Bachmann 2-6-6-2 for Milw?

[TinyTurner]

How does the Bachmann 2-6-6-2 rate?
I found two samples, an decorated one and a Nickle Plate Road, both coal tenders. 
The undercoated one has a sale note of poor running, and has the same price tag as the decorated good runner.
I'm thinking of using one as a Milw N1/N2/N3, if that's possible.  I got a bit lost in the classifications. 
What would you expect to pay?

[Bill H]

Read Spookshow's review, very accurate in my opinion because it reflected what I found.

http://www.spookshow.net/loco/bach2662.html

You will pay what the under bidder wasn't willing to pay...

Kind regards,
Bill

[altohorn25]

Quite a few years ago I turned one into a Milw prototype.  I swapped out the tender and replaced it with an old 6 axle coal tender from Atlas/Riv.  I also added a piece of styrene around the top of the front of the boiler to emulate a feedwater heater and moved the air pumps from the front of the boiler to the fireman's side (had to cut the walkway and add ladders to go up and over the air pump).

It wasn't perfect, but it looked the part.  I sold it because I didn't want to try to convert it to DCC.

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[nkalanaga]

Are these the 2-6-6-2s that (supposedly) prompted the electrification of the Rocky Mountain Division? 

One article I read on the MILW electrics said their "mallets" rolled so poorly that they had to use steam downhill, and leaked so badly that, at winter station stops, they'd freeze to the rails.  A little hard to believe, as the GN and NP had good steam, and the MILW's eastern locos were among the best, but that's what it said.

[delamaize]

Quite a few years ago I turned one into a Milw prototype.  I swapped out the tender and replaced it with an old 6 axle coal tender from Atlas/Riv.  I also added a piece of styrene around the top of the front of the boiler to emulate a feedwater heater and moved the air pumps from the front of the boiler to the fireman's side (had to cut the walkway and add ladders to go up and over the air pump).

It wasn't perfect, but it looked the part.  I sold it because I didn't want to try to convert it to DCC.

(Attachment Link)

That looks nice! It's too bad you didn't give the DCC conversion a go. I've done a few, it's not that hatefull.....

[Kentuckian]

I had a terrible experience with the DC USRA rectangular tender version. It’s the only locomotive that I ever bought new and could not get to run. I wouldn’t have one if I was paid to take it. I have heard that others have had better luck, but that’s my experience with only one example.  I was at least able to use the tender on another project.

I like the C&O H4 Vanderbilt tender, factory DCC version. Smooth.

I wouldn’t buy the USRA version unless you got to see it run first.

Just my .02.

[reinhardtjh]

What would you expect to pay?

There's one now on Ebay the seller s asking $379.  It's the second one that came with DCC and Vanderbilt tenders.  Officially it's a C&O H-4 (not USRA).  It's the better running but not work that asking price.  There are also 2 of the first release (USRA C&O H-5) for $275.  That's more normal but still more than I would pay.  Then again, I got several from Trainworld a long time ago for $99.99 each.  I see them going for something in the $200's usually these days, or that's where bidding ends up if it's a true auction and not buy it now.

I wish Bachmann (or BLI) would make more.

[TinyTurner]

That does look nice.

Asking price is 150 Sterling each, so I enquired about making the numbers lower.  Especially as the worse running un-decorated model is covered in fluff.
I have a voucher for a little bit off too.     
I don't mind working on it a bit.
Is it a matter of the motors being flaky, or is it the mechanism?

[Kentuckian]

To answer your question, yes. Motor, pickup, mechanism, you name it. I didn’t understand all of your post, but if you want to know about tinkering with this locomotive I refer you to N Rail publications. Specifically The Steam Locomotive Information Book 2010 Addendum.  https://nrail.org/Publications

I wish you luck.

[wm3798]

I've got one I picked up, presumably used, at N Scale Weekend a couple years ago from Esther's.   It's a fine runner, in C&O with a coal standard tender.  Not sure which run its from, but I'm completely happy with it.
Lee

[nickelplate759]

I've got one of the NKP models. It runs OK, but all the drivers are to narrow in gauge to run on properly gauged track.

[robert3985]

I've got one of the NKP models. It runs OK, but all the drivers are to narrow in gauge to run on properly gauged track.

About 98% of all of my steam engines had poorly gauged wheelsets and/or drivers out of the box. 

Why don't you just fix 'em??

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Quite a few years ago I turned one into a Milw prototype.  I swapped out the tender and replaced it with an old 6 axle coal tender from Atlas/Riv.  I also added a piece of styrene around the top of the front of the boiler to emulate a feedwater heater and moved the air pumps from the front of the boiler to the fireman's side (had to cut the walkway and add ladders to go up and over the air pump).

It wasn't perfect, but it looked the part.  I sold it because I didn't want to try to convert it to DCC.

(Attachment Link)

That's a great model and, I think, a great example of THE approach we generally need to take with N scale steam (unless we're Max): get it close enough and be happy.

[mmagliaro]

The H4 (which I think was the second run?) was much better.  The first run H5 was a real stinkbomb.  Motor, pickups, gauge, rods,
broken engine truck pickup wires, egad.  And pulling was poor.  My repair subject could only pull 7-9 cars up a 2% grade.  I loaded
it up with Tungsten and used Bullfrog Snot on the center driver (the geared one) of each engine truck.  Nowadays, I think I'd go at it with the lathe and cut grooves for traction tires if the wheel rims are thick enough to allow it (I don't know that).

The already-cited NTrak steam loco addendum volume has a complete article on what I went through with that engine.  I wouldn't pay $100 for it unless I really really really wanted a 2-6-6-2 and was going into it prepared for many hours of work.