Any idea when the Bachmann 10 wheelers is going to be widely available ? I see it on Trainworlds current list for $89.99 Is this going to be a good model to have. I love Steam, I think I'll call them tomorrow and see if they have it or if this is a preorder type ad. I have other obligations first but I might see about it after I pay for items I have on hold. fatalxsunrider43
Here's another: an SP Mk-8 from a Kato 2-8-2. Even though the SD&AE didn't run any, and these engines weren't allowed on the line because of tight curves and light trestles, I think I can make an excuse to find one of these on my layout. Besides, it's one of the best runners in N scale! To make this simple conversion, you need a slightly larger stack, a lowered pyle light with visor, an oil bunker, front sp-style steps and wraparound grabirons on the smokebox feont (which should also be silver), moved bell, and new domes.
OMG Yes I do! I was just about to draw something up for a twelve wheeler from a bachmann 2-8-0! Hold On, I'll draw it up within the half hour!
Here's my SP twelvewheeler kitbash idea. Here's a trick: remove all the drivers (while the rods arestill attatched to them) and flip them around so that the third driver set (with the bigger counterwheight and the main rod) are now the second set. This will allow you to make room for the new 4-wheel truck (from a bachmann heavy mountain) and you don't have to cut the main rod. The other domes are other bachmann 2-8-0 steam domes, and the boiler extension is just a splice from another bachmann 2-8-0 shell. The frame must also be extended between the cylinders and the first drivers.
This design is quite impressive. I have never attempted significant kitbashing before, but now that Bachmann will be issuing a ten wheeler, the twelve-wheeler will be the top of my "someday" list. I don't know how to begin. How do you splice the boiler so that the seams don't show? How do you support the pilot when it is so far ahead of the frame? To what do you attach the new pilot truck? Flipping the drivers around to gain more distance between the front driver and the cylinders is a trick worth remembering, and it also gets the placement of the drive shaft correct. It looks as though you have drawn in a sandline from the first dome to the pilot truck. Am I right about that? If so, why would there be a sandline up there? This design looks promising for the TW-8 class, which ran on the line I'm modeling, but I also have pictures of TW-1 and TW-3 class locomotives, which are much lighter, especially the TW-3s. The TW-1 did not have a tapered boiler. Are you familiar with these classes? Do you have ideas for how to kitbash them? Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Hello! Hello all, This my first post here on TB; I've been reading the forums here for a while and finally decided to get involved. I recall seeing the 4-8-0 kitbash done here before, albeit for an N&W prototype. SDAE, I've been watching your SP bashes, and I love them! Thanks! Mike L.
OK... here we go... For the boiler I would make vertical cuts out of the front part of an extra bachmann 2-8-0 boiler shell so it matches up. It will have o be spliced and filed to match up. The pilot is supported by and connected to the cylinder block by a screw on the underside. Also forgotten in the drawing are the smokebox support brackets which can also support the pilot. The new pilot truck will require a modified drawbar to connect it to something. That "something" is a long screw or peg on the underside of the chassis extension between the cylinder block and the drivers. The sand line is my mistake. It should run straight down and then curve towards the front driver. As for the other TW's, I may be able to draw something up for a lighter one from an Athearn/MDC 2-8-0, but It may not be as accurate. I'll see what I can do.
That is pretty much what I did to create this N&W 12 wheeler. Ops I just noticed the second pilot wheel is derailed.
Here's the SP light TwelveWheeler: built from an Athearn/ MDC 2-8-0. For this one you need a new cab, a taller shotgun stack, an oil bunker, air tanks, a sunbeam headlight & generator, injector pumps, move the steam dome, shorten the smokebox, a bachmann 4-wheel pilot truck (from their 4-8-2 mountain), number boards, an extended frame, etc. For this kitbash, remove the main rods and attatch them on the second set of drivers (sorry, flipping all the drivers won't work for this one.) That way you can keep the main rod and not have to cut it, while simultaneously correcting their placement (on the 2nd drivers) and making room for that 4-wheel pilot truck. Note: the injector pumps, headlight, air tank, generator & cab can be taken from a bachmann 2-8-0, and the pilot truck is from a bachmann heavy mountain (all of these are on Bachmann's online parts catalog) The SD&AE never ran one of these, but they're still pretty cool... and Mark Watson may have an athearn 2-8-0 or two (or three) sitting around for this kitbash! Enjoy!
This engine was my main inspiration for my SP version. (It's beautiful, by the way! Extremely well done!) Did SP TW's ever run on the SP in the area you model?
I don't believe the Atlantic lines ever had any. There were a few on the Mexican lines but most were Pacific lines and were mainly on the Portland division.
Here's one for a CENTRAL PACIFIC twelve wheeler! 19th century railroading has always intrigued me, and this would be a fun build!
Here's another design for the Bachmann tenwheeler, an SP T-1 with all the fixin's for an SP fire train. Though the line I model never had one like this in regular service, the San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railway dealt with fire fears ever since they built 600-foot trestles in 120+ degree summer heat in carriso gorge. I'm leaning more towards building this engine as my next big project. the stock 4-6-0 seems perfect for it. Just add a bachmann cab, make a whaleback tender (I have some brass tubing that may work for this), remove the valve gear, and slather on pipes & fittings galore and this will be one fun engine to have! Perhaps I could put SD&AE sub-lettering under the numbers... ...and I've heard a lot of people complain about the oversized tender for this engine. Well, the SP gave larger, second-hand tenders to small engines like this all the time, so it works!
Dear "proud SD&AE modeler Greatly admire your N scale SP 2-8-0, 4-6-0 and 2-6-0 steam conversions! Can you explain how you did the Whaleback Tender for the 4-6-0? Any photos? Last, have you given any thought to bashing a SP 4-4-2 Atantic? Dr. Karber KernRiverRR
Thanks!although I must say, most of these are merely concepts, and I've only built about four of these (and only three remain.) as for the whaleback, I'd cut the top half off of a bachmann spectrum usra medium tender then make the curve with a styrene half-round, or perhaps half of a small-diameter PVC pipe. The only importance is that the outer diameter matches the tender body width at the joint. Then, of court, the walkway, grabirons, running boards, fill hatches, ladders and other details must be added.Now, for the Atlantic, the SD&AE never ran any, and a plausible mod would require some serious motor and frame work. In theory, you could simply remove the third driver of the bachmann 4-6-0, add a trailing truck, and make other sp detail work, but the engine and drivers would be too small. Id say you would have to take a model power 4-6-2, cut the frame down to a 4-4-2, add new domes, etc, and figure out how to power it, but there is a trick: make the engine lighter and the drivers free-rolling and put a bachmann medium tender shell (with clear-view oil bunker) on a bachmann 44-tonner frame for a tender drive(don't quote me on this, just a theory). It may not be exact and pulling power will be limited, but it will be closer than the first option but still fairly doable.
There was an old resin kit that showed up on ebay. It was really only the tank. I had to add my own trucks, walkways, handrails hatches, drawbar and all that. As for an Atlantic, I kit bashed one from old Rivarossi Pacific parts.
Thanks TO R.I. Straw & SD&AE modeler I accidentally tripped over your blog, and was so impressed that I joined TrainBoard just to view your work and read your comments. Thanks for both of your insights & really enjoyed seeing your work as well conceptual kitbashes. If I have any success scratching a whaleback tender I will post. KEEP UP THE INSPIRING WORK!!! Dr.K
KernRiverRR, Welcome to TrainBoard! You are right - there are some really interesting and talented people here, R.I. Straw and SD&AE among them. Adam
