A couple of years ago, I purchased a Bachmann R/C Big Hauler on eBay. It had no remote controller (and when eventually tested it didn?t even respond to any commands), the pony truck wheels were missing and had been replaced with plastic Bachmann 30mm wheels, there was no plug on the tender wires and the cover was missing on the tender water tank.
Nearly a basket case! The only redeeming feature that still worked ? other than the driving wheels ? was the motor. I did think of turning some new steel wheels for the pony truck and having track pick-up from these and replacement tender wheels.
I know I paid too much (I have learnt a lesson from that) and managed to get another one which worked at a far better price. I eventually got a complete Big Hauler set - so now I have three locos! Trouble is they are OK on the garden line but not very good on my trailer set-up having a tendency not to follow the Radius 1 curves. So what do I do with my first purchase?
My inspiration came from the front cover of Garden Rail 179 ? the Kents Hill Light Railway?s Avonside articulated loco (although it isn?t articulated is it?). I new nothing of this type but, through searching the net, I came across the Heisler and a site ( http://www.gearedsteam.com/heisler/heisler.htm ) with many photos. My interest was heightened when I realised that the Big Hauler?s Baldwin profile lent itself to kit bashing into a Heisler. I did find an image of a two-bogie loco (drawing an unpowered tender although there were plenty of powered tender combinations). So, there was a prototype I could base my kit bash on.
I toyed with the idea of making my own bogies (inside frame) ? one powered and the other not. I thought I might mount the motor vertically and hide it in the loco?s rear bunker. That was as far as my thoughts got as my health took a turn for the worse and I was unable to do anything. Now improving a bit, the Heisler job occupied my thoughts. A few weeks ago, I got a ?Buy it Now? bargain off of an eBay seller. For less than fifty quid I got 16 pieces of good LGB track and a track powered Playmobil steamer!
Now I already had the diesel version so it only took a few seconds to come up with idea of two powered bogies on my proposed new loco!
Apart from this long preamble, I thought I?d do a pictorial review of my progress so far. I?ve manage to put captions on the photos which may, or may not, be informative.
Mick
Three into one equals one Heisler locomotive.
Nearly a basket case! The only redeeming feature that still worked ? other than the driving wheels ? was the motor. I did think of turning some new steel wheels for the pony truck and having track pick-up from these and replacement tender wheels.
I know I paid too much (I have learnt a lesson from that) and managed to get another one which worked at a far better price. I eventually got a complete Big Hauler set - so now I have three locos! Trouble is they are OK on the garden line but not very good on my trailer set-up having a tendency not to follow the Radius 1 curves. So what do I do with my first purchase?
My inspiration came from the front cover of Garden Rail 179 ? the Kents Hill Light Railway?s Avonside articulated loco (although it isn?t articulated is it?). I new nothing of this type but, through searching the net, I came across the Heisler and a site ( http://www.gearedsteam.com/heisler/heisler.htm ) with many photos. My interest was heightened when I realised that the Big Hauler?s Baldwin profile lent itself to kit bashing into a Heisler. I did find an image of a two-bogie loco (drawing an unpowered tender although there were plenty of powered tender combinations). So, there was a prototype I could base my kit bash on.
I toyed with the idea of making my own bogies (inside frame) ? one powered and the other not. I thought I might mount the motor vertically and hide it in the loco?s rear bunker. That was as far as my thoughts got as my health took a turn for the worse and I was unable to do anything. Now improving a bit, the Heisler job occupied my thoughts. A few weeks ago, I got a ?Buy it Now? bargain off of an eBay seller. For less than fifty quid I got 16 pieces of good LGB track and a track powered Playmobil steamer!
Now I already had the diesel version so it only took a few seconds to come up with idea of two powered bogies on my proposed new loco!
Apart from this long preamble, I thought I?d do a pictorial review of my progress so far. I?ve manage to put captions on the photos which may, or may not, be informative.
Mick
