None of those roads used many (if any) auxiliary tenders.  CNJ, PRSL and Reading operated almost exclusively in pretty short-distance operations (less so for Reading), where the additional weight would outweigh the benefits of being able to run longer distances without stopping. PRR definitely ran longer distances, but they gave their locomotives some pretty huge tenders like the 210f75 "coast-to-coast" tenders applied to some M1 4-8-2's. In addition, a fair number of their locomotives that ran their longest hauls used water scoops. This allowed the locomotive to scoop water from pans placed between the wheels while at speed. Clearly, if one could scoop water while in motion, an auxiliary tender wasn't needed.

Even the N&W (the prototype for the model in question) didn't start using auxiliary tenders until very late in the steam era, when they were able to operate their locomotives in much longer distances without stopping or servicing. Remember that in the steam era, most runs were not very long - 100 miles or so. Unless you had a very slow run, or a very, very high capacity boiler (N&W Class A, NYC Niagara, C&O 2-6-6-6) it was pretty hard to evaporate (ie use) what the tender could carry.

Aren't there already two other Big Boy offerings? (Rivarossi for sure, Athearn?) Seems like they would be better off avoiding direct competition and offering something else.

It's a good idea whether you're using DC or DCC - the rails have a considerable amount of resistance, meaning that the power delivered to your loco is considerably less when it's far from the feed than when it's right above it.

S is about 50% bigger than HO, so in ordinary circumstances you would definitely notice. Make that "it'd be impossible to miss."  But depending on what you're doing, you may be able to pull it off by putting the trains in the background and "forcing the perspective" by gradually shrinking the scale of items between the viewer and the trains.  Personally I think that would be pretty hard to pull off, but I have known a few intrepid souls to use N or TT scale background items in HO, which is pretty much the same kind of thing.

Very useful, thanks for sharing!

> H-7 (Simple Simon)

If they build them, I'll come: I'll buy two the moment they come out.

Quote from: Ted G on December 14, 2011, 11:02:44 PM
I wanted a New York Central Limited.

Actually that might not be so bad.  If you simply want to change the paint job, there may be a number of relatively painless ways to do that.  First, you could simply paint it and put new decals on. That might be a little challenging for those with no experience, but we were all there once, and it is definitely not a rare thing to do that.  Some of the paint/decal jobs are a little more challenging than others, but none of them are really "out of this world."  You could also have someone else do the paint job, although that might get a tad expensive.

Since you want New York Central, there is a reasonably good chance that the model was originally offered painted for NYC, and it could be as simple a matter as finding a shell painted that way and swapping. But we'd need to know which one you have, since some were probably painted that way and some were not. My guess is that this is what you were thinking, but please understand that there are quite a few possibilities.

A picture would help a lot.

I hate to be a jerk, but you're going to have to provide more information or else nobody's going to be able to help.  A little googling turns up the fact that Mehano is apparently a manufacturer. It would seem that their only current HO trains are of the French TGV, so you obviously have something older and out of production.  Just what that might be is anyone's guess. Clearly they have made models for the American market in the past as there are clear references to Alco Centuries and some others that almost certainly are mid-60s EMD prototypes.

Translating what you've asked into automotive terms, I'd say is something like "I'd like a new body for my Ford." There are SO MANY possibilities!

As Rich says, a picture will help a lot.

And also, you're wanting to put a new shell on - are you just wanting to replace a damaged original, or do you want to make a different model entirely? If the latter, what are you wanting to make?

Yep. Been there several times. It's certainly a bit of a gold mine for those who like geared locomotives, as they operate a couple of Shays (which are both in absolutely pristine condition), and they have both a Heisler and a Climax, although only one was in operable condition when I last visited a year or so ago. They have other stuff too, but the steam is definitely the star of the show there.

I was truly amazed at how popular the place was the first time I went - no parking anywhere, overflow, etc. Turned out that it was a Day Out with Thomas (as in the tank engine) and every five year old from the surrounding ten counties was there... coming back on a different weekend provided a far more relaxing environment.

It looks terrific!

What part of those 158's are you filing down and why?  (I take it that some other couplers were what was supplied?)

The details are excellent, but I have to say that the Worthington SA hot water pump under the B&O plate looks pretty crude in these photos, seemingly out of place compared to many of the other details. It probably doesn't attract attention but given your closeup pictures it was hard to miss...

They've been busy!

Quote from: GN.2-6-8-0 on December 09, 2011, 12:59:42 PM
Heh, think you have problems......

The M-1 and M-3 are both brass, aren't they? I'm not so enthused due to the price and the amount of rework required to bring them up to current plastic standards. The latter not meaning detail, but can motors, better gears, DCC, sound, and often even lights.  So to me these aren't so much of a problem as the EM-1's, even though that M-1 looks shiny...

The H-8 isn't bothering me personally very much, since I have two of them already.  (One's a Rivarossi, up to modern plastic standards, the other is an ancient Arbour that barely moves.  My LHS keeps waving one of the brand new run Rivarossi's in front of me every time I walk in...) Oh, maybe it is bothering me after all! 

I just want you guys to know that you're making it really, really hard for me to avoid running down to my LHS and buying a couple of these!!! ("You guys" means both those talking about them as well as you, Bach-Man, for making them!!!  )

I model C&O, not B&O, and it's sooo hard to stay focused when you've got these great models out there!

(In case it's not obvious, please keep hurting me with this "problem"!!!)

Seriously, that's a great model. I hope it does really well commercially.

Yes, the prototype ("real thing") wheels were 33" diameter.

If it's DCC ready it does not have a decoder, and therefore you should be on address 0 to run it with your DCC system.