Good point. Perhaps Mr. achmann can get a spec sheet on line for all offerings as they have for the new product annoncement.

The other problem is that many users do understand the differences between the diffferent sound/DCC board available.  I use over-the-air radio control for my stuff. A little harder but no problems in operation.

I use DCC for a pair of modules I have. My advice is to use one type of sound/DCC board to keep things under control

I have four Northerns converted, two Daylights and two Santa Fe.

The kits are easy to assemble, the hardest part is to seperate the parts needed from the Bachmann locomotive. Read the instructions first, follow the steps and the locomtive will be very nice.

For those that have the 2-10-4 locomotives, a fellow near Buffalo makes conversion for those.

Wally,

The Forneys were used on  railroads that had very wide radius curves and very well maintained roadbed. While small in stature, they were never intended for very sharp radius curves. If you are going to do sharp curves, stick to an 0-4-0. These were made for consrtruction and very small industrial situations on temporary track. The Mogul is actually better suited to 18 inch radius.

If you like the locomotive, try a Bowser replacement mechanism. It is easy enough for a begginer to install and runs very well.
Figure out whether it is a Daylight or one of the other 4-8-4s.

1.  My layout is in Northwestern California, originally a logging line left to rust in the 50s and brought back when local enviromentalists passed an ordinance prohibiting large trucks on county road to prevent mining and logging.

2. Modified Ho buildings, some Atlas, some Plasticville and many craftsman kits.

3. My layout represents the 1990s with recovered vintage narrow gauge equipment being used

4. My layout is a table type with a folded dogbone 15 x 9 feet.

Hamish,

Excellent suggestion

I will add that there are a pir of 2-6-2 prototypes that could be even better as they were both narrow gauge and built by Baldwinb. The first is the Puffing Billy down under which is 30 inch gauge, I believe. The second is a similar locomotive used by the American Expeditionary Forces during WWI on two-foot military railroads in France.  Both are tank locomotives and made for short radius curves and running in either direction.

These are larger than the Davenports and Porters but still smaller than the larger Colorado or similar catalog locomotives.

The Hawiian Plantation locomotives were usually 0-6-0 or 0-6-2 but larger than the porters and Davenports.

If you want a vandy tender for the Mantua Mallet, use a MDC shorty vanderbilt. I have a number of early  mallets with this tender and it is an easy swap. If you pay attention to the mounting for the later mallet with the DCC plug, the entire wiring, board and connector can be adapted to the MDC tender..

I made the comments fully knowing the relationship between 3 foot gauge and the usual 30 inch gauge.

I have some On3 models specifically selected because they fit the 30 inch scheme of things. A much as I would like a string of Westside log cars behind that Garrett I would like, the log cars are too long to operate on 28 ince radius. The same goes for a K-27.

Even in whimsy, a modeler has to be careful on the selection of the prototype used. Lee Riley is a very skilled modeler and knows of many prototypes that fit the 30 inch scheme of things. Adapting specific 2 foot or 3 foot gauge prototypes was a brillant  move on his part.  If you pick up a book by Gerald M. Best on the Mexican Narrow Guage, you can find even more prototypes to kit bash or build from scratch, many being 2 foot or 30 inch gauge. If you broaden you horizons, Columbia, Brazil, Bolivia, etc. have narrow gauge railroads that will boggle the mine. Ecuador has a 42 inch guage system that is particularly interesting. Many have steel rolling stock that is modern.

But let's get back to 30 inch gauge. Typically, cars were no more than 25 feet. The Colorado narrow guages and the EBT features rolling stock that ws wider and longer than any 30 inch rolling stock. The locomotives were as wide as smaller standard gauge locomotives. Some cars were forty feet long and had a capacity of almost that of standard gauge cars.

The 2 foot lines in Maine were fairly straight and level. The rolling stock was longer but narrow.  The Hawaiian 30 inch gauge roads hauled sugar cane as do the Cuban roads. Rolling stock isn't particularly large on those roads.

Modeling allows for whimsy and adaptation. John Allen pointed this out to anyone who came to see his layout. My comments are that you have to fit all of this into what you have available.  Look at real things that really fit.

Nice Job! any pictures available of the steps to convert?

Many years ago I wrote an article for Garden Railway as to how to rewire the Battery powered locomotive for track power.

On the motor there are two wires, one is pink and the other blue, if I remember correctly. The motor is really a 12 volt motor with a center tap wired to ground for 9 volt operation. This allows the analog switch on the R/C board to switch between the two wires, pink and blue. By this method the motor reverses  direction with the R/C unit without changing the polarioty of the power.

By wiring the pink and blue wires to the track, it will run on 12-18 volts fine. Use a set od pickup from LGB with metal polarized wheels and you should have  working locomotive. Leave the batteries in the boiler for additional weight. Don't expect to pull more than five cars with this enegine as the gears are weak.

My principle reason for modeling in On30 is to just fool around and see what I can do. The seriousness of my other modeling is not present here. I can take a Bachmann locomotive and make anything i want. The idea of a 2-6-6-2 in On30 is really not valid.  30 inch gauge isn't big and the locomotives were never big. On3 is where the larger locomotives belong. The difference in layout sizes isn't great. The prototypes with tight radius in three foot gauges are out there, The Silverton Railroad had one curve on a 3.5% grade that was about 15 inches in 1/4 inch scale.

As much as I would like a company like Bachmann to produce  a good 4-4-0, part of the appeal is to build one out of scrap parts that looks acceptible and all. Sound is nice, but that can be added to any well-planned model 

Use the John Allen philosophy: the railroad is yours and it operates the way you want it to. It has equipment that you want that looks the way you think it should.  I think my own railroad would be cool with one of those South African Garretts rollong through the California redwoods. A pair of Bachmann HO 2-6-2s would make a good start for a mechanism.

I wouldn't worry about which sound system is better, just make sure the locomotives run well to start and add what you really want.

Kevin,

Pehaps we need an operating weed-whacker car for the garden.  I beleive Soprano Industries in New Jersey offers one.

I have a pair of C&S bobbers converted now. I have narrowed the palstic shoulder on the wheel castings to get the proper gauge, I also modify the brake hangers so that the brake shoes are directly in plane with the wheels. I use syrene to make a new mount for the Kadee couple box and tape the plastic for the retainer screw.

Add 3 ounces of weight and the bobber tracks nicely and will back up with the train when in reverse.  As the Grandt wheels are on a steel axle, there is no need to use NWSL axles and such unless you want to.

I have three San Juan DRG&W short cabooses as well using the new On30 trucks. Weight of the cars is critical as they are light. Couple pockets were modified in the same manner of the Grandt Bobber. 

These cabooses look just right at the end of a ten car On30 train pulled by either a C-16 or the Bachmann Consolidation.

Bob, excellent! Exactyly what I've been doing for over six years. I have use both Peco and Atlas HO turnouts for my donots. I just purchase some of those Blue Point turnout controllers and they work very well. As the are cable control, I have dispensed with the Secondary power system that solenoid or slo-mo switch machines use. They work very well with the Peco or Atlas switch pieces.

I can send pictures of a sampl switch ballasted and complete

Good idea. I use On3 ties and they look sufficiently long when  ued in On30. They  make  two lengths, six  feet annd  six  feet  six  inches.

I   modify Atlas  code  83  switches. Code  70  will  ork as  well,  and very well  with  Bachmann  rolling  stock  but pay   attention to  getting  the  spikes  down  correctly. 

Have  fun.  Hand  laid  track  in  On30  looks  very cool.