The Fleischmann 7000 is not bad.  Obviously German with deep flanges, but they are heavy and usually run well on code 80 track (and Peco code 55).  They appear regularly on the action sites.



I replaced the Rapido coplers with Unimate T-shank couplers.

Interesting idea.  The KM engines would be unique.  Not many people know about them.  I used to have a subscription to Continental Modeller (the Peco fellows in England) and their November 2002 issue had several pages on them (most of the same information as the wikipedia article).  Did have line drawing.

Test it first.  Wire Glue takes a long time to set and its adhesive qualities are not that great.  Since most electrical components don't move or take any loads it's OK.  (The on-line reviews vary a lot.)

I got mine from ThinkGeek (dot com).  It's available at several other on-line stores.

Sorry -- it's not solder paste.  I use Wire Glue (Anders Products).  Not real "sticky" but is conductive and holds thing together fairly well.

On the tender wheel "axles" I use Neolube (Micro-Mark). 

More information and pictures here:

http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/bach440a.html

Read somewhere you can use solder paste to attach the springs to the trucks to keep them from flying.

Shawn and Sally Harrison
   1850s B&O

The B&O set comes with the same three 47-foot "Overland" cars as the other Bachmann old-timer passenger sets.  The paint is a little thicker than before (same for the engine). 

Mr. Bach-Man:  Athern used to make the 35-foot "Overton" cars that look a little more to scale.  Would you consider getting the rights and/or tooling to those cars?

We got the B&O set at a train show.  Runs pretty good for its size.  Tested it on code 40 rail.  It's a lot quieter than the previous versions and the gearing is higher -- good slow speed performance.  I will try your shims and see if that helps.  They tend to get quieter with running.  Have not installed the Mashima yet.

Agreed -- a Spectrum version would be great.  We have limited choices on our railroad.

There were moguls in the early 1860s, but nowhere near the size of the Model Power version.  (The very first mogul-type in the 1850s was really an 0-8-0 with the front drivers idle.)

And 4-6-0s were popular in the 1850s and 1860s, but they were only slightly larger than 4-4-0s of the time.  Again, nowhere near the size of Bachmann's. 

The MotorMan sold me a very nice five-pole Mashima 9x13 that fits (after some modifications).  Forgot I had it -- it was hiding in a tender that was hiding behind another project I was working on.

They are cool locomotives, but we are having similar problems with ours.  Not real loud or wildly vibrating but they are so small even small imperfections show up.  Running them for a while seems to help.  Where did you put the shim?  I'd like to see a photo so I can modify ours.  And finding a new motor is tricky.  We are talking about 9 or 10 mm diameter and 18 mm length.

Shawn and Sally Harrison
  - Modeling 1850s B&O

Some things are still needed to model mid 1800s in N scale -- mainly interest.  I have posted in several forums and got less than stellar response.  But if you like a challenge, we would love to share our work.

What else is needed?  Link-and-pin couplers.  The knuckle coupler was not patented until 1873, but link-and-pin couplers are not practical in N-scale.  For now we have to live with Micro-Trains and Kato magnetic couplers.

The biggest need is wood-beam trucks; they date back to the 1830s.  Archbars are good from late 1860s on.  There are lots of short freight cars available today that can be backdated to the 1840s and 1850s with wood-beam trucks.  Again, we have not seen very much interest.

There are some tiny motors out there, but I'm still looking.  Getting them to fit is not easy.  (Did I say there weren't many people interested?)

Here is a picture of my wife's layout.



Shawn and Sally
Modeling 1850s B&O

Pretty sure this is what I got when I ordered the 9860 - Tender Shell.  (So yes, it comes with the motor.) The driveshaft is in the parts catalog, but the fitting on the end of the motor (and on the worm gear inside the locomotive) are not.  That's the "question mark" in the photo and the part I am looking for.



- Shawn

I ordered one about two months ago and it came with the motor and the new drive shaft.

And now, two questions for the Bach-Man:

The drive shaft is out of stock.  Any news on when they will be back?

I need the new fitting on the end of the motor.  Do you know where I can get a couple?  (The shaft diameter is standard 1.5 mm.)

Same here.  I found several on eBay.  Be careful and be patient.  I found a couple really good deals.  And there were a few I passed up.

Got a couple of these guys.  Re-motoring is a challenge, but it is the kind of locomotive my wife and I are looking for.  The info on the Docksider is here:

http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/bach040.html

Nigel Lawton used to make a re-motor kit.  (They are for HOn30 but the original body still fits.  He's not making them now, but if enough people ask ...)

http://www.nigellawton009.com/BachmannCradle.html