Hello all. I realize I may be jumping the gun slightly on this one, but I was just able to purchace a Bachmann Baldwin modern 4-4-0! In stunning GN green, red and graphite of course! It will be arriving next week.
Normally I would not post until I have the locomotive in hand but I simply cannot contain my excitement. I got a smoking hot deal on it, so all the better! This will only be my second steamer, my first was a BLI 2-8-0 which I was forced to return because of decoder problems. So painful but sadly so necessary. [#dots] It was a truely beautiful engine but it was not worth dealing with the Paragon nightmare. So off it went[:'(].
I will be posting some photos and an update when the 4-4-0 arrives. I have been coveting this model for many a month, hence my ecitement at one being sold for only $135. (No I was not scammed, I just have some GOOD connections[;)]). Anyway, just wanted to give this earth moving news![(-D]
'Dawg, NICE SCORE! As far out of era as they are on my layout, 4-4-0s are my favorite steam arrangement, and a Rivarossi “Genoa” was my first ever steam loco. I snuck a peek on google, that’s a great looking loco. Thanks for sharing.
Now, get out there and set up camp by that mailbox… Dan
Hey, that’s a great reason to get excited. I have two of them, and they are sweet little runners. A bit light on their feet, but the real ones were light too! Here in Canada, the last 4-4-0 ran until 1960, so I can run it along side with diesels without shame [:)]. Mine came without sound, but I managed to install a sound decoder and bury the speaker under a heap of coal. Definitely a favorite.
There’s a thread somewhere about making minor changes to the umbilical connector on this model which would be worth a look. Mine is the Spectrum version with sound. The tender is packed with the decoder, speaker and lightboard. Not enough room for tender weights.
I modified the tiny cable on mine with good results. The issue is the tender is so light and the insulating sleeve over the 6 wire connecting harness is so stiff the tender derails rather too easily.
That connector cord is quite long and as delivered by Bachmann can hang too low and catch the odd turnout frog, wing or guard rail. There’s a bit of room inside the tender to stuff some of that excess back inside.
If yours derails a few times (especially in reverse) when you first run it take a look at that connector and consider modifying it a bit. Mine runs beautifully now. The detail on this particular model is very good.
I’m still looking for a good GN 4-4-0. I’m looking for that Old West kinda look like I found with this 4-6-2.
She’s a handsome little beast but I’ll have to say I was unpleasantly surprised. I didn’t do my research on this Key Brass before I bought it. It’s equipped with Tender Drive because the motor wouldn’t fit in that slender body style. It doesn’t have much pulling power to speak of at all and is almost worthless in reverse. That’s okay, it will just be a show and go locomotive.
A while back I got a Roundhouse GN 34’ Overton four car kit. These little western-looking passenger cars are quite small and will look like they’re made for that locomotive with a small caboose. I did a test and she pulls those up a 2% curved grade no problem.
For the inexpensive price I paid being that it’s brass, I’d probably buy it again after all because I really like the Cosmetic look of it.
The thing is really heavy, it’s just too bad the drive is pushing all the weight, otherwise I think it would have a lot of pulling power. It probably performs the same way it did when it was new out of the box because the thing does run smooth.
TF, I really like the low profile look of that loco. Reminds me of narrow gauge equipment. Is there any room in the tender to add weight? Seems like a shame to not have it as part of your regular roster.
That’s a good idea Simon. Back in the day I used to put sand bags in the back of my 2 wheel drive truck bed in the winter for traction, that really helped. Same principle I guess.
I have a lot of lead split shot fishing line weights from when I lived on the resort. They could be easily melted down and formed into plates or bars. Even a plaster mold of the coal load could be made to do a lead cast if there’s no room in the tender.
Thanks for the idea Simon, I’ll have to check that out.
