Bachmann 45 Ton Loco Dimensions
- Thread starter Madman
- Start date
trammayo
Interested in vintage commercial vehicle, trams, t
My avatar - I can't remember what mine measured before I submitted it to plastic surgery - but I cut 40mm off the width and 10 off the height. Too darn big before the diet! I'll measure it when daylight breaks (and add the missing dimensions).
trammayo
Interested in vintage commercial vehicle, trams, t
Well daylight has broken (but I can't fix it). Length over pilot boards - 405mm, width - 140mm, height (from railhead) -185mm. The latter two measurements are within a millimetre or so (allowing for the cuts I made to slim it down).
There are other on the forum who still have the beast in "ex-factory" obesity!
There are other on the forum who still have the beast in "ex-factory" obesity!
Rhinochugger
Retired Oik
I can measure big Bertha after lunch 
not that she needs any lunch as she's big enough already 
not that she needs any lunch as she's big enough already
Rhinochugger
Retired Oik
Cab and footplate are the same width = 143 mm
Top of cab from rail height = 188 mm
She's a big girl
Until, that is, you see pictures of the standard gauge version against a standard gauge coach - then she's a tiddler
Top of cab from rail height = 188 mm
She's a big girl
Until, that is, you see pictures of the standard gauge version against a standard gauge coach - then she's a tiddler
Madman
Registered
Bigger than my railway can handle. Almost 7 1/2" high. I have a 7" height restriction through one underpass. I could do some major regrading of the track level but it means working under the walkway without disturbing it. Really not worth the effort for one loco.
Thank you for doing the measuring chores.
Thank you for doing the measuring chores.
The Devonian
Registered
Apparently it is 1:20.3 scale and as such a 'monster'. Many years ago, when I started in the hobby, I saw one for sale at Garden Rail Centres. It seemed a bargain and I was going to buy it. Andrew @ GRCentres knew that I had 1:29 Aristo and advised me to not to buy it as it was big and would not look too great with my stock. I was grateful for his advice, particularly as he was loosing a sale, nevertheless I have been happy to buy more from him since. 
Miamigo259
Registered
Where did you cut the thing to reduce its size?
I bought a cheap one at the Stafford show 18 months ago but could not really work out the best way of cutting its size down to something more manageable. The annoying thing is that it is a superb runner, but just dwarfs every item of rolling stock I own!
Rhinochugger
Retired Oik
I have probably bored everybody with this explanation before, but it is to scale. The stupid bit about it, is why Bachmann chose that particular loco to model, when there are much more appropriate 3 footers, like the GE shovelnoses for instance.
The prototype is a standard catalogue offering that can sit on bogies from 2' - 6" gauge to 5' - 3" gauge.
What we forget, is how small even US outline 3ft narrow gauge stock is compared to standard gauge. I have seen a picture somewhere of a Rio Grande 3 ft train alongside a Rio Grande standard gauge train, and the 3 footer looks like a toy.
And yes, as a model, the 45 tonner runs nicely, and is one of the easiest to convert to battery power - so, no need to stretch yer wallet, just yer loading gauge
The prototype is a standard catalogue offering that can sit on bogies from 2' - 6" gauge to 5' - 3" gauge.
What we forget, is how small even US outline 3ft narrow gauge stock is compared to standard gauge. I have seen a picture somewhere of a Rio Grande 3 ft train alongside a Rio Grande standard gauge train, and the 3 footer looks like a toy.
And yes, as a model, the 45 tonner runs nicely, and is one of the easiest to convert to battery power - so, no need to stretch yer wallet, just yer loading gauge
trammayo
Interested in vintage commercial vehicle, trams, t
Hi, I did a thread maybe three years or so ago but all the photos have gone. Luckily, I saved the originals on the PC.
I basically stripped right down above, and below, "footplate" level - then cut (20mm in from outside edge) along the length on both sides to the required dimension (100mm width).
Then I had to trim the remaining "footplate" underneath to accept the pieces I had cut off (those two pieces having the footplate and buffer beams removed.
The arrows showing the portions of the plastic to be removed.
The two engine compartments were then cut down by about 10mm - as was the cab. The cab was also lowered by 10mm then narrowed to suit the new footplate. The roof of the cab was cut into three pieces (the middle portion being 40mm wide and discarded).
Scribed, ready for cutting.
The centre portion of the cab remained the same width, as did the bonnets. The doors were narrowed as can be seen here below.
The inside had to be cut down also. The brake rigging needed some tweeks and I ended up soldering some new steps to give clearance for the truck.
The side handrails were reused but I made some new ones for the ends - the originals were cast from Mazak so did not lend themselves to modification.
Attachments
Last edited:
Miamigo259
Registered
Many thanks, might consider doing something like that to mine over the winter........
casey jones snr
Registered
I've always regretted letting my loco go. It was a nice reliable and powerful beast. I had loaned it out to a young lad who visited the CFR on a regular basis. When the family moved away my loco went with them. Sadly I've never been able to find a replacement.
Rhinochugger
Retired Oik
It's fat and ugly, but there aren't many other 1:20.3 dismals.
I keep looking at either:
Worsley Works SA class 91 (OK it's 16mm but it would do) or
Gal Line Boxcab
And then waiting for the lottery (which will be a long wait as I haven't bought a ticket for about ten tears
)
I keep looking at either:
Worsley Works SA class 91 (OK it's 16mm but it would do) or
Gal Line Boxcab
And then waiting for the lottery (which will be a long wait as I haven't bought a ticket for about ten tears
)
trammayo
Interested in vintage commercial vehicle, trams, t
I probably would not have committed mine to surgery, but it fouled nearly everything on my trailer layout - and I had to get the 9" angle grinder out on the garden line to allow it through a tunnel portal (plus altered a small bridge). Brand new, it cost me around 80 quid and, since then, I've seen them offered at three times the price!
And..
... you don't have to reduce it to such a narrow width either. I was a little drastic in the width reduction - 10mm either side would have looked better - but it needed to go round the R1s and structures on the portable railway!
And..
... you don't have to reduce it to such a narrow width either. I was a little drastic in the width reduction - 10mm either side would have looked better - but it needed to go round the R1s and structures on the portable railway!
Miamigo259
Registered
I probably would not have committed mine to surgery, but it fouled nearly everything on my trailer layout - and I had to get the 9" angle grinder out on the garden line to allow it through a tunnel portal (plus altered a small bridge). Brand new, it cost me around 80 quid and, since then, I've seen them offered at three times the price!
And..
... you don't have to reduce it to such a narrow width either. I was a little drastic in the width reduction - 10mm either side would have looked better - but it needed to go round the R1s and structures on the portable railway!
I haven't got any problems with the width on my line, it's the overall height which makes it look rather out of place. I actualy bought it as a potential source of two powered motor bogies for other projects but decided to keep it as a complete loco and have gone over to battery powered (HGLW) bogies for any new stock that I build.
Rhinochugger
Retired Oik
The Royal Gorge line in Colorado has a diesel, that looks close to the USA trains 40 tonner, but is every bit as tall as the GE 45 tonner.She isn't tall, the box cars are low
Rhinochugger
Retired Oik
Yes, a further thought on Bertha's size is that, at 1:20.3 she is a similar height to a 1:20.3 caboose