I have been thinking about trying a kit bash on a 4-4-0 steam to convert to a 0-4-4t forney. Anyone try this?? If i can't then i will use the 4-4-0 like it is with wood tender. Now if i could find a shay from atlas.......... :ru-err:
Most 4-4-0 would probably have far too large sized driving wheels. Seems like this would be a bit of work. How about using an 0-4-0T as a starting point? Would that work? Boxcab E50
Do you know of a source for 0-4-0 in N scale?? I have found 4-4-0's and 0-6-0's but no 0-4-0's except in HO. :mcool:
http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/bach040.html http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/riv040.html I see these listed on eBay every so often for ~20 bucks or so. I also see quite a few at train shows in the bargain bins.
I've not paid attention to the 0-4-0T for many years. They have been manufactured by more than one company. For example, Bachmann. Whether still in production, I cannot say. If none are currently available new, I am sure there are plenty of used ones around. I still have mine from long ago. Boxcab E50
Thanks, i am keeping a eye out on these models. one of the tenders truck 's should work for the back four and i can also use that for another pick-up for power on the engine. Thanks!! Dan:tb-biggrin::thumbs_up:
Interesting topic. I got a couple Bachmann 0-4-0s. Maybe a Forney would be a good project. I am looking for ways to modify a Bachmann 4-4-0 into a 2-4-0. Seems straightforward at first, but modifications always seem to change the locomotive in unexpected ways.
The Bachmann 4-4-0s have smaller drivers than their 0-4-0T or 0-4-0 shifter did. But figuring out a way to turn it into a 0-4-4 would be pretty difficult. The easiest method would be to take an Atlas or Bachman 0-4-0 shifter and graft on a bunker and trailing bogie - but you'd end up with a pretty large Forney. Otherwise, I suppose you could cut off the front end of the Bachmann 4-4-0, graft on a large bunker to hold the motor and work from there. It would probably best to just discard the entire body from the 4-4-0 and just use the drivers and mechanism. But you would get a smaller Forney this way. Also, there were 0-6-4 Forneys too, so maybe there is an 0-6-0 chassis you could work from - Life-Like 0-6-0T or the Bachmann 0-6-0. The bodies form both would be pretty useless (LL for having the saddle tank, and B-mann for having a much larger boiler than most, if any Forney ever had). The Atlas 2-6-0 might be a good starting point for an 0-6-4 Forney.
The Forney did come in a variety of wheel arrangements from 2-4-4 to 2-6-4 and a few others in between. The problem of using a Bmann 4-4-0 is basically the body is one cast unit with a double ended worm shaft in the body. The running gear cannot be separated from the boiler without losing the worm retainment. The electrical pick-up is all from the tender. That said keeping the body intact and using the 4-4-0 arrangment and redoing the tender with possibly shortening it to attach it to the cab, then replacing the motor with a smaller unit might work. You may be able to retain the electrical pick-up system, and substitute a set of Kato caboose wheels with pick-up under that giving you a 4-4-4. Another starting point could be the Bmann 2-6-2 with a 2-6-6 arrangement. Electrical pick-up on the Bmann 2-6-2 is from the drivers and the tender unlike the Bmann 4-4-0.
