Hi guys,

I'm modelling "Gallant Old Engine" as a standalone layout, but in testing the couplings on my 009 Peco coaches (and Rheneas) will not stay together on or while cresting grades. Should I invest in knuckle couplers, or look for another solution? I don't think I can soften the grades any more than they are at the moment (very steep, scalewise.)

@thomasgleek

Bachmann will never make any engine with more than 8 wheels (not including tenders obviously). They would be prohibitively expensive both produce and purchase, and as you noted they would require wider-radius curves that fans and parents will not want to buy for their children just to make the engines run without buckling and derailing.

My Rheneas has arrived at last as well, though I haven't opened it up for further examination or a test run. He does look splendid from the outside though, like some other members, I wish that the body paint wasn't quite so... orange, where it's supposed to be more of a vermilion. So far that's my only complaint, I'll see how it runs later today.

Quote from: Falcon on November 05, 2017, 07:04:42 PMI can see brand-new merchandise for Edward and Henry slowing down rapidly in the coming months. Part of me wants to buy a spare Wooden Railway Henry before he's off store shelves... 

This is why I haven't waited for Black Friday and beyond to finish collecting the original "Steam Team" in HO. Using Amazon as the "standard" for low prices, I was able to get Edward for pretty cheap (around $55.) Henry was a tough find, though, and the lowest price I found was around $70. On Amazon he's at $84 right now, and Edward's at $79. If you're looking for them in HO, I'd pick them up quick, lest they sell out before the Black Friday madness.

Does anyone have an inkling that this extended sellout of Percy and James in HO is leading to a redesigned Percy as well as James for the Black Friday/holiday season? Total shot in the dark here, but the timing could make it possible; there's no way Bachmann wouldn't have another production run ready for the holidays at the very least.

Do Arry and Bert still even have roles in the TV series significant enough to warrant electric models in any scale? I haven't seen any episodes since around season 12.

Agreed with sparks, keep it simple. Pick from Knapford or Tidmouth and model one or the other. With either you could fit a bunch of engines as static models while operating one or two on separate circuits.

8 years and older is the specification recommended by Bachmann and most other manufacturers. I would agree with it.

P.S. your phone's "keyboard" is terrible

Details would be helpful.

I just hope they get the rest of the original six NG engines done, which for all we know could be 2025 at this rate.

I imagine there will be a restocking for the Black Friday and/or Christmas rushes. Same thing with the HO scale Thomas, Percy and James.

Hey all,

What method do you recommend for painting locomotive wheels safely (as in without damaging any other parts of the locomotive) ?



I ask because, as you can see, Bachmann's James the Red Engine has light gray wheels and axleboxes on the tender where these should all be matte black, and I don't want to mess up my brand-new model. Black Sharpie has been recommended to me in this case, but it doesn't get in all the nooks and crannies and comes off when it's overwritten.

This is really starting to get to me. I backordered Rheneas in September of last year, only to be told multiple times that he was on further backorder. Right now he's available for backorder at TrainWorld for $99, yet the item page says it is due to be in stock as of July 31.
ALL I WANT IS MY MODEL, BACHMANN. Please get Rheneas out there soon!

Well, it's good to know that the ERTL size comparison I read about was most likely correct; Rheneas' ERTL model was overly wide and possibly a bit short, so now I have an idea of what to expect for him.
So what are the dimensions on the Bachmann Skarloey, Duke? I can convert them to imperial units without a problem.

Quote from: codyjk727 on June 11, 2017, 09:12:45 PM
Next, after all of the TV series Narrow Gauge engines (including Bertram, Duke, Freddie, Mighty Mac, Luke, and Millie), are you guys gonna do Ivo Hugh and Smudger?

Not a chance that any of those engines get made except for perhaps Luke and Smudger (since he was a Rheneas repaint.) Bachmann will definitely focus on the "core six" in the coming years more than the CGI-era characters.