Steve,

Actually I did look at both links and saw the boxcar right behind the locomotive in one of the sets, I didn't think they were any different than a Bachmann boxcar behind the Bachmann 4-6-0.  I have a 4-6-0 on a display shelf with the boxcar directly behind.  The boxcar seems to be dwarfed especially behind behind the wood tender. 

As for the TOC I was just having a little fun,  Dave is a great guy and has personally helped me with several projects.  He has kidded me and others about the Submarine guys being better than those other guys like Marines and Army guys like me who were dumb enough to jump out of airplanes.  He one ups us most of the time!!!  I have known him to help new folks even sending free parts to help them out.  They don't come any better than that!!   Having said all that I hope he doesn't read this and let it go to his head!!!

As for the Keystone sets, the diecast frames interest me for possible kitbashing projects, assuming you could get the sets for a cheap price.  The Keystone set prices seemed to be pretty high to me.  I might try one if I see one at 70% off. 

Happy Holidays to all and Happy Railroading!!!!!

TOC,

You must have been in those dark submarines too long!!  I see a yellow gondola but no boxcars.   The gon sure looks like Bachmann.  diecast  underframes sound interesting, maybe good for bashing.

Cheers & Beers

Thanks JD,

I'll Stick with what I have!!!

Jack,

I see that George lists the Aristo wheels as suitable, but maybe he didn't use the ball bearing sets.  Beats me except the Aristo BB wheels kept sliding out of the ends of the truck bearings when I tried it.   

If I try it again, I may give those SanVal wheels a try.  Thanks

Sorry to report that the Aristo ball bearing sets seem to have axles that are to short for most Bachmann trucks. 

I bought two pair (not cheap) to use on an Annie tender to power the sound system.  It just didn't work out.  I thought about putting small plugs in the ends of the truck bearings, but never tried it.   I ended up using the LGB spring loaded wipers with the original wheels,  while I am sure I have more drag, the 4-6-0 and sound system have performed very well pulling five J&S passenger cars up my steep grades. 

Since I Have no Aristo equipment The aristo wheels will go on Ebay one of these days. Hope this helps. 

Matt,

Thanks for the great pictures of the OSH Set!

Since I live near St Louis I have no hope of getting my own photos for the Bachmann Book I am trying to write.

If you get the chance I would appreciate it if you could email me some additional photos and some info.   I am in need of the Bachmann Item Number of the Set.  Info on how much track is included. 

I need a rear shot of the coach or observation, and a closeup of the OSH logo on the combine. 

I especially need a closeup shot of the front of the box, and Of the loco & Tender together.

Maturally I will give you full photo credit on each picture used and credit for the help putting the section on this set together.

It is a great looking set.   Did you get the freight set from last year.  I really liked that OSH boxcar!!

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me on this set.   Feel free to email me directly.   

Bill

Dave,

I used the Sierra Soundtraxx for the Bachmann 2-8-0 and the sound is fantastic  expecially outdoors.  With the sound on full the cows on the neighboring farm replied with vigor and came crowding over to the nearby fence!!!   They seem to be in love with my 4-6-0!

Many of my visitors mistake my Sierra sound for the more expensive Phoenix system. 

Enjoy whatever you get!!!!

Zubi, If I ever get to Tokyo I will look you up!!   I like the steamboat idea!!   Good Luck with your railway construction and your live steam.

Bill

TOC, 

You are right they did not go back to you,  and I really appreciate all the help you have given me over the past years.  Now that you have trained me I have been helping some of my friends a little.   My son is now doing his own installs as well.  Clearly we must have the amperage, and reliability in outdoor conditions.  I am hopeful that wisdom will prevail and one of the two engineer developed proposals you mentioned will get adopted.  I do hope they will put in a switch that will allow use of the same locomotive under either track power or battery power.  Most of the folks I know are all track power.  I would like to easily switch back and forth as needed.  Now about coupler standards......Uh......  never mind!!!!!  

Zubi, 
There are some affordable choices.  Live steam is fun for me to watch, but it is not somethiong I am personally interested in doing myself.  As for my friend it is too late he has changed to radio controlled cars, He says it is cheap compared to Garden size trains, no expensive track to buy, no permament space needed, no hundred dollar buildings to buy, no expensive locomotives to buy,  with two hundred dollar sound boards to put in them not to mention the cost of the battery power.  I better shut up, don't want to convince anyone to switch to radio controlled cars!!

Brian. Thanks for the measurements, I'm going to order the track and fiddle with it till it works.  I will set it up on the floor and make sure my clearances are good before putting the risers on the benchwork.

Matthew, The multiple doors and built in parts bins make running around the wall impractical, but I do have enough space to use 5 foot radius to turn around.  I will also have a track running through a wall into my heated workshop. with a three track yard/staging /interchange setup.  I may go through an outside wall to the existing outdoor railroad as well.  First I want get my basic benchwork up and get some track laid.  Thanks for your suggestions.

Bill

Agree that the concept of plug and play is a good idea.  I am not a techie, and do not enjoy that part of the hobby.  A simpler reliable method is attractive to me.  Thanks to help from TOC and others I now do my own successful installs on electronics etc on my locos, but I would still rather be doing something else. 

A friend had a professional install done, battery sound- the works, but does not understand any part of it.  He has sent it back to the installer at least twice at great cost for repair or other problems.  With his huge inveatment in this loco, and the problems,  has decided the hobby is simply not affordable to him and is to much hassle relative to the enjoyment level.   I go to the National Convention and it is mostly old timer like me,  The cost of the hobby keeps escalating (track prices are only the beginning, as the dollar drops and all oil & fuel related costs take their toll)
the only good side is that maybe some production will come back to the USA.  Anyway the technically defficient like me and younger people seem to be shunning the hobby. 

If reliable socket or two will make it easier and and less costly then I am for it.  Hopefully all the issues, amps, reliability etc can be worked out.  I am not a fan of the NMRA, I spent a lifetime of work fussing over issues and standards, and don't want to now.  I appreciate the efforts of others to surface all the issues, and will remain hopeful that some compromise will be worked out that will be benificial to all, and keep cost low. 

My 2 cents worth!

Bill

Brian,

That E-8 looks pretty darn nice on the 10 foot curve.  Are the passenger cars full length or shortys?  Your track work looks fantastic, Have you painted the sides?  It looks very realistic!!  Your idea of shortening the straight track sounds good.  What would you say your spacing is from center to center between the two curves?   I need to order track      yikes!!  so appreciated your input.   I will take advantage of the Aristo buy 4 get one free deal though.    Bill

Matthew,

Thanks for the welcome.  Nice cramming job there.  I am not going to have quite the problem you do. as I will be putting my layout in a 30 foot by 50 foot metal building.   Unfortunately I still need space for my tractors and bucket loader so will be restricted to the 37 and a half by 10 and a half foot space inside.   Even then I will have to store some equipment under the benchwork.  When I built the building I had thought about getting a 40 by 60, but was deterred by the extra cost and did not have an indoor layout in mind at all.  Wish Im had done it now.  A friend of mine has a people maze in his place pretty much like yours.  The things we do to enjoy our hobby!!!!

Bill

HI All,
Well I am finally going to start benchwork for an indoor 1:20.3 RR, as I am finding it harder and harder to crawl around at ground level, tryiing with bad eyes to screw in those tiny screws in the Aristo track.

I will be in a space 37 1/2 feet long and 10 1/2 feet wide.   I will need to build a passing siding on a curve and the outside curve will be 10 ft diameter.  What diameter do I use for the inside curve using Aristo TRack.  Will 9 ft diameter work? or do I have to go smaller? 

My biggest loco's are my Connie's, and my rolling stock is all Bachmann including passenger cars. 

Also would be interested in what any of you feel is the minimum spacing for double track on a mainline or in a small yard. 

Any other traps or hard lessons learned you wish to share will be appreciated, with respect to building indoors.

I did not realize how free I was with design in the great outdoors!!  When I needed a little wider space I just moved a little more dirt till things fit.  Now I feel really constricted, but none the less wish to go ahead with the indoor project.

Bill

Dea Ken,

Here is some info on the J&S Passenger cars by Item NO, Initials, Car Number, Year first produced, and other helpful info

White Pass & Yukon
The 89 Series Cars have metal railings and track power lighting, except as noted:
89391   WP&Y   224   2001   P-Coach   White Pass & Yukon  "Lake Tutshi"   P      Track Power Lights   $75.00    Metal Railings

89391   WP&Y   226   2007   P-Coach   White Pass & Yukon  "Lake Fraser"          Track Power Lights   $75.00    metal railings has same B number lake tutshi in catalog

89392   WP&Y   209   2001   P Combine   White Pass & Yukon    Royal Mail    P      Track Power Lights   $75.00    metal railings

89393   WP&Y   203   2001   P Baggage   White Pass & Yukon    P      Not Lighted   $75.00    Metal Railings

89394   WP&Y   240   2001   P-Obs   White Pass & Yukon   "Lake Bennett"   P      Track Power Lights   $85.00    metal railings

89395   WP&Y   248   2004   P-Coach   White Pass & Yukon   "Lake Tagish"   P      Track Power Lights   $77.00    Metal Railings

The following have plastic railings and Battery power lights except as noted:

97119   WP&Y   209   1992   P Combine   White Pass & Yukon    Royal Mail   P      Battery Lights   $55.00    

97219   WP&Y   224   1992   P-Coach   White Pass & Yukon  "Lake Tutshi"   P      Battery Lights   $55.00    

97319   WP&Y   240   1992   P-Obs   White Pass & Yukon  "Lake Bennett"   P      Battery Lights   $65.00    

97419   WP&Y   203   1992   P Baggage   White Pass & Yukon    P      Not Lighted   $55.00    

Cars from Set 90059
90059   WP&Y   214   2007   P-Coach   White Pass & Yukon   "Lake Spirit" plastic railing         Not Lighted    Set Car    plastic railings Only in Set 90059 as of 2007

90059   WP&Y   240   2007   P-Obs   White Pass & Yukon   "Lake Bennett" Plas railing         Not Lighted   Set Car    plastic railings same as earlier car except has no lights.

The cars in set 90059 are not lighted as per the "The Favorite Spot" hobby shop which has an Ebay Store.  I do not have a second confirmation on this.



The info I have on the ET&WNC Cars is as follows:

89291   ET&WNC   19   2001   P-Coach   Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina   P      Track power light   $80.00    Metal Railings

89292   ET&WNC   18   2001   P Combine   Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina   P      Track power light   $75.00    metal railings

89293   ET&WNC   21   2001   P Baggage   Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina         Not Lighted   $75.00    Metal Railings

89294   ET&WNC   10   2001   P-Obs   Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina   P      Track power light   $85.00    "Azalea" metal railings

The following are the 97 series cars:  They have Battery power except as noted, and have plastic railings.

97120   ET&WNC   18   1992   P Combine   Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina         Battery Lights   $55.00    
97220   ET&WNC   19   1992   P-Coach   Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina         Battery Lights   $55.00    Set 90048 & seperately

97320   ET&WNC   10   1992   P-Obs   Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina   P      Battery Lights   $65.00    "Azalea" Set 90048 & seperately

97420   ET&WNC   21   1992   P Baggage   Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina         Not Lighted   $55.00    

The above info is based on my researc so far and may or may not be totally correct,  if anyone has better info or corrections please email me, or send me a personal message.  If you are buying on EBay be sure of what you are getting!!!!!  Ask questions!!!!

Good Luck and Enjoy your Large Scale Trains!

HI,

I have never seen an instruction manual for this loco.  I feel you could safely start with Ten drops and see how long it lasts, slowly increase the drops, if it runs out quickly. 

Using the smoke unit often leaves a mess, because of the oil residue falling on the loco boiler.  Be sure to turn the smoke unit on with the switch behind the boiler front.  If using the smoke fluid be sure to run the loco til ther is no more smoke before putting it away.  Some put a piece of cotton in the stack top, especially if storing the loco on its side.  Have fun with the kids and just take a little time to clean it up before you put it away, and be sure to turn the unit off when it runs out of fluid to avoid burning out the unit.  Burning out the unit is very common.

Enjoy your new Locomotive!!