Bachmann Connie. NOW FOUND

DGE-Railroad

DGE-Railroad

The Orchard Line
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Hello all

I'm a bit new to all of this, so please excuse what's probably a thick question or two...

I'd really love a Consolidation; I love the shape and the detailing opportunity and may layout wouldn't preclude running a big engine.

I've tried to do some research but I'm struggling with the inside/outside frame thing.. I *think* I want an outside; the difference that seems most obvious to me is the counter balances on the wheels. Is that the key difference?

Is there anything I should particularly be aware of when buying? I've read of the potential for gear issues and that some of the more delicate detailing parts can suffer from less than careful handling.. is there anything else?

Lastly, if anyone may be selling do let me know. I notice there are a couple on a certain auction site at the moment but I'm not sure how realistic those prices are.

Thanks!
 
Balance weights are likely in both. However with US Locomotives like you are looking at will be quite prevailing. Look at the photo below, inside frame to the left, outside to the right same loco!
image.jpg
 
An outside frame loco really smacks of the narrow gauge, and has an unrivaled appearance, although there are a good few inside framed, large engines and Bachmann's C19 is a good 'un, also the later (but short lived) version of the Aristocraft C16 (although that is at the slightly smaller scale of 1:24.

The Connie is a cracking loco, once you get past its initial issues - I have two which are regular runners.

As others have said, the main drive gear was a weakness in the original manufacture, and Bachmann sell a replacement axle with a brass gear. Before buying, check whether the axle has been replaced, if not, buy one whenever they are available.

In some early models, the nuts and bolts on the motion had a tendency to come loose - it used to be a natural requirement to undo them all, and put a daub of blue Loctite on the threads.

As Mike says above, the tender trucks have a manufacturing fault - the screw which holds the side frames to the bolsters is too short, which causes the plastic fixing spigot on the end of the bolsters to snap. On my first Connie, I did quite a bit of work to change the way that the truck (bogie) sides were mounted (when I took them apart, it looked to me as if they had been designed upside down). My modifications allowed for compensation across the truck (bogie) frame. On the second one, I couldn't be bothered, was short for time, and so just stuck some longer screws in :mask::mask::mask:

Get those bits sorted and you have a lovely loco which runs sweetly.

However, you mentioned that you have plenty of space - good. Connie has very wide hips ;);) she is modeled at 15mm:1ft (1:20.3) which is accurate for the US Fn3 gauge (with 45mm representing the 3ft narrow gauge track) and there is a bit of overhang with the front pilot on bends. It is this accurate scale of the model that makes her such a good looking narrow gauge engine :inlove::inlove:
 
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dunnyrail said:
Balance weights are likely in both. However with US Locomotives like you are looking at will be quite prevailing. Look at the photo below, inside frame to the left, outside to the right same loco!
Click to expand...
Doh! thanks for the perfect explanation JonD - that's what I needed. So it's wheels inside/outside the frame. NOW I get it...and I feel a right idiot :D
 
Rhinochugger said:
An outside frame loco really smacks of the narrow gauge, and has an unrivaled appearance, although there are a good few inside framed, large engines and Bachmann's C19 is a good 'un, also the later (but short lived) version of the Aristocraft C16 (although that is at the slightly smaller scale of 1:24.

The Connie is a cracking loco, once you get past its initial issues - I have two which are regular runners.

As others have said, the main drive gear was a weakness in the original manufacture, and Bachmann sell a replacement axle with a brass gear. Before buying, check whether the axle has been replaced, if not, buy one whenever they are available.

In some early models, the nuts and bolts on the motion had a tendency to come loose - it used to be a natural requirement to undo them all, and put a daub of blue Loctite on the threads.

As Mike says above, the tender trucks have a manufacturing fault - the screw which holds the side frames to the bolsters is too short, which causes the plastic fixing spigot on the end of the bolsters to snap. On my first Connie, I did quite a bit of work to change the way that the truck (bogie) sides were mounted (when I took them apart, it looked to me as if they had been designed upside down). My modifications allowed for compensation across the truck (bogie) frame. On the second one, I couldn't be bothered, was short for time, and so just stuck some longer screws in :mask::mask::mask:

Get those bits sorted and you have a lovely loco which runs sweetly.

However, you mentioned that you have plenty of space - good. Connie has very wide hips ;);) she is modeled at 15mm:1ft (1:20.3) which is accurate for the US Fn3 gauge (with 45mm representing the 3ft narrow gauge track) and there is a bit of overhang with the front pilot on bends. It is this accurate scale of the model that makes her such a good looking narrow gauge engine :inlove::inlove:
Click to expand...

Thanks Rhino :), that's incredibly helpful. I remember reading now, a thread about the longer screw fix (it may well have been a thread of yours :D)

I'll be sure to work on the principle that any purchase needs to involve the drive gear upgrade!

Does £430 for an un-run one sound reasonable, would you say?
 
DGE-Railroad said:
Thanks Rhino :), that's incredibly helpful. I remember reading now, a thread about the longer screw fix (it may well have been a thread of yours :D)

I'll be sure to work on the principle that any purchase needs to involve the drive gear upgrade!

Does £430 for an un-run one sound reasonable, would you say?
Click to expand...
That is expensive.
 
I think the first question you need to ask is - Why has a loco made some 15 years ago not been run ?

Price ? That sounds like optimistic dealer country. I'd try to get it nearer £200. Remember you are going to have fix those issues mentioned at some time or another. Check the wiring in the tender too, mine decided to fry itself there some years ago, thankfully fixable after the event.

Another area to check, if the baseplate (thin plastic ladder frame) has been off make sure all the springs to support the driving axles are still there.

Otherwise a very nice loco ripe for "bashing" Max

Connie 001.JPG
 
maxi-model said:
I think the first question you need to ask is - Why has a loco made some 15 years ago not been run ?

Price ? That sounds like optimistic dealer country. I'd try to get it nearer £200. Remember you are going to have fix those issues mentioned at some time or another. Check the wiring in the tender too, mine decided to fry itself there some years ago, thankfully fixable after the event.

Another area to check, if the baseplate (thin plastic ladder frame) has been off make sure all the springs to support the driving axles are still there.

Otherwise a very nice loco ripe for "bashing" Max
Click to expand...

Thanks Max, that's brilliant :)
I appreciate the market is essentially what people are prepared to pay but wondered if the ones I had seen so far were optimistic /opportunistic if the market was quiet.

The reason for the one which hasn't seen any use is that it's been a shelf queen (why? :eek:) to each their own but it does seem strange to collect something as a model when part of the cost is that it's designed to be run..

I see some Bachmann Spectrum Connies about. I thought the Spectrum range was relatively new. Did Bachmann re-launch the Consolidation at some point?
 
There are several locos made by Bachmann that are called consolidations, in fact "connie" was used for the earlier outside frame loco, which indeed had issues as listed above.

3622562919_c39a484908_b.jpg


In later production, you could get a brass gear on the main driving axle, that helped a bit.

Out of production. If not with brass gear, order one now if you are buying it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Current production C-19 Consolidation below:


BBTA2-8-0%20006.jpg


Not outside framed, has new wiring and socked, probably best large scale loco they ever built.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
There are several locos made by Bachmann that are called consolidations, in fact "connie" was used for the earlier outside frame loco, which indeed had issues as listed above.

3622562919_c39a484908_b.jpg


In later production, you could get a brass gear on the main driving axle, that helped a bit.

Out of production. If not with brass gear, order one now if you are buying it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Current production C-19 Consolidation below:


BBTA2-8-0%20006.jpg


Not outside framed, has new wiring and socked, probably best large scale loco they ever built.
Click to expand...

Ah! Thanks Greg. The penny has dropped. I didn't realise the inside/outside frame also designated the re-release. That in addition to the other cosmetic differences, the fact people modify them and are just referred to as Connie's so much, made for some confusing research. Thanks for the clarification
 
Greg Elmassian said:
By the way, I would pass on that deal. Even if it really was sitting on a shelf all these years, it might be worth $200 in pristine condition here in the US and with no "split gear", meaning it is running.

Get something from current production would be my advice.

Greg
Click to expand...
Thanks Greg. I'm taking your advice. I'm in no rush and I think I need to have a good think about which Consolidation type I really prefer..
 
Greg Elmassian said:
I like the looks of the outside frame loco, but that particular model is not a great choice, so a second-generation K27 or the C19 would be good choices.

(I realize the K27 is really a Mikado)

Greg
Click to expand...
Thanks Greg. Yes I'm with you there. Bit of a head v heart thing :)

On a not un-related note, and given your experience, how does the Accucraft C16 stack up in your opinion?
 
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