Dick,

The S-scale locomotives can be converted to On30, thus sparing you the expense of the HO scale chassis, making it a little less expensive.

I just obtained an SW with MRC DCC/Sound on ebay for less than $150.

It has several advantages as far as I am concerned using this approach. I mount my couplers at the On3 coupler height. The S-Helper locomotive, when equipped with the scale coupler, is the perfect coupler height with a KD-803 compatible coupler.

The shell will be set aside and the body will be a new kit from Mount Blue that is designed to be an end cab diesel.  My goal is for it to look like a tiny Alco.

Please be sure to post a photo when you are finished with your locomotive.

Here is a link to a great photo of what would make for a great small prototype for Bachmman but big enough for common carrier use as a left over from the lines early days.

Here is the link.

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,224329

If I recall correctly from reading The Locomotives Baldwin Built, the issue for the line the 2-6-6-2 ran on was axle loading.  The track was just too light and poorly ballasted.  The light weight of the locomotive spread over the six axles did the trick but still delivered enough power for the tonnage it was required to haul.

A case of a custom built locomotive for a specific set of needs for a specific railroad.

The K-37's were rebuilt from standard gauge locomotives. They received new running gear and outside frames that were more or less the same as that of the K-36 class with a different training truck being the most obvious difference in the two chassis.

The tenders are standard gauge and have standard gauge trucks. The Rio Grande did what some of us in On30 do, they kitbashed the trucks by squeezing the wheels in to 3 ft. gauge on the standard gauge axles.

The locomotive is essentially a standard gauge 2-8-0 with a narrow gauge 2-8-2 OF chassis.

The aforementioned kit is now available though not yet listed or posted on the Mount Blue website.

googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=da1971f5b9&view=att&th=1394e6e3da679d38&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P88PQFxSD9Du9Ol6L5WTwLg&sadet=1345653564202&sads=WJp-NX5XvUF8j3j4rtEX4aF7yRw

Price is $35.95 plus $5 for S&H. Kit is part number 19-A.

Requires a S-Helper chassis.

I have built one of these. Nice kit but the finished locomotive is small.

This is not meant as a criticism.

I wanted a "largish" locomotive for mainline runs to rest the steam power in the "off season" when the tourists aren't around.

Mount Blue is coming out with a similar style kit that will fit on a S-Helper SW chassis that will need to be converted to On30.

I have my chassis and am patiently waiting for the release of the new kit.

I'll bet Bachmann could get a 2-10-4 down to 24 inch radius.

I believe the MMI Hybrid On30 K-27's could negotiate 24 or 26 inch radius curves, much tighter than the On3 versions of the same locomotive.

The Argentinian 2-10-2s on the Rio Turbio would also make a great model. These little monsters have blind center drives and rods designed to allow the locomotive to go around tighter curves than would normally be expected for locomotives of the Santa Fe type.

Big power for narrow gauge!

I would also like to see a big diesel and some steel box cars.

Mr. Bachmann,

Usually y'all have something to announce in terms of new products at the NMRA National Convention.

Any news you can share with us?

Thanks!

A lot of the projects I use these underframes for are more scratchbuilding than anything else.

I just need a passenger coach underframe.

For example, lots of MOW stuff is ex-passenger coach equipment that lost its roof and passenger trucks but retained the end steps, etc.

Since Bachmann makes the underframes for freight cars available, it is not beyond the stretch of imagination that passenger underframes might be made available.

I agree, the safety people would go nuts and as a parent I would yank my kid back in so quick their head would spin.

But, still a cool locomotive!

I just had my 50th birthday last week and my family all got me one present - a Backwoods Miniatures On30 NG-16 Beyer-Garratt!

Wow! What a model of a cool prototype!

Still, I would love for it to have a sister to double head with!

I would also like a G-32 from the Puffing Billy in Australia.

The more I learn about these locomotives the more fascinating I find them.

Also, OSHA would flip out if they saw how the crews operated the NG-16's.  If you look at the cabs, there is a rounded protrusion. This is so the cab seats can be rotated outside of the cab. The crews sit outside the cabs while operating the locomotive - evidently the heat is so bad this is preferable to risks involved in riding on a seat outside of the cab.

Mr. Bachmann,

Will passenger coach underframes ever be available as a separate item?

There are starting to be a fair number of aftermarket kits for a nice rage of passenger coaches of one sort or an other that require a Bachmann passenger coach underframe.

It is such a shame to have to toss the body and roof, not to mention pay for the entire coach, when all you need is the underframe and possible the trucks.

Given the kitbasher mentality of many modelers in On30, this should be a reasonably popular item.

Thanks for reading/listening.

For those who need a "creative" reason for obtain any Garratt, my preference being a NG-16, is you won it playing a high stakes poker game!

Mr. Bachmann and Mr. Riley,

This would be cool to have one of these!

And for the rest of us, the charm of foreign narrow gauge power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub9icEOhcSQ

Mr. Bachmann,

I believe in the past new On30 products have been announced at the annual NMRA convention.  Will there be any good news this summer?

I am on board for steel box cars!

Kevin