Good job Bill.

Adam

Anyway...
Back to the original question, I run battery. Just kidding, I run all steam except one Eggliner.

Adam

Bill said...

"here is the link:  https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/81984"


Bill,
The link takes me to a Yahoo signup page.
Can't see the message from Bachmann.

Glad to see the forum back up and running!!

Adam

Garry,
These are available.

https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69_623&products_id=10478&zenid=i4nrh11hmvo1aec8n24nscssv4

https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69_623&products_id=4083&zenid=i4nrh11hmvo1aec8n24nscssv4

https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69_623&products_id=4082&zenid=i4nrh11hmvo1aec8n24nscssv4

https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69_623&products_id=4084&zenid=i4nrh11hmvo1aec8n24nscssv4

They are all located under the "G 4-6-0 Anniversary" parts page.

Adam

Hi Bill,
You asked " note any visual differences I would be most grateful."

Well, I noticed a  couple differences from the photos posted by Ted, Greg and Hunt.
First, looks like the front couplers are brown in color, not the usual black.
Second, the wire pigtail from the loco to the tender seems to have multiple conductors instead of the usual two wire plug.

I don't know if these obvious changes will be present on the consumer models, but should be an easy way to identify the new PNP locos if they are.

And by the way Bill, thanks for your service. I enjoyed reading your bio.

Adam    

Hi Greg,
Try this...

https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/G850X_IS004_2.pdf

It's from the Bachmann parts page. You probably already saw this and it may not be the version you're asking about?

Adam

Thanks rbturner,
That's good information for anyone that may need one.
If Bachmann doesn't offer a replacement, for this and other items such as gears and universal joints, it would be helpful if there was a sticky that had all of these alternative part numbers and their descriptions all in one place. Would be a lot easier than having to do a forum search.   

Adam

Bill,
That list looks pretty complete except...

The Annie chassis that Bachmann Parts is selling have the version 5 slotted front truck, plastic gears and metal side rods and linkage. Seems like Bachmann made three version 5 chassis, one for the Annie one for Big Haulers, with plastic side rods and now this other with plastic side rods and the swing arm front truck. Versions 5, 5A & 5B?

I truly don't want to be a pain in your behind, but it seems to me Bachmann/Kader has done some quick and short changes and not always consistent with their production. 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I'm very happy with all the upgrades Bachmann is making. I can't wait to see their newest 4-6-0 offering in person!

And Bill,
Thank you for your dedication to keeping all of this sorted out for the rest of us.

Adam

Hi RailMan63,
No I'm not selling mine. I bought mine off ebay a year or so ago for a kit bash at a really good price, under $100 shipping included. But when i found out about front truck I thought I'd keep it as is.

Adam

Thanks Teddy!
Answers my question about the pilot truck.

Bill,
Hate to make more work for you, but looks like you got a little bit of updating. Who knows this Night Before Christmas may be the only run with the newer pilot truck?

Adam

Bill, Railmam63
Thanks for the replies. you're both most likely correct, I guess I'm just lucky to have these upgrades.

But one mystery still remains, This Christmas Big Hauler also has the same running boards as an Annie and so did the Virginia & Truckee that I bought brand new from OSH Hardware somewhere around 2001. Maybe the Christmas BH got the upgrade along with the pilot truck and bottom cover but the V&T had the very detailed floor boards right out of the box.

Anyone else have these detailed running boards on their version 5 Big Haulers? 

As I was writing this, I realized these two Big Haulers that I've been talking about are version 5s. All of the other BHs that I've put Annie chassis under were previous versions and didn't have the detailed running boards. Maybe I answered my own question about the running boards?

Do all the version 5 Big Haulers have these nicer looking running boards?

Please let me know about your version 5 Big Haulers.
And thanks all.

Adam

Bill,
Back in May of 2020 I asked...

"Have you seen this before?

In February of 2019 I purchased, from eBay, a North Pole & Southern Big Hauler #12.
One of the things I've noticed about this loco is the floorboards, like the ones on the Osh Hardware set, have wood grain and rivet details and the front edge of the floorboards, over the air tanks, are in line with the boiler strap separating the smoke box from the boiler. The standard Big Haulers floorboards stop forward of the strap, about 3/8", and don't have the wood grain.
Another thing different is the new style pilot truck. The chassis is a gen.5 with plastic gears and also plastic drive rods, connecting rods and valve linkage. The chassis definitely looks stock and unmodified.

I was not aware that Bachmann made a Big Hauler with the new style pilot truck. Seems to be a hybrid between a Big Hauler and an Anniversary

Any thoughts about this North Pole & Southern?"


Below are a few pictures, looks to have little to no run time on the chassis.









As you can see, there's no slot between the cylinders for the Big Hauler type pilot truck guide and spring assembly. The front trucks have power pickup wires. The drive gears are definitely plastic, as you can see through the access hole.
Seems kind of strange that someone would change out the bottom cover with a version 6 and rewire the front pickups to a non-Annie version 5 chassis.
One other thing, like I mentioned earlier, I purchased a brand new Virginia & Truckee #25 OSH Hardware Big Hauler set and the floorboards have the wood grain and the forward floorboards have two holes for the sand piping. These are the only two Big Haulers I've seen with such detail to the floorboards.
Could I have gotten a couple of flukes that were made with the only parts available at assembly time?

What's your thoughts?   

Adam

Now we need to lengthen the notch in the front of the outer tank half. (The black lined area)
   

Here's a shot of what the top front of the outside tank half should look like when done.


Now all you gotta do is put it all back together again. Notice how the tank is now positioned towards the rear.


Do one side at a time so you don't get things mixed up.

Bill,
Thanks for prodding me along for photos. I've always wanted to get this photo posting thing figured out. I don't know if you remember, but, a while back I asked you about a Big Hauler Christmas engine with the new style pilot truck. You didn't think a Big Hauler was made with the new truck and asked for a photo. Well, I think now in the very near future I'll be asking you again but this time with some photos for you to review.

I hope this is useful for anyone wanting to put an Annie chassis under any old Big Hauler, I've done it with the first generation on up.
It's easy to do, you already have the floorboards off, and I think it makes things look correct!

Adam

Now for a some build photos.

First off, here's the original assembly. Notice how the tank is more or less centered under the floorboard.


All taken apart.


Using the inside tank half, position it rearward so the rear hole is just off the rear of the mount to get an idea where to file a notch for the rear screw.


File the notch, place a screw in rear hole of the inner tank half to locate it and using the correct size drill bit, drill a hole in the mount using the front hole as a guide.

Well I took some photos, uploaded them to flickr and now we're going to try posting some here.

First off, here's the finished project with the air tank moved rearward off of the steam chest.



Nice! That seemed to work, here's a couple more.




Adam