Jack, most people can't afford Blackstone. They're nowhere near as affordable as your On30 locos.

Secondly, everything they release is WESTERN narrow gauge. They have no Eastern NG whatsoever, a major problem with the market. Your On30 offerings gave the market a well-rounded selection.

Since HOn3 is the more established scale, with track already available, it is the most logical choice. Track would not have to be included. On30 was successful, and HOn3 OR HOn30 would be as well. Actually, cars that would be usable in either scale (as the On30 cars are in On3) would make it highly successful.

It's high time that one of the commercial manufacturers consider HOn3. Since On30 has taken off like a rocket, and there are numerous people in the wings who'd like nothing better than to try their hand at narrow gauge in HO scale (but are put off by exorbitant prices for HOn3 stuff and the constant hawking of Western NG by current niche manufacturers and the unavailability of some items), the time is RIPE for a commercial manufacturer with proven success in the narrow gauge market to give the hobby a line of good running HOn3 that we don't have to mortgage our houses to get and that runs worth a hoot.

Take the hint Bach Man...you're in this business to make money.

Hey Lee!

The Jackson and Sharp passenger cars are correct for...

West Virginia Midland! All you have to do is letter them.

You could letter an entire passenger set WVM and be near correct. Betcha it would sell too!

The loco would be #10 and W  V  M on the tender in RR Roman (white)

The cars would have West Virginia Midland spelled out in RR Roman. (White)

The Spectrum buildings were HO scale, not O scale.

Oh come on, can't you guys tell a West Virginia Midland 4-6-0 when ya see one 

Actually, the domes on the WVM unit are round and not fluted, but uh....we replaced them in 1945...yeah, that's it.

This is another move that I think would pay off handsomely for Bachmann. It would cement them in the O narrow gauge field and draw in some of the more serious modelers who don't want to handlay track but still want the proper NG look. Bach-man...think about it seriously.

EBT-style steel boxes would be great. More P&C lumber stuff would be neat too. (Cuz it would be right for WVM  )

It would be neat if Bachman considered some 'oddball' stuff. Hawaiian. Cuban. Things we don't ordinarily see, but that have US roots. (US Navy narrow gauge boxcars?)

Shoot, maybe WVM 103? It's a wooden boxcar.

The WVM also used Jackson & Sharp passenger cars, so there's a possibility too.

Mann's Creek and Cairo & Kanawha offer some interesting not-much-seen rolling stock as well.

The Western stuff has been overdone, but how about some Southern narrow gauge? It would take research, but in the end, I think it would pay off for Bachmann.

Sure Dustin, no problem. Info on the WVM can be found at www.Taplines.com and FYI, I believe it's a cousin to your beloved Eat Taters & Wear No Clothes.

The Midland interchanged with the Western MD at Webster Springs, WV and the B&O at Holly Junction, WV. She was owned by Pardee & Curtin lumber co and the P&C existed into the middle 1930s. I believe Bachman's G scale Shay was P&C, therefore with a logo change, it would be correct for WVM as well. Taplines has the complete WVM loco roster.

You can also get some limited information on the RR from the Mountain State Logging RR Historical Association and the Western Maryland Railway Historical Society.

Doesn't Micro Engineering make On30 track? Also Peco, although it's more British style.

Check Steve Sherrill's SG&S out online for a REAL nice On30 layout in a WV setting.

Well don't you guys think it's about bloody TIME that Eastern/Southern NG got some play? You can't find jack for Eastern in HOn3. Hallmark EBT locos from the 80s are demanding exorbitant prices if you can find them.

I say a hearty thanks loads to the Bach-man for finally recognizing that there are OTHER NG roads besides those in Colorado/California.

It works for me! Me riky riky.

Hopefully one of the versions will be lettered WVM #10 but if not, undec painted will do just fine. I can see this baby with some oxide red hoppers trailing behind her. A Shay will compliment her well (Pardee & Curtin of course).

The title says it all. Can anyone answer?

Yes, I'm necro-posting, however this IS relevant.

West Virginia had it's share of narrow gauge.

Mann's Creek (interchanged with the C&O)

West Virginia Midland (interchanged with the Western MD)

West Virginia and Pittsburgh (later B&O-owned)

Cairo and Kanawha

West Virginia Central (standard gauged and merged into the Western MD)

Any of these lines could be modernized to the 40s-50s (like I would do with the WVM which went out of business in the early 30s as a common carrier, but continued to exist as the Pardee and Curtin Lumber Co).

My WVM would use the oxide red EBT hoppers. Should the Bach-man decide to bless us with a steel EBT type boxcar, it will get those too.

Ahhhh. Me so hor...uh happy! A 4-6-0 in On30...Holy West Virginia Midland Batman!

By chance will this little feller be lettered for WVM as well as Tweetsie? The WVM's 4-6-0 was #10. Tweetsie had multiple 4-6-0s if I recall. Dusten...chime on in!