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(updated) On30 Mogul & 4-6-0 options (early rail) Locos and rolling stock
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Frequent poster 918 posts Yannis Frequent poster 918 posts
Yannis

Dear all,

I am hoping that everyone is having a great summer. I am looking into adding a Mogul or a 4-6-0 next to the couple of Porters that i will have in my On30 small layout (1870s - 1880s, old-West style freelanced, 18" curves if i use a Mogul,  ~20" if a 4-6-0 is chosen).

The idea is to have a Porter haul a mine (ore) run train from a town area (steamboat landing) up to the mines' area and back down to the stamping mill placed a bit beyond (near) the town (or even replace the mill with an ore dock for steamboat transfer of the ore).

Instead of having a 2nd Porter haul a single passenger train plus 1-2 freight cars to/from the town and the mines, I was thinking that maybe a backdated Mogul or a 4-6-0 might fit better here. (feel free to comment on this).

I have two three options, a DC and a DCC (non sound) version for the Mogul (DCC is ~80% more expensive than the DC locally) and the 4-6-0 which is also DCC (but non sound).

The Mogul DCC version has tender pickup and metal gears. The Mogul DC does not (plastic gears and no pickup from the tender). At some point a loksound decoder will be added to either. So my questions:

  • If i opt for a Mogul, does it make sense to go for the DCC version or the DC and convert*?
  • Is the new drive with the metal gears better to justify the extra cost for the DCC Mogul?
  • Concerning the 4-6-0 which i like a lot, does it make sense to backdate it for 1880's or is it too modern for the era even backdated?
  • I will be using 20" radii so I guess (hope) the 4-6-0 will work here? it does not seem much longer than the 2-6-0.

 

*I have done Genesis F7 DCC conversions with LED lights instead of bulbs etc... in the past, but i can use the conversion time elsewhere, so my main concern is the drive... and to a lesser extent the conversion time (unless it is a headache on it's own).

 

Many thanks in advance for your time and replies!

Yannis

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Reply 0
sams Active Member 88 posts
sams

What I can tell you

I don't have dcc yet so I passed on answering you last night, hoping someone more knowledgeable would. I have several of the On30 2-6-0 dc versions and I can say that they run well, though I am working on getting pick up from the tender using Rick Remier's method as explained on the Ruphe and Tumbelle blog. I've never experianced any problems with any of my engines and there are many articles in the On30 Annual about back dating them.

As for the 4-6-0, I have a couple and it is a large engine. (Since I wanted to backdate my layout as close to the turn of the century as possible I checked on when the Tweetsie bought them. There is an article in the Narrow Gauge Gazette this month that talks about them and it seems the Tweetsie ordered their first of that model in 1910 and it was a newish design at that time.) The engine is big even against my C-16 2-8-0's and would dwarf your little Porters.

Hope this helps, Sam
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Yannis Frequent poster 918 posts
Yannis

Many thanks for the help!The

Many thanks for the help!

The info that the 4-6-0 will dwarf the Porters plus that it's a tad too modern, makes me settle for the 2-6-0 instead.

Good to know about the DC version being a good runner, so I might opt for that one instead of the DCC version (since i ll be putting a loksound anyway).

Also good to know about the articles as i plan to buy a few more On30 annuals.

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Jackh Prolific poster 2,039 posts
Jackh

Bachman 2-6-0

I bought one of these a couple of years ago or a bit less. LHS had them for $100 each. Great runner until the left side driving gear jammed. There is a little U shaped piece that the driving rods slide under. That broke off and was held on by 2 very small plastic pins.

I drilled out the holes the pin fits into and used the smallest diameter brass wire I could to make a staple like connection in place of the plastic piece that broke off.

I have a friend who has 2 much older versions that have no issues at all

I'll take a couple photos and post them.

Jack
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Jackh Prolific poster 2,039 posts
Jackh

Photos

0_141449.jpg Photo above shows good side.

The 2nd photo shows my fix. Haven't come up with a fix. Bachman forum might have one.

0_141522.jpg I bent one end of the wire and put in place and used the smallest needle nose plyers to finish the bend. Same with the other end. I got lucky and it came out right the first time. Runs great, looks well.......

Jack
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Yannis Frequent poster 918 posts
Yannis

Many thanks Jack!

Good to hear about the good running qualities from you as well.

Nice save with the brass replacement and it looks great, certainly something to have in mind if the issue arises.

Is this DC or DCC?

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Jackh Prolific poster 2,039 posts
Jackh

Yannis

I have 2 On30 locos, both are DC.

Jack
Reply 0
Benny MRH Author 7,125 posts
Benny

....

Having seen and owned both, I think you made the right choice.

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Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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Yannis Frequent poster 918 posts
Yannis

Benny, Sam and Jack,

Many thanks for the replies!

I will indeed look into the DC Mogul (and convert to dcc/sound while backdating it to 1870's).

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Benny MRH Author 7,125 posts
Benny

...

I do believe there may be one or two different versions of the 2-6-0, one that closely approximates 36" gauge RGS prototype and one without the "barrel" above the boiler.

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Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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Yannis Frequent poster 918 posts
Yannis

Mogul versions

Indeed there is a version with a barrel on top of the boiler and a repositioned bell.

All of these features will be removed when I will start backdating it though.

Many thanks again for your time and replies. Much appreciated.

Yannis

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Reply 0
Brent Ciccone Brentglen MRH Author 980 posts
Brent Ciccone Brentglen

Trainworld

The 2-6-0 is currently on sale at Trainworld for $69 if you don’t care about the road name.

Brent Ciccone

Calgary
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