Steam...

[Sumpter250]

SP Daylight 4449 saw some run time in BNSF paint on BNSF rails. It is also a 4-8-4.

I have to ask, it did?, in BNSF paint?, because the BN and SF merger is very recent, and I thought 4449 had been retired before that.
CB&Q, WP, SP&S, and what ever other fallen flags that became BN would also be valid choices for road names. The fallen flags would have been more likely to have operated steam. I'm probably wrong, but I don't recall the BN as having steam in operation.

[Tom]

It did get a Dark Green (similar to Olive Drab but darker and more gray in it) and BNSF logos for a series of trips on the BNSF for Employee Appreciation Specials back about 8 or 9 years ago.

[COMBAT]

OK, anyone have any idea on where to check for one of those??? I am interested!

Bachmann makes one with DCC on board for a fair price. Shop around on some of the Ebay stores or one of the large discount train houses in Model Railroader and you'll find a good deal on one. Athearn makes "foobie" cars that are too short and of the wrong type, but they look good behind the Bachmann 4449 in the Daylight scheme, or you could go with IHC or Rivarossi, both good choices. If you go the IHC route though, you'll definitely want to add weight (the cars are featherweight) and change the wheels out to metal ones for better operational reliability. McHenry makes a knuckle coupler conversion for the Rivarossi cars that works ok, but if it were me, *I* would body mount the couplers. If you plan to run heavyweights behind your steamer, Athearn makes great heavyweight cars, but for a little extra coin, Bachmann Heavyweights feature interiors and lighting and look FANTASTIC. I was given a 7 car set as a gift and I LOVE 'em. Let me know if you'd like a pic of those. I've also got several of the Athearn streamlined and heavyweight cars too. I'd be happy to provide pics or more info on them. Lastly, the Bachmann cars do have one big advantage over the Athearn in that they feature diaphrams and somewhat close coupling by way of a swiveling body mounted coupler (Kadee #5's drop right in) that swivels with the trucks via a "steering linkage" arm inside the car. Works like a charm. Just VERY nice cars. A little more pricey than Athearn and Roundhouse cars, about on average with Rivarossi and IHC cars price wise, but WELL worth it. In my opinion, the best value for HO passenger cars.

*I* personally would stick with a smaller engine, but if you have your heart set on a 4-8-4 Northern, that's great! It'll work just fine, just remember, it is YOUR railroad, and the only one person you have to please is yourself. If YOU are happy with it, that is all that matters! Best of luck to you and please, keep us posted as to what you decide to get train wise for your steam excursion set. I'm very interested!

Happy Railroading!

Yes please post pictures. Always want to see those! Thank you!!

[COMBAT]

You're right Combat, I'm sorry, it was rude of me to assume that you'd take my advice. No hard feelings.

Thanks, its not that I will or wont take your advice. I appreciate everyones advice and I am VERY worried that it may not work because of your advice. I know nothing about steam or how it works and I am still hoping someone will post pictures. I do appreciate your kind words and no hard feelings.

[COMBAT]

SP Daylight 4449 saw some run time in BNSF paint on BNSF rails. It is also a 4-8-4.

I have to ask, it did?, in BNSF paint?, because the BN and SF merger is very recent, and I thought 4449 had been retired before that.
CB&Q, WP, SP&S, and what ever other fallen flags that became BN would also be valid choices for road names. The fallen flags would have been more likely to have operated steam. I'm probably wrong, but I don't recall the BN as having steam in operation.

Well thats what it says..

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.railking1gauge.com/detail.asp?item=80-3118-1">http://www.railking1gauge.com/detail.asp?item=80-3118-1</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mthhotrains.com/Gs4.asp">http://www.mthhotrains.com/Gs4.asp</a><!-- m -->
80-3118-1 BNSF (Black) 4-8-4 Gs4 Steam Engine w/Proto-Sound 3.0

[COMBAT]

Alright here it goes. I was talking to my Dad and it turns out we have an OLD HO 2-10-4 engine. I didnt know anything about it. I am not sure how old it is but its got to be in the double digits, maybe 20 years???

So, I took some pictures of it on the 22" tracks, is this the over hang people speak of?





I did not power the engine and try to run it because it does have smoke and sound and with it being so old I was affriad it could damage the engine. I have DCC and just didnt want to take the chance. So any comments?

[UP SD40-2]

yep, thats exactly how they look on 22r

[Tom]

Ok, here are some photos of the Bachmann Heavyweight cars that I recieved as a gift from a friend of mine. He asked me to liquidate all of his collection on E-bay, and gave me a brand new DCC set and these cars as a gift for doing so. 5 of them are Pennsylvania cars (complete set, baggage car, 3 4 axle coaches and an observation car), and two other SP Daylight cars (a diner and a 6 axle coach). These cars would look right at home on 22" radius curves and I am confident that you'll be happy with them.

Hopefully, you can see the details pretty well and some of the inside interior details. I would recommend these cars to anyone. I'll get my Athearn Streamlined cars down and snap some photos of them later tonight or tomorrow if you'd like. They have no real details, no lights, or interiors like the Bachmann cars, but on layouts with smaller radius curves, they look sharp and run very well. I *think* my MDC Roundhouse 60' Harriman cars are boxed in storage along with my Rivarossi 85' Streamlined cars, so unfortunately, I can't get photos of them without going out to the garage and pulling half of it out to get to them, but I will say that despite their lack of details, they also look and run great.

Best bang for your bucks in my opinion though? The Bachmann Heavyweights.

Photos:    
   
   

[Tom]

   
   
   

[Tom]

   
   
   

[Tom]

   
   

I haven't done anything with these cars yet, other than to pair the 5 Pennsy cars with my undecorated Rivarossi 2-8-4 Berkshire (Itself a NICE locomotive) on a shelf in my makeshift office here in my apartment. I had planned to paint the cars in a burgandy and silver scheme and letter them for my home road, and letter that engine "Polar Express" (since it is a model of the 2-8-4 modeled in the famous movie) and run them around the Christmas tree, but work got in the way. Oh well, next year...

[Tom]

Alright here it goes. I was talking to my Dad and it turns out we have an OLD HO 2-10-4 engine. I didnt know anything about it. I am not sure how old it is but its got to be in the double digits, maybe 20 years???

So, I took some pictures of it on the 22" tracks, is this the over hang people speak of?


I did not power the engine and try to run it because it does have smoke and sound and with it being so old I was affriad it could damage the engine. I have DCC and just didnt want to take the chance. So any comments?

Yep, that's the overhang that folks speak of. But again, it's YOUR railroad, so, if you're happy with it, then go for it. Just take it a lottle slow to avoind derailments.

You could test that magnificent beast with the DCC system and it'll be alright, but I wouldn't run it all the time on DCC.

[COMBAT]

Well that is a 2-10-4 so its bigger then the 4-8-4 I was looking at, at least i think it is????

I am ok with that overhang I guess, as long as there is no side swipe and to much over hang that would cause it to hit things.

[Tom]

Well that is a 2-10-4 so its bigger then the 4-8-4 I was looking at, at least i think it is????

I am ok with that overhang I guess, as long as there is no side swipe and to much over hang that would cause it to hit things.

I am not 100% positive, but I *think* the Bachmann 2-10-4 is the same body as the Bachmann standard 4-8-4, at least yours looks just like my 4-8-4, so it would be about the same size wise. The 2-10-4 just has smaller drive wheels to fit one more axle under it. The tender on the 2-10-4 is bigger than most of the 4-8-4 model tenders. Bottom line, if the 2-10-4 will work on your layout, the 4-8-4 will do just fine.

[Mileswestern]

That Bachmann 2-10-4 and the 4-8-4 you're looking at have identical chassis and frames, just different wheel arrangements.

Are you sure you like having the cab in the next county when it goes around a curve?