Hi! I have an older 4-8-4 Northern Overland with Vandy tender and would like to get some more information about this loco. It seems to be from the third run with "white box" according to spookshow. The item number on the box is 53551 but I can't find any infos for this certain steamer, not even here on this hp. The loco is a very well runner, not loud and pulls everthing I hook. In order to extend the power pickup to the tender and put a little weight in it (ok, not really necessary) I am looking for a way to open the tender. There is no screw or clip to find and the whole thing seems to be glued. Where's the clue? Regards mathi
This engine you described...is it a Bachmann? From the way you described it, as a good puller. You are either very lucky or you have a fluke on your hands.
Well Rick, I am satisfied with this loco although in comparision to the common and similar german or european stuff I own over 30 years modelling. Since a german big tender loco cost more than twice or more this steamer is affordable to me. I bet there are much more costly US-steamer on the shelf serving a better job. This loco is not the latest and not the oldest Bachmann version, its the one before the splitframe came with the plastic chassis and metal side plates for pickup. Hence sort of splitframe to me. You might be right I am a lucky guy and the sun is shining out of my butt. Treating a model loco well and knowledgably is by no means much more difficult than treating a woman well. Regards Mathi
The thing is this model you mentioned. Is the one I gutted and now push around the layout with my Kato F7's. It looks like it's doing all the work while the diesels are just along for the ride. Even so, sitting out there in front of my Athearn FP45's, similar to what you'd see with the #3751. The steamer looks to be way out of proportion. Oversized...at best. Enjoy your locomotive. Treat it "Well".
Rick, I know you are a Santa Fe fan so you should know, the real 3700's should dwarf an FP45. http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?//september99/09-05-99/atxsf3751pc.jpg They scale out with 83" drivers at the flanges. The real thing had 80" at the tires so it's not a bad compromise. I'll leave the Bachmann comments alone with just this, my current generation 4-8-4 Northern will pull 45 cars before it starts to pull wheelies. It can pull more if I could weight the nose more.
Or this picture! I will try to get a picture of my Bmann, Northern in front of my FP45's. In the meantime here is another pic of #3751 in front of FP45's. You can see it is taller then they are but not wider. Dwarfing the FP 45's in height...is true. Tony, I'd like to know the number of cars your stove will pull up a 2% grade. You'll turn my head if it can pull that same 45 car train. From my perspective, it's not what a train can pull on the flat, that's no test. Although, I'm impressed it will pull that much. Mine never did. The real test is, what can it pull up a 2% grade? I appreciate your come back. The picture is not mine but used here for illustration and documentation. The credits can be found on the accompanying picture file information.
Is It Crow or Humble Pie...This Time The first one is a newer Bachmann, 4-8-4, Santa Fe, Northern. Parked in front of Bachmann's, CWW types. The second one is the same locomotive in front of Athearns, FP 45's. The third one is the same two locomotives...different angle. The fourth one is an overhead, with a Kato, Mikado in SP livery, on the right. The fifth one is the new Southern Pacific, Northern with a Vanderbilt Tender. I believe I referred to it as a standard tender before. Wow! We can get five pictures on board here. How about that? You are free to draw to your own conclusions. I'm not in charge of that. Me think wide brim must make-up own mind. Have fun!
Back to the original queston. Mathi, I just looked at the Vanderbilt tender on mine. I don't believe it would take much to run wires, add wipers to the mettle axles. This is feasible as far as I'm concerned. Go for it.
Rick, The boiler has not changed on these from day one. I have an original version with the tender that had pickup and a brand new version. Both shells are interchangable. As far as pull, I have no grades to try it on right now but that was done a a 11" R test loop with the train just about kissing it's tail. The train was almost always on 360 deg of 11"R which is a pretty good torture test. The problem was nosing in the corners. Larger radius would make like alot easier on it.
Tony, I have good news. Steve, comes over and suggests, "Let's see what my stoves can do?" Ok, I'm game up. I send the Santa Fe Northern around the layout and yeah, that was pretty good. Steve, ever impatient to get a train in behind them..."Let's add some cars". The only trains I have on the layout, besides work trains, is my Kato, Santa Fe Chief and a ConCor and Rivarossi mix for the SP Valley Lark. I back the Santa Fe Northern up, prepared to couple to the ten car Chief. I look around and find a Santa Fe box car, a transition car and we are coupled up and ready to highball. Then we back up the Southern Pacific stove and couple it to a transition daylight car, as part of the seven car SP Valley Lark. The Santa Fe Chief takes to the tracks first. Starts the climb and I'm watching, just sure this is the end of the run. It climbs, still climbing, doesn't slip the drivers, my mouth drops to the floor, it keeps climbing, my eyes wide as saucers, through Stan's curve. I hear myself saying, "What the hell". Steve, laughing..."How about that Bachmann $#!+?" Finally, up and through the tightest curve and steepest grade 2.6% with the whole train. Is that right? I ask. Steve responds, "Sure is..." Continuing, "Pulls as good as your Kato or ConCor GS4...right?" "Unh hha...well...sort of," I say . Still in denial. He's seen what they can do. Steve asking, "Now let's see what you're SP steamer can do? I throw the points on the switch, set the toggle switch to cab A, and we are ready to go. Out it comes pulling it's seven car train. Up and through the helix, Stan's curve and the last steep hill climb without slipping. Me...speechless...thinking expletives, I can't repeat here...now what do I say to all my friends? They aren't going to believe me ever again... and such things boiling up from my fear department. Creditable as in trustworthy... a wash. Time to sit in my corner, I reprimand myself. Gosh! Steve, "Let's add some more cars". I choose the Chief. One car at a time. Remember we started with 10. I add one and we have 11 cars and it makes it up the hill with no appreciable struggle, 12 cars not bad but does slow, 13 cars slips once. Steve, roaring with laughter...me white with panic and going into shock. Well, not quite. Steve was belly laughing at my facial expressions and comments by now. I reach over to the jewel box and ask Steve to take out the parts list. This isn't the old Bachmann, I proclaim. "No kidding" he responds. He's looking to see if it's DCC ready. I'm wanting to see what in the ____ did they do? I once said if Bachmann, would power up three of the drivers...gear driven, add a bigger motor and flywheel it would make all the difference in the world. Oh, and some added weight balanced over the drivers. After glancing at the parts list Steve says, "Look at this." "This is exactly what you've been preaching". I examine the list and it is everything I've railed on and then some. "Why, didn't someone tell me?", I asked Steve. He looked at me, grinned a bigger grin then mine and said, "They've been trying to". "Isn't that a fact", I respond and it is. Tony, It's no wonder you have been such an avid advocate for Bachmann. Looks like this warrior, has heard the eagle talk and acknowledges the wisdom of his ways. My drums are quiet, for now. I'm on your side or in your camp. I hope that's ok! Now we can have some real fun! The only question yet to be answered is: How long will this last? The motor? I hope longer then 24 hours. Some things are meant to be and somethings take forever.
Good morning Rick, my tentacles are out in search for a Heavy mountain now. So I will run my Overland as long as it runs silent enough and creepy slow with no stalls whatsoever even over my old Minitrix 24° switches with plastic frogs. If its giving up his gost sooner or later I will by me the latest version. For now I decided to leave this tender as it is because it doesn't truly need any pickup extension. I have wipers here in my drawer but without opening the body I can't see a way to swap the truck srews (they don't go thru the chassis) into scews with nuts after drilling a hole thru the chassis and connecting it to the wiring (hoping I made it clear?) BTW: Does anyone know what this item no. 53551 means? Not even the Bach-Mann replied to this question!!! Best regards Mathi
Mathi, I want to follow up on that part number. I won't have time today so, I will get back to you later tonight or tomorrow. I have the older parts lists. I will give them a look and see if I can come up with anything. I have an older Union Pacific, Overland in the Greyhound paint scheme with the Vanderbilt tender. I will give that tender a going over and see what I can learn. Still reeling from yesterdays discovery. Awesome, my head still won't allow me to believe it. It's for real. But.....! What pullers and meets all my rules for a locomotive. Wow! And I have you, Tony and Steve to thank for it. Have fun and enjoy that locomotive.
Bachmann Conventional wisdom has always sais: "Bachmann is junk!" Now we have a Epiphany: The new stuff is good! My question is is it DCC ready,or is DCC on board like with the heavy Mountain? If it truly is great, maybe we won't have to wait for Athearn to release the FEF 4-8-4! Jerry
The new units I own: Is not DCC ready, is not Spectrum, is not the old Bachmann Northern Stoves. The only thing on her, that's the same old same old, is the dress she's wearing. It's still the same old shell. The hard part to believe: My two new units walked away with my thirteen car Kato, Santa Fe, Chief. With no hidden... powered box car in assist. You've got to see this for yourself. I still don't believe it and I saw it.
UP Northern Type Good afternoon Mathi, Sorry, it took so long to get back to you. What a day. To much to explain. Water is shut off in my mobile home park. Sheez. Back to the business at hand: I believe the number #53551 is the I.D. number of the locomotive. For example: On the box of my Santa Fe Northern it is #58052 and on my SP 4-8-4 it is #58157. If someone else knows better, then I hope they will feel free to jump in here and correct this. I've attached a picture of my Bachmann UP Northern. Followed by, a picture of the prototype UP Northern. Look closely and you can see the tenders are different. Update: I just came in from running my UP stove and it is everything, I ever said "BAD", about Bachmann. It's the reason there are many of us who haven't wanted anything more to do with Bachmann. So, beware. GRRRRRR! Note the shiny wheels on the drivers, that's a good cue to leaverite there. I looked at both of my SP and UP, Vanderbilt tenders and they are the same. I don't think Bachmann ever thought or anticipated that someone might want to get into them to add a decoder or wire up the rear light. It appears the shell has been glued down to the frame. I would have to pry them apart to separate them. This might cause more problems then it's worth. Do you need a parts list? I will be off line for awhile. Good visiting with you.
Your model has a 6-axle Vanderbilt tender, as UP's earlier 4-8-4s were fitted with. The prototype there is one of UP's later 4-8-4s with a 7-axle centipede tender.
Hey Rick, and thanks for the effort to find something out for me, I appreciate!!! The tender is exactly the same I've got, so I'll keep my hands off. Now I'm thinking about a small and flat piece of lead to be glued under the chassis and black painted, virtually invisible and giving a tiny amount of weight. Enjoy the new Bach-experiences! Best regards Mathi
