Well I am not pleased with the overall quality of the bachmann spectrum line. Not enough thought into function. There is plenty of visual appeal tho, and if mechanically more sound, maybe. So, I have been searching on the internet and not really finding ON30 Shay, Fourney, or 0-4-0 stuff other than the bachmann. I am willing to build from a kit, but need instructions. I have seen the one that is available at PS. I want more choices! I also see HO bachmann 3 truck shay kitbash kits out there, but I assume the HO stuff is equivalent in quality mechanically. Brass feels and sounds good. Point me please to such options or threads that will help. I did note PS has drive systems, but don't think I am ready(experienced enough) to scratch build a loco yet. Thanks Jack
Unfortunately, Bachmann seems to be a primary starting point for many conversions and bashes, besides their stock On30 line. Boulder Valley Models does offers a nice line of shells to convert various manufacturers chassis' for diesel and steam. Boxcab E50
Well I got one of the HO 3 truck 80 tonners from the auction house, and ordered a kit from Dallas for the sidewinder. I figure at least NWSL has the fix for this version. Actually I like the looks of the kit bash better than anything on the open market. Still tho I would like resources in ON30 as above.
Notes: #1) I don't understand what you mean with regard to function. If you mean hi-rail type traits (cigar smoke), then you won't find that. They are models. Mechanically, they run just fine. They do offer them with Tsunamis, but they are not capable as the full-function variety you buy separately. #2) Most On30 is Bachmann because it was a scale limited mostly to pseudo-scale conversions prior to B-man's 2-6-0 ten years ago. Broadway Limited Imports, PSC/MMI, AMS, and Grandt Line have all offered On30 locomotives. Grandt Line did offer most of their stuff in On30, but evidently there wasn't much of a market for it. Their 18ton porter is probably the finest locomotive ever offered for under $2000. Grandt rolling stock and locos PSC offers the same shay as B-man, but with a better motor and slightly different details. I don't know if it would be easy to convert to On30...it ought to be. Regardless, it is supposed to be a bear to assemble. Precision Scale Co., Inc. http://psc1.virtualfocus.com/images/110960675700002.jpg I would highly recommend building a craftsman locomotive kit (such as either a PSC or Grandt Line) prior to attempting to scratch build a locomotive. #3) Be careful with HO->On30 conversions. Some people don't mind them, but others (myself included) find that out-of-scale running gear looks too much like caricatures than models. No where is this more the case than with shays, heislers, and small drivered locomotives. If you don't mind the ones you've seen, then it is probably acceptable to you. But make sure you check...as you don't want to pour in time and money on something that you ultimately are unsatisfied with. Michael Edit: I just did a little checking: 2-truck shays typically had 26"-30". 3-truck shays had 30-36" wheels. The Western Maryland shay was listed as being 48", but it is an outlier. There are two surviving 30" gauge shays in the world...both have 28" wheels. Geared and Porter locomotives were assembled from stock parts. The difference was in the width of the frame, length of truck transoms, and length of axles...not in the running gear. This is the big problem with these conversions. It is aesthetically better to take the mechanism from a Lionel, MTH, or brass shay and regauge it than to use an HO mechanism which results in hideously undersized running gear. If it works for you, it is fine...but make certain that it does float you boat before it torpedos hours of work.
