I received mine today. Smooth runner and looks great, but…I’m not seeing a tender mounted operating back up light as listed in the specs on BLI’s web page. Am I crazy AND blind? (entirely possible-just ask my wife!) Was it a miss-print or was something changed in production? Just a reality check… Thanks.
Captain:
Just checked my first-run BLI AC-5 and there’s no backup light there, either. Come to think of it, I could be wrong (and if I am, I’ll hear about it, LOL!), but I think that the first of the ‘modern’ SP AC’s to have a back-up light were the ‘transitional’ AC-6 series.
I’ll have to hunt up my Cab-Forward book.
Tom [:)]
Thanks Tom. It’s funny how the printed word from BLI made me doubt my own senses! It’s kinda crappy that it was listed when it didn’t exist but it’s not THAT big of a deal. Just wanted to see if more than one tender was made/supplied or something… I was thinking of checking out the prototypes to see if the AC 4s had 'em in the real world.
Tom,
Check your book. I thought it was supposed to be there and BLI screwed up and left it off…I would like to know for sure. I have two of the first run cab forwards, no tender lights here either.
Guy
Captain/Guy:
Found my AC " Bible"–THOSE AMAZING CAB FORWARDS by George Harlan.
No photos of back-up lights at all on the AC-4-5’s. There is one photo of an AC-6 with a back-up light on its semi-Vanderbuilt tender, but it looks as if it was put on by SP and not at the Baldwin loco works, as it’s the only photo in the book of a back-up light on an AC semi-Vanderbuilt tender.
Evidently the first back-up lights factory-supplied on the AC’s were the built-in backup lights set in the rear of the big rectangular tenders of the AC-7 through 12. But the three earlier classes with the semi-Vandy tenders didn’t have them unless at times SP applied them themselves.
So I’d say that our BLI’s are modeled as delivered by Baldwin and not later modified (if at all) by SP.
Tom
Tom,
Thanks for the leg work on this. Nice to know that the absence of a back up light appears to be prototypical.
BTW: Has anyone seen the “corrected” version of the Intermountain AC 12. I heard it was coming out but haven’t seen any mention of it on any lists (Ebay, SP list etc.)
Tom: Are you going to be on the layout tours when the NMRA National convention is in Sacramento next year? It would be fun to see all that brass in person…
Guy
I purchased mine a couple of months ago and ran it for about 15 minutes on my DC layout. It chugged OK. Yesterday, I tried it again and it would not chug. I checked the tender to loco wires and they appear to be OK. Any suggestions? Peter Smith, Memphis
Tom
I have pictures in later years of a Pyle National headlight mounted on the top at the rear of the water section on a AC4. I believe the SP did mount the Pyle Nationals on some of the AC4 and AC5 tenders but they certainly did not have them when they were new.
CZ
Guy:
I haven’t heard anything so far about the Intermountain AC-12. I sure hope that the bugs are worked out on the new version–I saw the original at my LHS, and the model itself was incredibly handsome. But with a top speed of only 25smph and poor tracking and pulling quality, it was definitely not a loco I’d want on my layout. If the newer version has been improved substantially, I might bite for one.
Actually, I wish someone would come out with a non-brass AC-6. That’s my all-time favorite cab-forward.
As to the NMRA Convention–I didn’t know it was scheduled for Sacramento. I’m not a member, so I doubt that I’ll be on any ‘layout tours’. But it’s nice to know that the convention will be held right here in River City, LOL! I’ll have to plan on attending some of it.
Tom
I’d prefer an AC-2 or -3 (2-8-8-2) with a whaleback tender. Haven’t we enough cab-forward 4-8-8-2s already?
Mark
Mark:
Compound or simple, LOL? I agree, those AC 2-8-8-2’s were really unique and good-looking locos, IMO. And I love whaleback tenders. When Sunset came out with their SP 2-8-0’s, I made sure the version I got had a whaleback. Looks neat. [:P]
Tom [:)]
Tom,
My bad. The convention is in Sacramento in 2011!! Here is a link…
I know most of the guys on the committees, They’re all nice guys. they might let you be on the tour without NMRA membership. (If that sort of thing is of interest).
Mark: I would love to see an early AC as well. I end up drooling over the brass AC-2 at the Trainshop in Santa Clara. I wish some one would do a whale back tender in plastic…Bachmann are you listening? Everytime I see one in brass on Ebay, it goes for big bucks relative to other brass tenders…
Peter: how well does the new Intermountain track? Any derailment issues?
Guy
Since I model post-1930, I’d want them simpled. But with a bit more work, the manufacturer could/should provide both simple and compound versions. Love whalebacks – want more. Got them behind a couple locos: Mk and C class locos. I also acquired an unpainted brass whaleback for that future non-brass D&SL 2-6-6-0 I pray will be coming.
Mark
Well, the Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society has its annual conference in Sacramento in exactly one year from now (Sept 30–Oct 2, 2010). I believe it will be at the Doubletree Hotel. The society sponsors layout tours during its conventions, leastwise layouts SP-based or inspired.
Mark
The whaleback tenders seen behind some SP locos in the late-steam era came from retired AC-1, -2. -3s as well as its 4-6-6-2 locos.
Mark
Thanks Tom for your prototype look up. I posted the same question on the BLI site/forum so perhaps they’ll change the spec/description (?)
I love those whale backs too. Whenever this topic comes up, it gives me another chance to post a picture of my bashed SP 4-8-0 and scratch built whale back. There are a lot of plans and pictures of cab-forward whale backs in Robert J. Church’s book “Cab-Forward” Peter Smith, Memphis 
WOW! I’ve got to say that there aren’t many locos that really blow me away, but this one sure does. Imagine how that would look through the forest of the S.D.S. 
Double WOW. I would love to run my loco through all of your fantastic scenery. How did you make all of those fantastic trees? The best I have done to this point is four. WOW! You have started me building trees. Peter Smith, Memphis 