These are some photos of some of my modified Bachmann locos.
The first is a 2-8-4 rebuilt into a Lima super power 2-8-2, similar to those built for the Detroit Toledo & Ironton.
I removed the 4 wheel training truck and installed the brass two wheel booster equiped trailing truck from PSC. This required building a completely new drawbar system for the loco as well.
I also added about 6 oz to the loco and about 2 oz to the tender. The DCC decoder and RF filter capacitor were removed from the tender circuit board.
The loco runs smooth and slow and will pull about 38 of my 5.4 oz Athearn 50’ piggyback flats on level track.
This is a Spectrum USRA Heavy Mountain with Hicken Tender and Delta trailing truck modifications.
This is a Spectrum 2-6-6-2 with a vandy tender and Delta training truck conversion.
Please note, none of these are weathered yet or have been to final paint shop operations.
This brass parts are from Precision Scale Co., www.precisionscaleco.com, they have what was the “Kemtron” line years ago.
Yes I run DC and do not care for onboard sound in small scales like HO.
Dual mode decoders do not work well with the Aristo Train Egineer throttles I use. Removing the RF filter improves slow speed starting and control with this type of throttle.
The Delta trailing trucks on the other locos are modified Bachmann parts.
The first one looks like an ex 2-8-4 Berkshire, not a 4-8-2. The large firebox required a four wheel trailing truck to support the weight. It is fun to modify models and you have certainly changed the overall configuration of each model.
My favorite is the 1360 Heavy mountain 4-8-2 with the upgraded trailing truck and SP 16000 tender? Nice looking model! Have you considered removing the ash pans on that 1360 Mountain since the tender is an oil type?? You could modify the tender to hold coal if your railroad is in the east.
You are correct and that was a typo which I have edited. I did a lot of research on the DT&I 800’s, the various Lima Bershires and some of the largest Mikes before doing this project.
Fact is the Great Northern O-8 Mikado’s had 70" drivers and larger fireboxes than the classic LIma Berkshire. The GN locos also had more weight on their drivers. The single axle trailing truck on the DT&I 800 Mikados carried 70,000 lbs. So depending on track and other conditions, the loco I have built could have been built if someone had asked Lima for a 69" driver Mikado.
So “need” is a relative term regarding those bigger fireboxes.
I like the DT&I 2-8-2’s since they looked almost like the 2-8-4’s they purchased also. I was not aware of the O8 having such a large firebox, but it would have been for use with the poor grade coal. The O8’s were very large Mikado’s.
The little hint of the ash pans is molded into the loco and I will likely leave it be. The loco is oil fired because many cities in the east required them or electric at downtown stations for smoke abaitment.
All the Western Maryland’s Pacific’s were oil fired. The B&O and many other eastern roads did use oil fired locos for some of their passenger service.
That’s a cool looking Mountain, Sheldon. OTOH, I’m an SP fan and the 160C-1 tender adds an air of class to the engine that it lacks with the original USRA long tender.
Looking at the other locos, you have a good eye for steam esthetics. Your engines may be free-lanced, but they look like they really could have existed.
Let’s get this straight, you have taken it upon yourself to alter an existing steam locomotive, you mean it is no longer like the prototype??? Holy Smoke ! ! you may have broken the #1 sin of Model railroading, we on this forum will have to seek the proper punishment, maybe I shouldn’t mention my brass Berk, with a NYC 12 wheel tender (not prototypical) but sure looks great. by the way, nice work.
I know, I’m one of those old time freelancers who did not get the memo about “following a prototype”, but, my freelanced ATLANTIC CENTRAL does interchange with the B&O, C&O and WESTERN MARYLAND.
So we have nice balance between “prototype modeling” and “protolancing” for some fun “what if” stuff.
I think that the Bachmann Berks are pretty nice. I have one here to be modified for a friend, although it’ll still be a Berkshire when it’s done. Some details need to be changed (separate steam and sand domes, different pilot and a shortened tender, along with alligator crossheads to replace the Laird-type. I plan on removing the circuit board, too.
I was recently having some intermittent electrical problems with my modified Bachmann USRA light Mountain, and removed the circuit board and all of the plugs between the loco and tender.
These were replaced with a pair of wires from the tender connected directly (through a plug) to the pick-up feeds from the loco’s wheels, then directly to the motor. Not only was the contact problem solved, but the loco responds much better to all of my throttles.
That Mountain is great looking, nice work. What delta trailing truck did you use?
I remove the RF filter capacitor that is across the motor leads from all the Bachmann circuit boards. I found that alone fixes all those issues of poor starting and slow speed.
The Berks need a little weight to pull well, But when you grt it apart you will see it has lots of room. With ease I added about 6 oz to mine and I may look for ways to add a little more to the next 3.
Now I just need to get all these into the paint shop. The Mikes will be lettered Atlantic Central, the others just need final weathering and clear coats.
Thanks, Sheldon. The Delta trailer is from a Rivarossi Pacific, I believe.
Part of my reason for removing the entire circuit board is that I remove the cast coal loads from all my locos’ tenders, too, then build open bunkers for use with loose “coal”. I don’t always fill the bunkers, though, so usually there’s some sheet lead beneath the bunker, and enough lead in blocks in the cistern area of the tender to allow it to track well. Filling the coal bunker doesn’t add too much weight, as I use coke breeze, which isn’t all that dense.
The other reason for axing the boards is because I don’t use them for lighting, either, preferring instead to remove all loco lights and replace them with MV lenses.
Wayne, yes that is a good reason to ditch the circuit board. I will say you are more ambitious than I with your loose coal loads. No question they look great. I just have a lot of motive power and am building a large layout.
I keep the lighting, but am not obsessed with lighting effect like so many these days. The MV lens thing is just as good a choice in my mind and a few of my locos are that way as well.
I add weight to all the Bachmann tenders anyway to get them to track better, better electrical pickup, and better backing with the long train I run.
Thank you for the correction, not sure where my brain was on that one. But contrary to popular believe, oil fired steamers were used in the east. Some users were the FEC, WM and B&M.
