New Motive Power

The Model Power Pacific and the Bachmann Spectrum Consolidation arrived yesterday, and they are beautiful.

I had to rewire the Pacific because the person that put the rubber tired drivers in left some of the wiring out. It runs good, but is picky about it's power pickup. I'm guessing that has a lot to do with the heavier wire I had to use because I didn't have the fine wire used originally. The tender doesn't move as well as it should. The Bachmann ran like a jewel straight from the case, it's not as picky about it's power as the Pacific.

The only problem is that neither of the new locos will negotiate the tight radius curves on my present layout.

I made the beginners mistake of putting the toy train 9 3/4 inch curves on the layout, and they are too tight for all but diesels.

My standard Connies and my Northerns negotiate these curves only because I ground off the flanges on their center drivers (called blinded drivers), but they don't do so happily.

I have no problem blinding the drivers on cheap $50.00 train set locos, but I won't even attempt it with the $150.00 ones.

So for now my best locomotives are on the shelf until the layout can be rebuilt with broader curves.

But they sure do look good!