What a great messageboard!!! Awhile back I was given a derilict HO scale bachmann northern (4-8-4) and I would really like to detail it to better standards as a static display model (or possibly a runner later on). The reason being is that I know this particular model is a fairly faithful reproduction of the ATSF prototypes. I can't, however, find a good source of photos for this class of northerns(#'s 3768 - 3785). I found a few good pictures of the 2900 class (2925,2926) which seem fairly close at atsf.railfan.net . Does anyone have or know of any pictures online, or a good book, that might have pictures of the 3700 class. Or is maybe the 2900 class close enough? I might try modeling one of those #'s (2900's) since there are some preserved locos and there might be more info available. Thanx for any help!
Pleased you like the board, Dirtymac Welcome aboard! Those locomotives are very impressive, in my HO days I had one, but the wheels kept falling off! It looked good, and ran well when the wheels were on I seem to remember that it had a sound system, of sorts. I hope someone can help with your research, good luck! ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
DirtyMac, Have you tried Rick's Train Server? I found a picture there of 3776 (and the tender of 3777). There are probably others there, if you take the time to look. Dwight
Great! Thanx Dwight for the info, that pic of 3776 was perfect! I'm definitly gonna have my work cut out for me if I ever want to get this loco running as its one of the older 'pancake' motors. Can motor would take some serious grinding of the chassis to fit. On a different note, is anyone aware of a site that has route maps (both modern and back-in-the-day). I remember my hometown (Livermore, CA 45 min east of San Fran.), had atsf logos on one of the depots and was curious if there was ever a connection there (It is primarily UP trackage I believe). Someday.. when I get the space I hope to model that area (SP-UP). Thanx again.
DirtyMac, welcome to trainboard.com! Look at the photos on: dnaco.net, go down to AT&SF, then go down to 4-8-4 #3268 Photo in my home town, Wichita, Kansas, (1965) for good left side view of details. Then continue to #3751 and #3759 at Kingman, Arizona, showing detail of left, right, and front. I didn't go through the whole list of his photos (25,000+). This is the best site I have found for photos for detail data. I have the same Bachman 4-8-4 you have, but mine has only been out of the box once in my hand to look at it at Birthday. Its's still new! Never run, yet. ------------------ Watash [This message has been edited by watash (edited 20 November 2000).]
The Bachmann model is a very close model of the SF 3776-class/2900-class of northerns. These two classes were built to the same basic plans. But the 2900 class engines were built at the height of WWII, when lightweight metal alloys were being needed for the aircraft industry. As a result, the 2900 were much heavier. Later it was found the additional weight resulted in the 2900 being a very strong fast freight engine.
