The 2-10-2 shown above or below has been stripped and the parts carefully stowed. At the moment the chances of getting another reasonably priced 2-10-2 is slim. It'll be another 6 months I think until I can get one. However while I was pondering things I started measuring my steam locomotives drivers with digital calipers. I found something interesting, the drivers of a Minitrix 2-10-0 decapod are only .2mm out. So I will make 2 2-10-10-2's, one with Bachmann drivers etc (the correct way) and one with Minitrix drivers. The Mintrix 2-10-0s are widely available and fairly cheap. Luckily Minitrix also made a British 9F version with the same mechanism so I have a wide choice. Yes I have to grind down the drivers but that's a small consideration. It also gives me some practice with the mechanism. I don't want to stuff up the Bachmann and if I make a mistake with the Minitrix mechanism I know I can get another one fairly quickly. time will tell if I succeed or not.
If you got the parts from Atlas they might be from the Samhongsa USRA 2-8-8-2. If they are indeed ex-LifeLike it is a miracle because when Walters had them they were unobtainium! Charlie Vlk
Hi Charlie, I did indeed get them from Atlas. The parts they have for the 2-8-8-2 aren't many and they don't have a lot of stock. I had a brief chat with someone from Atlas and he said parts were limited as they didn't get much from Walthers. So until Atlas rerun the 2-8-8-2 parts will be in limited supply,
Interesting... I suppose it doesn't really matter as long as the parts will work, but the 2-8-8-2 parts on the website, at least some of them, are not from the Life-Like 2-8-8-2, unless they have the wrong pictures. For example, the motor is clearly not the correct motor (the pictured one is single ended with no flywheel, the Life-Like one is double ended with two flywheels) and the tender floor actually has ATLAS-KOREA molded into it.
Well it's now halfway through 2022 and I finally have another Bachmann 2-10-2 winging it's way to NZ. It should arrive in a few weeks (before September anyway). It's been a long road to get the parts I need at a reasonable price. The 2-10-2's I'm using are fixer uppers so no pristine 2-10-2's will be harmed This project is becoming active again!!
The Bachmann 2-10-2 arrived today, it requires some new crankpins but it will enable me to start designing the mechanism for the shell to sit on. Finally this is starting to come together! This one will be the back half of the 2-10-10-2.
