In the opening sequence of the movie "Support Your Local Gunfighter" there is a beautiful yellow D&RGW passenger train I'd like to have... or at least something like it. The closest I've ever seen is this offering from Athearn: Athearn - N RTR Old Time Overton Passenger Set, D&RGW (4) The loco is here: Athearn - N RTR Old Time 2-6-0, D&RGW #950 Here is my question. Is the prototype a narrow gage train, meaning that the the wheels on these are out of scale? By pausing the DVD it looks to me like the train is running on 3 rail or 4 rail track for both standard and narrow gauge, and I can't tell which rails it is using. I'm toying with the idea of putting an Nn3 inner loop on my N Scale layout. This is way down the road, because the Nn3 locos are so expensive. But if I were to do it, would it be correct to run this train as standard gauge or narrow gauge. If narrow gauge, would putting MTL Nn3/Z trucks on the passenger cars be the way to go?
Dunno how accurate it is compared to the movie you speak. But, I do think those old Moguls are narrow gauge. I would get that set regardless. I have the same loco (under the roundhouse name, same as the Atherns) and the 4 car set (plus the 5th coach), and absolutly love it. It is one of my favorites to run. I have the green D&RGW paint theme though on my overlands (larger than the overtons). Awesome running locomotive, and looks great. The only issue I can see, which I will find out very soon, is adding a decoder. It's pretty small, and not much room.
I seen a decoder installed in the old bachmann american which is simular in size as the atherns. They installed it in the tender, but had to raise the tender hopper to do it. It matched a prototype that used a taller hopper for extended running, so they got away with it. This is what I was going to try and do myself soon... Besides, the motor is in the tender, so it makes sense to fit the decoder in there with it..
This is the engine you want. It's a narrow gauge Mikado, 2-8-2 with internal wheels. You will have to paint your own to get the bumblebee scheme and other items added for the movie. http://aspenmodel.com/index_am.php?l=ijllm
Roundhouse did put out a "Bumble Bee" steamer. Athearn made some improvements and you could find them in the LHS's...for awhile. The 50' Overton set would be considerably more accurate. Have fun.
Athearn has bumble bee locos, but that wasn't what was used in the movie. Athearn - N RTR Old Time 2-8-0, D&RGW #574 They're 2-8-0, the one I posted above is 2-6-0 and looks closer to the loco in the movie. Also, the cars in the movie appeared to be 36', not 50'. But hey... maybe I'll win the lottery and buy them all... in all road numbers. Tony; Thanks for the Aspen link. I don't see Mikados there though. Must be out of them?
if it is a 2-6-0 your looking for, key made a nice mogul set with passenger cars. the engine was a dummy and the baggage car had the motor. You can find them on ebay every now and then and they go pretty cheap (considering).
If i were you i would just go with a HOn3 k-28 2-8-2 painted in a bumblebee paint scheme from sunset models or something along that line, i think Mountain Model Imports is coming out with one in HOn3 within the next year or so
here's an install i did, shouldn't be much different on that 2-6-0 DCC sound in an athearn 2-8-0, I must be crazy! - TrainBoard.com
