Mark, you might find some "european versions" of Fleischmann engines, i.e. dutch or french versions of the engines which have black wheels instead of red. German engines have not only red wheels but also the engine frame is red, so it would be quite some repainting effort. Some months ago I bought a japanese 2-10-4T tank engine, I intend to modify it with MTL couplers. But I must say that the current pickup and running quality of that model is average at best. That's why I did not change the couples so far, but put it aside.
Christoph: I added a Bachmann Spectrum USRA tender to that loco, hardwired it and now the performance is improved dramatically on level track. All steam loco's have their individual issues unfortunately. Stay cool and run steam.....
On another steam loco. I just installed a decoder in a new Bachmann Spectrum 2-6-6-2 that ran well right out of the box. No adjustments of under gauged drivers were necessary. It ran beautifully by itself up the 2 % grades of the JJJ&E. So I decaled it in ATSF roadname and number # 1175. It canpull a grand total of seven cars up the grade with some difficulty. That's the problem with steam loco's in N scale. You MUST use helpers to manage a decent length train up a grade. On level track, this loco could probably pull 15 cars. Unfortunately the JJJ&E has no level track on the mainline. So here this loco runs well, which isn't the norm. The drivers usually lock up and the rods break, and yet it's initial pulling performance is mediocre after one hour of running. This loco will require a very log break-in period. Never mind the ton of grease that Bachmann shoots into each of it's loco's. Stay cool and run steam....
Will be a shame then because There are any number of Bmann 4-8-4s that have been reworked with tender pickup that pull that, my old 2-8-8-2 pulls that and more, and the MicroAce Mallet will get down and lug darn near that on the waterlevel route.
Let's wait and see what happens with the first pre-production models. Maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised. Stay cool and run steam.....
Big problem I think I see with the manufacturers is one there is nobody there that has seen steam in everyday service, except on some excursion line. Most of the stuff is put together with the trainset mentality of somebody in the room with a small oval of track running 10 cars behind them. Thats fine until the person decides to branch out and get serious with the hobby and that layout expands, and grades appear, and the consists grow. Problem with a lot of the steam offered is that it is too light on the wheels, and lacks traction tires, and even when they are there still too light. I pickup one of my FTs and I have a fairly heavy unit in my hand, the Kato Mike on the other hand is lighter. The single FT A unit will outpull the Mike when the Mike should be the equal of the A and B unit combined. Of course when you look at that chassis over those small wheels with the FT you can see why it pulls good, same with the FAs. The MicroAce has suprisingly good weight over those small wheels, and traction tires on two of the axles of the last set of drivers, the main reason it pulls well. The Atlas Shay should pull better considering the design allows for some serious weight, however it is quite light and why it has been a disapointment to me when it comes to a grade. Each of my bashed Climax locos pull better, but then they are based of off the diesel chasiss and have added weight. In short I don't expect prototype performance, but I would like to see them able to pull more.
To me, it's just unrealistic to expect N-scale steamers to pull like their prototype counterparts or their N scale diesel equivalents. There's just not enough weight or torque. We do have some finely detailed, beautifully running locos. I'm resigned to using cheaters to bring the bigger steamers up to their prototype capacity.
As an aside and a bit off thread, Saturday I opened a Bachmann F7 A and B. There was so much green mucous colored grease in them, it looked like someone hacked up a few pieces of lung at the workbench in Shanghai and then put the shells on.
I'm surprised it wasn't congealed. I've bought a few off e-Bay (for the shells, of course) that must have been immersed in moldy bacon grease.
And on that I may just have to conceed that you are right. Short of going with an all metal body its hard to get the weight inside that round tube. I think I am going to have to settle back and keep on doing what I have been. Thats adding weight were I can while still keeping mindful of the balance overall of the loco. The new layout I'm designing, which the modules I'm building now will go in, will have staging for several 40 to 50 car trains along with shorter staging. Some of those will be behind steam running through to the Oregon Trunk line. If I snake the line enough along the river and behind the scenery some I can give the impression of a longer train. Those trains normally were behind a big Mallet with a Mike cut in as helper about ten cars back. So if I can eek some extra ummph enough out of that Mallet and Mike I'll be satisfied.
John: I already am resigned to running shorter trains behind my steam loco's on the JJJ&E considering the 2% grades on the layout. I do multiconsist them so that helps to solve the problem. Diesels are not an issue. Stay cool and run steam.....
I'm not really a forums person but I felt obligated to put my 2 cents in here I have a few late model fleischmann engines and they really do run extremely well. If you are going to get a few of them, try and steer clear of the fishbelly tenders as their motors have a true lack of torque. Stick with the tank engines and standard tender styles. www.reynaulds.com www.eurorailhobbies.com Reynaulds has great prices in comparison, but be careful when you order multiple items in a single order, sometimes one item isnt in stock and theyll put the whole thing on backorder for a month, or in my case, three. Ask first, buy second I recommend the Class 65 (Model # 7065), Class 86 (Model # 7086), Class 38 (Model # 7160), Class 01 (Model # 7069), Class 50 (Model # 7182). They are all great pullers that would probably pull a few model power mikados up a 2% grade with the mikados going full throttle in the other direction, if they dont derail All of these engines run smoother than the bmann connies at all speeds, and pull much more, just stay away from the fishbelly tenders. Good luck PS. I wish there was a website that reviewed engines much like there are reviews of computer stuff
Dave: Welcome to Trainboard. Thanks for the info on the German steamers. Stay cool and run steam.....
I have quite a few good running and pulling American steam prototypes. The only problem I have with the old Atlas and my Minitrix is lack of traction tires. My Con Cor S2 4-8-4 Northern is a great engine. Being I only have a very small layout I have only been able to try it with about 20 cars and there is not a problem.
