Steam locos
Weighting pilot wheels
I have a Bachmann 2-8-4 steam loco. It was a terrible puller. I added weight to it to equalize the weight on the drivers as most of the weight on this loco was on the rear driver. It now pulls quite well.
The problem I have is that the front pilot wheels weigh practically nothing and need only the tiniest excuse to derail. They will derail where nothing else will (usually on turnouts), and the NMRA gauge does not show any issues. I'm thinking more weight on the pilot would be my friend.
How to Repair a Bachmann Climax
Bachmann has made several versions of the Climax Locomotive in HO scale and On30. They have made a 50 ton 2 truck version and a 70 ton 3 truck version. While these are well detailed locomotives they all suffer from problems with the drive train. The latest versions of these locomotives use metal gears and seem to be fine, the older versions used plastic gearing and, I suspect, that pretty much 100% of them have failed in some fashion.
BLI ON30 2 8 0 Dummy Coupler
Looking for information on replacing dummy coupler with a working coupler
Jerry Hampton
Need Help Identifing a Steamer
Can anyone identify what locomotive this shell belongs to. I found it on Greenway Products, but the site doesn't give any information about it. I want to build a locomotive from it and learn about another fine loco.
Spectrum 2-6-6-2 Short Followup
Alright, everybody, I know this is LONG overdue, but here are some pics for the followup to the short in my spectrum articulated. To make a long story short, it turned out, like some of you had suggested, that it was a loose connection with the driver truck wires. So anyway, I went ahead and fixed that. While I was at it, I found out the circuit board in the locomotive had gone bad, so I pulled it out and replaced it with a set of Micro-Mark mini connectors.
PRR Steam Turbine model by Broadway Ltd & GREAT layout
Just happened across this video of a testing of the then new PRR S2 steam locomotive model on a Great layout. Well worth the viewing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ73dotqoIU
Phishing Fraud ALERT Springfield Show Accommodations
URGENT! Someone is calling, saying they are from Comfort Inns and they are having computer problems with the reservation system for the 26 the and 27th. To keep your reservation they need you to give them your credit card number for verification. HANG UP!
Follow the Amhurst Sponsor logo go to Accommodations get the hotel number and call them. They are aware of the phishing. They will give you the police number to report the call. They will not ask for your CC number. If you gave out CC number call your card provider.
Get started on weathering steamers - It´s fun!
I just finished weathering two steamers (one of them here in the photo). If you would like to have some inspiration of how to get started with simple weathering, please check out the short how-to video.
Weathering the Old West
So, I plan to make an "Old West" train, as accurate to the 1870s as i can... but, with my own twist (because I';m a bit of a nutter)
I have a number of B.T.S. "War Between the States" cars... but I also have a plastic "SOU" passenger car.
Eventually, I want to have everything weathered right for "1870"... in other words, the cars are new enough not to be too bad, and the crew are proud of their trains.
What's the Best Way to Clean Brass Locomotives?
I received a very nice brass steam locomotive from a special friend a few years ago for Christmas. It's an LIRR-inspired G-5 4-6-0 and it's the first brass engine I've ever owned. Therefore, I am ignorant to the type of maintenance it requires and am rather apprehensive to jump into any type of service project without some community advice.
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