I own several Bachmann HO Spectrum 2-8-0’s from my previous B&O, WM layout. Fine runners but they are too big for my current layout, or so I thought. I did some research this weekend and the Las Vegas & Tonopah RR had 3 consolidations that appear similar in size to the Spectrum model. Whoopie!! All I have to do is take the B&O lettering off, replace the headlights with Arc lamps, add oil bunkers to the tenders, and letter them for the LV&T. Too bad there are no decal sets for that railroad.
Now I am trying to figure out how to get them on the layout and how to turn them since it is a point to point design and is only 16 inches wide. My current turntable is only 60 feet long and clearly won’t work. Since none of these Nevada mining railroads actually used turntables (they used wyes, except for the T&G at Goldfield) my new idea is to build turntables off the scenicked portions of the layout and have the engines discretely go there to be turned like the are going to the wyes which are off the layout. Since Atlas turntables would be the logical, inexpensive route to go I need to know if these Spectrum 2-8-0s fit or can it be modified so that they fit. Opinions? - Nevin
The Atlas turntable is 9 inches across, which comes out to 65 1/4 feet. Mine barely fits a Proto 0-6-0 with tender. The important length to measure is from the first to the last wheels, including the tender. The rest of the engine can hang over, as long as the wheels all fit.
If this is an out-of-sight turntable, it wouldn’t be too hard to mount a longer piece of track on top of the deck. It gets tricky to keep the rails in alignment while doing this, but if you’re just going to turn the engines then you only need one mating track, and that shouldn’t be too bad.
It should fit, the Spectrum 2-8-0 is about the same size as the 2-10-0 and I know that will fit on the Atlas TT. Easy way to find out is either measure the wheelbase of one of the engines, or go pick up a piece of Atlas 9" snap track. It’s the same length as the TT exactly, so anything that will fit on the snap track will fit on the turntable.
i hate to pop your bubble, but, why worry about turning the engine at all. many smaller railroads did not. assuming the tender has a back up light for night operations they pull just as much backwards as forwards.
just not as fast in reverse motion.
even the class ones didn’t give think it as important as many modelers do. cross town transfer jobs and mine switchers ran with the locomotive reversed half the time.
granted, they do look better going down the track front end first and when backing you loose the advantage of the pilot truck wheels on a 2-8-0.
on my layout, the only yard or transfer engine that must be turned a certain way is the one working the drill job in the classification yard since the lead is on a bit of a curve and all the switch stands are on the right hand side of the lead.
I just checked by placing my Spectrum 2-8-0 on a 9" section of track. The engine with the standard tender is " too long" to fit on the section of track.
When the engine is placed on the 9" track either the last wheel on the tender or the front wheel of the lead truck is off.
Too bad, however, if you replaced the tender with anything shorter it would then fit.