble them for the external dimensions? The Bachmann site doesn't list this information at all.

This will allow me to  prepare the spot now, and save a few weeks of guess work.



Many thanks

Hey, that's just what I always thought it was....


Very groovy, George..

The bells all come loose on my Bachmann locos.

That's because they are the first things I remove.

They are closely followed by the "air hoses" on the knuckle couplers.

On30 rules!