We took a lot of photos this past weekend at the Amherst Railroad Society and since the files are too big for this site, I'm including the On30 Facebook spot where they were posted.  Great to see and talk to Bachmann while there.  Click on this:

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10231084098983260&set=pcb.2375463569329796

John Tumolo

Ok, gang-this just showed up on the On30modeler Facebook site-if a modeler can do this with Bachmann's On30 2-6-6-2, why can't Bachmann, using the molds and parts they have already created, come up with something like this?  Copy and paste this link for photos of what's been created:
 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/On30MODELER/permalink/2343007355908751/

Sing along with me: "All I want for Christmas is a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2"

Merry Christmas to you all and to our long suffering friends at Bachmann!

John Tumolo

Ok, On30 fans-Bachmann hasn't forgotten us-they just announced a new 3-bay hopper to be released in 2024, based on the EBT 3-bays, lettered for EBT and two of the railroads that purchased them from EBT-WP&YR and Durango & Silverton, along with an oxide red unlettered version.  They even thought about what the cars were used for-the EBT has a coal load, as does the oxide red version.  The others are carrying ballast, which is what they actually did.  Obviously, SOMEONE at Bachmann has remembered On30, and I would like to think our friend Lee Riley is smiling down on us.........check this announcement  https://resources.bachmanntrains.com/NMRA2023/NMRA2023.pdf

Ok, fellow modelers-let's not allow this valuable resource to go away.  Please tell all of your On30 friends to start using this forum more often-at least check in once a week.  Believe it or not, Bachmann does monitor this page, and any LEGITIMATE questions/concerns/ideas are read.  This is the only way we all have to keep Bachmann in the loop and to let them see we all really DO care about what they are thinking/planning/doing for On30.  We sadly no longer have our #1 advocate Lee Riley around to lobby for us, but any and all ideas we post on this site will assuredly be read by Bachmann.  It's a shame that this resource isn't being actively campaigned-since it came back online, there's only one page of questions/comments.  I don't want this spot to turn into a place to gripe, I want to see it used for positive activity for our beloved On30.  There are plenty of other places to vent your spleen.  Sorry if THIS whole post sounds like a rant-I just want the hobby that's been an important part of my life for over 20 years now to keep going with the support of the one company that cared enough to get me started.   

At the risk of sounding like Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, do I need MORE POWER?  The "stock" Bachmann power pack that came with the On30 set is rated at 15 volts DC, 18 volts AC.  As I am still a Luddite and only use DC power, would the addition of something like a TECH 7 AMPAC 760 POWER PACK from MRC that claims 23 volts DC be to my advantage in getting the Bachmann locomotives to move a bit faster?  I'm still pondering my problem with the Bachmann 2-4-4-2 that barely crawled when full power was applied from the Bachmann power pack, and I'm curious if the upgrade to 23 available volts would have helped, or would the additional power just cook the motor?  Any ideas?  I don't mind going to my local hobby shop and plunking down $100.00 if it's going to be the improvement I think it's going to be, but to spent the money again for another 2-4-4-2 AND a new power pack just to find I'm still in the same boat is going to be, as my friends in Maine are want to say, a pisser.  Thoughts?   

John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

Hey, gang-It's that time of year again-time to start singing "All I want for Christmas is a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2"  For all of you modeling the Maine 2 footers in On30, keep on asking Bachmann to build us one.  Thankfully, we got our Forneys, now it's time for a Prairie.  I don't know if I'll buy 5 of 'em like I did the Forneys, but I'm good for at least 2.  Come on, sing it with me-"All I want............"
Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year, too!

John Tumolo

I just received my new 2-4-4-2, and when I placed it on my dc only layout, it barely moves.  VERY slow, forward or reverse.  The other odd thing is, BOTH front and tender lights are on when moving forward.  I don't see anything fouling the wheels, no hidden foam pieces like in other locomotives from Bachmann.  All other Bachmann locos equipped with dcc have always run without a problem on the layout, this is the first one that doesn't.  Any ideas?   

 I have always liked the Bachmann Consolidation, but it's a bit big/tall for my 2-foot Maine themed On30 railroad. It just seemed to tower over the rolling stock. After thinking about it for a long while, I came up with the idea and method to lower the cab. Follow this, and it's an easy job. Purchase a Banta Modelworks CURVED roof 2-8-0 cab. Glue the 2 front pieces together, then, with a sharp knife and metal straight edge make a cut all the way across the top and bottom edge of the front windows, effectively removing appx. 1/4 " of the cab. Glue 'em back together, then using the upper notch on the side for location but removing the center tabs 'cause they are no longer in the correct position, attach the left and right sides. This will give you that Maine look of a lower cab that also "hangs down" on the sides. Finish with the top supports and the top itself, which you have wrapped around a beer/soda can for at least one day to help approximate the shape you need. In Maine 2-foot style, I left off the rear partition, but I did wedge it in place while the glue dried to keep the cab in shape. The only modification you need to make to the locomotive itself is the removal of a bit of metal on the sides, using your grinding wheel (I used the grinder out in the garage that I use to sharpen mower blades) to take them back appx. 1/16" (basically back to the ridge line). Removing the original cab is easy if you know the trick. It's held in place by way of a screw coming up through the boiler right in the center of the front windows. First, remove the screw hiding under the front truck. Then, remove the plastic cap over the plugs for the tender power at the rear of the locomotive and you will see 2 screws inside (NOT the one holding the pcb in place). Remove the 2 screws and the boiler may GENTLY be raised up to allow access to the screw holding the cab. DO NOT harm the two power wires while doing this. Carefully lift the metal cab away, and don't cut or break the pipes going in. Your new cab will now drop right into place into the slot in the boiler. Place all of your pipes in the appropriate holes provided, and you will find that they will hold your cab in place. As you can see by the photos, it's still a big locomotive, but now it looks like it belongs. It was a fun build.   John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47252566@N07/shares/73Q798
https://www.flickr.com/photos/47252566@N07/shares/7KF55j
https://www.flickr.com/photos/47252566@N07/shares/F0b00o
https://www.flickr.com/photos/47252566@N07/shares/FRJ2iG

Hey, gang-It's that time of year again-time to start singing "All I want for Christmas is a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2"  For all of you modeling the Maine 2 footers in On30, keep on asking Bachmann to build us one.  Thankfully, we got our Forneys, now it's time for a Prairie.  I don't know if I'll buy 5 of 'em like I did the Forneys, but I'm good for at least 2.  Come on, sing it with me-"All I want............" 
Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year, too!

John Tumolo

Hey, gang-It's that time of year again-time to start singing "All I want for Christmas is a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2"  For all of you modeling the Maine 2 footers in On30, keep on asking Bachmann to build us one.  Thankfully, we got our Forneys, now it's time for a Prairie.  I don't know if I'll buy 5 of 'em like I did the Forneys, but I'm good for at least 2.  Come on, sing it with me-"All I want............" 
Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year, too!

John Tumolo

I started this several years ago and it didn't help, but here goes again......
Sing it with me now... "All I want for Christmas is a 2-6-2  a 2-6-2  a 2-6-2" With any luck the Bach Man is out there........also dreaming of Maine 2-foot Prairies.  It was great seeing the Bachmann folks up in Augusta, Maine at the Narrow Gauge Convention, and it's still sad not seeing our mentor, Lee Riley.  I know a lot of us miss the big guy. 

  Merry Christmas to you all.  John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

Lee was one of our best supporters-I had the privilege of meeting him several times over the years at the Bachmann displays at train shows, especially up in Massachusetts at the Big Amherst train show, and he was always a gracious host, intently listening to the babbling's of a fan, and remembered me as the guy always asking for a Bachmann Sandy River type 2-6-2 Prairie.  Thanks to him we got our Forneys, enabling us Maine 2-footer fans to build an affordable semblance of our beloved railroads. In my humble opinion, Lee was the best public face Bachmann could have ever asked for.  Truly one of the good guys. What really hurts is that he was going to retire at the end of this month!  It's just so sad...............

John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

Hey, gang-It's that time of year again-time to start singing "All I want for Christmas is a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2"  For all of you modeling the Maine 2 footers in On30, keep on asking Bachmann to build us one.  Thankfully, we got our Forneys, now it's time for a Prairie.  I don't know if I'll buy 5 of 'em like I did the Forneys, but I'm good for at least 2.  Come on, sing it with me-"All I want............" 
Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year, too!

Don't forget-The 36th Annual Narrow Gauge Convention returns to the East Coast in 2016, and right in the thick of two-foot country-Augusta Maine.  Keep next September 7-10 open.  Check them out at http:/nngc2016.org/wp/

John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

Just curious-any new announcments for On30?    Here's hoping............

John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

I had the privilage of attending the Lycoming On30 2nd Annual Summer Meet Saturday.
I'm so glad I was able to make the show-my job has me working 6 days a week, third shift, so I am fortunate to have a VERY understanding wife willing to let me sleep in the car for 2 1/2 hours after work while she drove to the meet.  They don't have a website, but you can find them on Facebook under Lycoming On30 Summer Meet.

Very nice show-great location and good food, too.  A nice group of On30 people along with some of our greatest supporters-John Wiegel (Peterboro Rail), Geren Mortensen (Dead Rail Group), Star Hobby, along with several new (to me, anyway) manufacturers that supply the hobby, especially Newell Sage at Pattaconk Railway and Navigation Company, a decal and logo designer with some really nice ideas for us all.  newell.sage@att.net   

They had several clinics run by a great custom weathering guy named Peter Gray and his friend (whose name unfortunately escapes me) who just amazed the group with their simple, inexpensive tricks to weathering rolling stock and buildings.  They would take a simple, inexpensive plastic kit and turn it into what looked like a scratch built beauty.  Great stuff.

There was a nice modular layout showing off the Dead Rail Society self-contained method of operation, and a neat portable layout (it folds in half and fits into a normal car trunk!) built by Geren.  That guy continues to amaze.................

One other cool set up at the show was a custom shirt printer, two great ladies that would design and print a shirt for you while you were at the show.  They call themselves "A Hot Graphic", and you really had to see the nice work they came up with.  What a great idea!  ahotgraphic@comcast.net

Here's hoping they do this show again NEXT year-well worth the drive!!!

John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

It's that time of year again-time to start singing "All I want for Christmas is a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2"  For all of you modeling the Maine 2 footers in On30, keep on asking Bachmann to build us one.  Thankfully, we got our Forneys, now it's time for a Prairie.  I don't know if I'll buy 5 of 'em like I did the Forneys, but I'm good for at least 2.  Come on, sing it with me-"All I want............"   Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year, too!   John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

I started this several years ago and it didn't help, but here goes again......
Sing it with me now... "All I want for Christmas is a 2-6-2  a 2-6-2  a 2-6-2" With any luck the Bach Man is out there........also dreaming of Maine 2-foot Prairies.  Merry Christmas to you all.  John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

Here's an odd one-the headlight on my Consolidation died, or at least I thought it had died, so I replaced it with a new one, only to find it working sporadically.  On start up, it's dim, and sometimes it comes on full and sometimes it's dead.  What should I be checking?  I cleaned the wheels, thinking it might be a pick-up problem, but no change.  Ideas?  P.S. The light on the tender works as it should when in reverse.  I am only using simple d.c. for power, too.  John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

Several weeks ago I thought I heard a squeak coming from my Bachmann On30  2-8-0.  It made me nuts for a short while, as it went away while running in reverse.  Forward brought it back.  It turns out that all of those really nice rods and pins turning 'round and 'round need lubrication just like the real ones.  Just don't go crazy like one can with the real ones.  Remember-a little goes a long way.  I simply took an old Pringles Chips plastic lid (that has no recycling number and will end up in the trash anyway) and dripped onto it several drops of Labelle's #107 medium oil.  Do not use the metal dropper to place the oil on the engine-it gives too large a drop.  Use a toothpick, and just put a small amount on all of the sliding shafts and moving joints.  It runs like new once again.  Merry Christmas to you all.   John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com

Just a quick note to say nice first try of hopefully annual Narrow Gauge Meets in the Reading area.  I was only able to stay about one hour, and I'm real sorry I had to leave.  Nate did a nice job of setting up the room, running various trains, and at least four different vendors were showing their wares.  Our On30 guru  John Weigle from Peterboro Railroad was present, a fellow  WW&F RY fan from Kutztown Steven Potteiger had a stand, and unfortunately that's all I had time to talk to.  If you happen to be a Brother Shrine Mason, you will understand that today was the Rajah Shrine Picnic, a Pote's call, so I was kind of oblagated to be there.  This show has all of the earmarks of a winner, so I really hope more Narrow Gauge folks will take a chance and attend next year.  Thanks, Nate-ya done good!  John Tumolo   Britcarfan@aol.com