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 Posted - December 26 2009 : 3:57:14 PM
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 [/center
[center] 
Got this 4-8-4 Niagara for christmas. Maybe watertower is a bit to small for the big engine . - Erich
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Posted - December 26 2009 : 4:10:50 PM
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It looks great! Thanks for sharing the pics
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Posted - December 26 2009 : 6:01:31 PM
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i have that same engine. they are pretty nice.
jerry
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Posted - December 26 2009 : 11:40:10 PM
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Hi Erich, That's a really long engine! I think that may be a VIAGRA!! Very nice!
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Posted - December 27 2009 : 1:09:02 PM
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now that's funny.
jerry
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Posted - December 27 2009 : 3:32:10 PM
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| I like those Bachmann efforts from the 70s and 80s...they really were trying to offer a good, well detailed, low end steamer in those and others like them. Bowser used to offer mechanisms for them.
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Posted - December 27 2009 : 4:21:32 PM
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| thats a neat loco Love the "elephant ears" I'll hafta look for a steamer at train show Hopefully its cheap
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Posted - December 28 2009 : 4:16:37 PM
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quote:I like those Bachmann efforts from the 70s and 80s...they really were trying to offer a good, well detailed, low end steamer in those and others like them. Bowser used to offer mechanisms for them.
Originally posted by shaygetz - December 27 2009 : 3:32:10 PM
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Hi Ben!
I was woundering why Bowser offered a driving mechanism for Bachmann 4-8-4 locos!
My Niagara has been updated with a new motor and gears, so I think Bowsers is obsolete for the newer Bachmann 4-8-4. - Erich
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Posted - December 28 2009 : 4:25:30 PM
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quote:
I was woundering why Bowser offered a driving mechanism for Bachmann 4-8-4 locos!
My Niagara has been updated with a new motor and gears, so I think Bowsers is obsolete for the newer Bachmann 4-8-4. - Erich
Originally posted by Erich-December 28 2009: 4:16:37 PM
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They were prone to breaking gears and axles because of a poor grade of plastic they used, using the same pancake motor as their Brill trolley didn't help either.
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Posted - December 28 2009 : 4:27:04 PM
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A very nice engine. I think the water tower is just right.
Alco Fan
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Posted - December 29 2009 : 09:48:12 AM
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Bowser offered a few different retrofit kits for Bachmann steamers - one for the various 4-8-4s (ATSF 3950-class, NYC Niagara, N&W J-class, SP Daylight, and UP Overland), one for the Reading 2-8-0 (also available as a 2-8-2 with Vandy tender), and don't quote me on this, but I think there may have been one for the 0-6-0/2-6-0/2-6-2.
The problem was that Bachmann used the pancake motor found in the cheapo diesels like the F9 in these steamers, and also that the drivers used a plastic axle that was prone to cracking.
These old steamers can be found on Ebay all day long in non-working status for these two reasons.
If the motor burned out, you could usually fix it with a donor pancake motor, but usually what happens is that the plastic axles crack. This results in drivers getting out of quarter while the locomotive is running, which puts stress on the other axles - which promptly crack under the pressure - resulting in a non-running loco that falls apart when you pick it up.
The Bowser kit replaces the Bachmann frame, drivers and motor with those akin to a Bowser, Mantua/Tyco, or Varney steamer - a much more proven design. Bachmann's superstructures (boiler, cab, etc) are generally pretty well done and are worthy of the repowering. The Bowser kit also requires the re-use of certain Bachmann parts like lead/trailing trucks, valve gear and drawbar.
Kris Carver-Seaboyer
Modelling the Grafton Terminal Railway, set in New Brunswick, Canada in the 1978-1984 time frame
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Posted - December 29 2009 : 10:05:08 AM
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| a stupid question to some,but what are the 2 filter pads or whatever on the front under the boiler door ken
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Posted - December 29 2009 : 10:07:11 AM
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On the real Niagaras, the air pumps were mounted behind those screens.
On the model? Dunno, maybe something to do with the smoke unit.
Kris Carver-Seaboyer
Modelling the Grafton Terminal Railway, set in New Brunswick, Canada in the 1978-1984 time frame
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Posted - December 29 2009 : 11:37:31 AM
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quote:On the real Niagaras, the air pumps were mounted behind those screens.
Originally posted by graftonterminalrr-December 29 2009: 10:07:11 AM
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Yes, and right behind the screen is a condenser to dry the air before it goes to the air tanks.
Ray
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Posted - December 29 2009 : 12:35:46 PM
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its the colour that made it stand out,can see on real loco the screens cheers ken
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Posted - December 29 2009 : 1:19:48 PM
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quote:On the real Niagaras, the air pumps were mounted behind those screens.
On the model? Dunno, maybe something to do with the smoke unit.
Originally posted by graftonterminalrr-December 29 2009: 10:07:11 AM
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There are also airpumps on the model , the smoke unit is in the smokebox. -Erich
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