Quote from: NickelPlate759 on March 29, 2008, 08:42:45 PM
Hi Jeff. I've always wondered what type of motor Rivarossi put in those red box old-timers? I assume it's a decent can motor from your account. They didn't produce too many of them, so they usually go for a lot when they show up for auction.

Yes, it's a very decent motor. The bidding is high for a couple of these engines on eBay right now.

QuoteIHC used the old Rivarossi tooling with minor changes like different sized screw holes. I have an IHC Reno that runs great.

It's a puzzle to me what was manufactured when. After I bought the IHC engines, I bought a "red box" "Genoa" and a set of passenger cars from a mail-order dealer that is no longer in the train selling business. This is actually the fourth "Genoa" I've had. In terms of appearance, the biggest difference from earlier "editions" of the engine include they finally included the control lever from the whistle/top of the steam dome to the cab roof, and the pilot is red. It also runs amazingly--so much so that I'm sort of in the market for another one; I'd like to change the name and number on one and run it as the "Reno" "as-built" in 1872.

But, as I said, I bought this "red box" "Genoa" after I bought the IHC engines, so who knows? 

Quote from: Yampa Bob on March 27, 2008, 06:34:01 PM

Keep up the good work Jeff.

Bob

Thanks, Bob! 

Quote from: TonyD on March 27, 2008, 01:09:37 PM
I haven't yet heard someone ask how to aply or improve thier painting or decaling skills.

I shouldn't get myself started on decals. I can't even find decals anymore in any local hobby shop that I can get to. I've seen a huge listing of decals on the web site for Caboose Hobbies, but I hesitate to try to order sight-unseen in case the pack doesn't actually include what I need.

Quote from: Yampa Bob on March 27, 2008, 12:11:56 PM
Jeff
Congratulations, it's ok to toot your own horn. As they say, nothing ventured nothing gained. 

Bob

Thanks, Bob. The next effort by "Dr. Frankenstein" will probably be to try to substitute a black boiler for the original sky-blue    on my Mantua 4-8-0.

Jeff

Quote from: Beatthe9ers on March 27, 2008, 12:16:48 PM
It's all academic now anyway.  Thanks to the wonderful ebay tip, I just won an auction for $69.99 plus $12 shipping.

The best price I could find anywhere else was $139, plus unknown shipping.  What a deal!!

I'll let you know how much I can pull with it later.

Yeehaw! Congratulations! You did better than I did! 

Quote from: SteamGene on March 27, 2008, 11:06:00 AM
Remember that MR's pulling test is on "straight and level" track.  Your mileage may vary greatly.
Gene

"Objects in the mirror may not be as large as they appear"? 

Um, this really doesn't have anything to do with Bachmann trains, but I'm feeling so proud of myself this morning that I need to share, so please bear with me.

Anybody remember, maybe a dozen years ago, IHC came out with a line of old-time 4-4-0s in 14 different versions? I bought two, direct from IHC, one painted for the B&O "William Mason," and one painted for the Central Pacific "Jupiter" (not the historically correct blue version, the inaccurate red version, just because I like it).

The "Mason" ran well right out of her box and has never given a bit of trouble. The "Jupiter" wouldn't run, so she went back to IHC for an exchange. The second engine was always a marginal runner--and I'm being charitable here. I should have sent it back, too, but I didn't, so it just sat around in its box for the past dozen years.

Meanwhile, I've always suspected, for reasons that will be pretty obvious to anyone who knows these engines, that they had been made for IHC by the same manufacturer who built the Rivarossi Virginia & Truckee engines, although the IHC models never seemed to perform as well as their Rivarossi cousins. 

Nevertheless, on a hunch, I bought a late-model (red box) Rivarossi "Reno" on eBay. I probably paid more for it than I should have; it was the version with the tender lettered "K.C., St. L. & C.," and the engine had other cosmetic problems (missing whistle, missing air pump, no coupler on the rear of the tender, missing a tender step). On the other hand, out of the box it ran like a humdinger.

Well, last evening I tested a theory. I attempted to mount the engine superstructure (boiler and cab) from my non-functioning "Jupiter" onto the running gear of the "Reno." It worked. With a simple swap of tender bodies and installing a coupler on the tender, I now have a "Jupiter" that goes "like buttah," and the old IHC mechanism and the "Reno" superstructure can go in the parts box.

I may make a few more cosmetic adjustments, maybe replace the plastic bell with a real brass one, but I'm feeling well pleased with my effort, probably more than I should be. 

Quote from: Beatthe9ers on March 26, 2008, 03:51:32 PM
I don't get this.  Am I understanding correctly that the review says that the loco has enough pulling power for 34 freight cars, yet drhone, in real world conditions, can only pull 4 Riverossi Coaches?  Am I to assume that a 60' Riverossi coach weighs about the same as 8 or 9 40' freight cars?

What am I missing?

Something does seem a little goofy there, doesn't it?

Quote from: Matt Bumgarner on March 26, 2008, 05:14:23 PM
I'm ok with it because I generally pull a small combine and two shorter coaches; or, 4 to 6 forty foot cars. I don't see anyway/anyhow that MR found it to have the tractive effort to pull 34 cars. Or 24 for that matter. Or even 14.

And I guess a combine and a couple of coaches, or six freight cars, is prototypical for a circa-1900 eight-wheeler anyway.

Quote from: sparkyjay31 on March 26, 2008, 10:34:08 AM

Quote from: richG on March 25, 2008, 11:12:03 AM
One Spectrum HO 4-4-0 DCC/sound
One Roundhouse 4-4-0 DCC/sound
Two Roundhouse 2-6-0s DCC/sound
One Roundhsouse 2-8-0 DCC/sound
One Roundhouse 2-8-0 bashed into a 0-8-0 Winans Camel
One MDC Climax DCC/sound
Two Bachmann 4-4-0 tender drive with DCC
One IHC 4-4-0 tender drive with DCC
One Mantua 4-4-0 General tender drive with DCC

Rich

Now that's simply a fantastic steamer fleet.  I'm very jealous!!!!

Me, too. And even though I'm stickin' with DC, I'm really curious about the DCC Mantua "General." That engine is so small, where on earth do you put the receiver?

Quote from: sparkyjay31 on March 26, 2008, 10:32:17 AM

Quote from: Johnson Bar Jeff on March 26, 2008, 09:57:40 AM

Quote from: sparkyjay31 on March 26, 2008, 09:22:53 AM

Quote from: Matt Bumgarner on March 25, 2008, 05:16:07 PM
The Spectrum 4-4-0 is an OUTSTANDING locomotive from a looks and operational standpoint; however, it struggles pull two 80' coaches on a flat grade, so you should be close with 5 cars.

There is nothing even in this engine's league with other 4-4-0 offerings from anyone, and it really is sweet sitting next to a couple of Spectrum
4-6-0's.

Matt

I'll disagree with you if that is all your 4-4-0 will pull.  My Roundhouse 4-4-0 has not trouble at all with my 4 fifty foot B&M coaches and a 2% grade around an 18" radius.

Maybe it's the coaches, not the locomotive. Are those 80-foot coaches Bachmann Spectrums? They're pretty heavy. My Mantua Atlantic with a can motor really struggles to pull four of them. Are those B&M 50-foot coaches Roundhouse cars? I have a couple of them myself and don't think they're particularly heavy.

Mine are indeed the Roundhouse 50' cars.  Not very heavy at all.  Maybe you are right and that is the difference.  My apoligies as I did not think of the different manufacturers and car weight.  Rookie mistake.

Fuggedaboudit.    It occurs to me now that how free-rolling the wheels are on the coaches probably also affects the performance of the locomotive.

And I'm glad for drhone's follow-up. Sent me back to read the review again. I'd been wondering whether the Richmond 4-4-0 would take a 15"-radius curve. Apparently it will, but it won't look very good doing it (few locomotives do). I'd missed that in the review.

Quote from: sparkyjay31 on March 26, 2008, 09:22:53 AM

Quote from: Matt Bumgarner on March 25, 2008, 05:16:07 PM
The Spectrum 4-4-0 is an OUTSTANDING locomotive from a looks and operational standpoint; however, it struggles pull two 80' coaches on a flat grade, so you should be close with 5 cars.

There is nothing even in this engine's league with other 4-4-0 offerings from anyone, and it really is sweet sitting next to a couple of Spectrum
4-6-0's.

Matt

I'll disagree with you if that is all your 4-4-0 will pull.  My Roundhouse 4-4-0 has not trouble at all with my 4 fifty foot B&M coaches and a 2% grade around an 18" radius.

Maybe it's the coaches, not the locomotive. Are those 80-foot coaches Bachmann Spectrums? They're pretty heavy. My Mantua Atlantic with a can motor really struggles to pull four of them. Are those B&M 50-foot coaches Roundhouse cars? I have a couple of them myself and don't think they're particularly heavy.

Quote from: Yampa Bob on March 25, 2008, 01:18:55 PM
Jeff, could you take some pictures of your Russia Iron and send to me?

Thanks

Bob

Unfortunately that's beyond my technical capabilities; I don't even have a proper camera for that sort of picture. Sorry about that! 

At least as it appears on my monitor, the picture of the unlettered, Russian iron and pinstripes version here on the web site is close enough to my engine for government work. (The Russia iron version seems to be the last of the Richmond 4-4-0s listed in the steam locomotive section.) The boiler has a sort of greenish-bluish cast to it, and the striping is very nicely done, on the drivers, cylinders, domes, and tender.

It comes with "your choice" of pilots. That scared heck out of me. I was convinced I would break the cowcatcher trying to install it, but it went right into its mounting holes in the pilot beam just as nicely as you please.

Quote from: Yampa Bob on March 25, 2008, 12:38:52 PM
Jeff
I have been admiring the Richmond for over a year, just can't decide which one I want.  I want something flashy for my excursion set up, which might fit into the 1880 to 1890 era.

I know the feeling. I'm thinking about getting a second one myself, a "modernized" version with piston valves and a steel cab.     

QuoteThe catalog doesn't say but I assume it is 4 wheel pickup. Did the Russia Iron come with a user applied top railing for the tender?  It shows one in the catalog.

Well, I was surprized when I opened the box to find an "alternative fuel load" included. Mine included a "wood load" that has a railing around it. I'm assuming that's what you mean, and it's a part of the wood load piece. I didn't even try to swap the fuel loads because I wasn't interested in running my engine as a wood-burner; it hasn't got a wood-burner stack.

QuoteA 1900 build date is inferred,  did Richmond make an earlier model?

Bob

I really don't know much of anything about the Richmond Locomotive Works, when or how long it was in business, only that it became part of ALCO. These engines are modeled on three built for the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad in 1901--but you know that already.

Jeff

Quote from: Yampa Bob on March 25, 2008, 12:59:29 PM
Thanks Jeff
Since retirement writing is becoming a passion, but have lots to learn as English was not my favorite subject.  I probably overflow on details, but I try to paint a picture in the reader's mind. 

I also try to not give the impression that my way is the only way, but rather to stimulate some imagination and creativity in the reader.   

Bob

I don't think so. I think if you're trying to write a "how-to," more detail is better. Don't be like the folks in Tech Services who always seem to leave out one crucial point because they know it and they assume everyone else does, too. 

Quote from: Yampa Bob on March 24, 2008, 02:13:18 PM
Jeff
I have 10 Mantua ordered, been on back order for 4 months, but at only $7.95 they are worth waiting for, especially since I don't pay shipping.  

Bob

I've got a coach and combine on order myself. Lord knows when they will show up. I ordered them strictly because the Model Power "Mantua Classics" version comes ready-made with knuckle couplers, to use with my Richmond eight-wheeler.

I've got far more of the older, "real" Mantua and/or Tyco versions, both "1860" and "1890," than I care to contemplate.

Jeff

Quote from: Gunslinger87 on March 24, 2008, 09:12:27 PM
Well, I'm still in favorof the Rogers. Although I was not aware that Mantua was still producing it. Even if on ocasion.

I don't believe the engine is in production right now. Of course, Mantua model trains, per se, no longer exists, but Model Power is producing its "Mantua Classics" line. Perhaps they will issue a retooled Rogers some day; I understand they are supposed to issue a retooled "General" at some point. The Rogers still regularly appears on eBay, even, occasionally, the late-model can-motor version, which is an excellent runner.

Quote from: Clear Block on March 25, 2008, 07:50:25 AM
I would like to see some small/medium steam along the lines of a PRR E6 4-4-0 and PRR G5s 4-6-0.

Clear Block, I'm sure that's just a typo, above; the E-6 was a 4-4-2. Still, the E-6 and the G-5 are excellent recommendations, and speaking of 4-4-0s, since Bachmann now has the mechanism for a "modern" 4-4-0 "as built" and "as modernized," how about as as-built and modernized PRR D16?

Quote from: Yampa Bob on March 24, 2008, 02:47:29 PM
Depends on your age. Hopalong Cassidy was my favorite, ah those were the days.  I met Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey and Smiley Burnett, got to ride "Ringeye".  Local theatre used to bring them in for promotion.   I loved the trains used in their movies.

Bob

Bob, I'm sure you remember, Smiley Burnett was also Charlie Pratt, engineer of the Hooterville Cannonball.