The Bachmann's are very expensive. The Tyco/Mantua 4-6-0's are quite reasonable, although the 4-8-0's are more, as they were made for a much shorter time, and were more costly even then.

do you guys have a Precision Scale Company catalog?
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/psc/psc9740.htm (don't know anything about that website, but it has a decent description of the catalog)


the HO steam catalog one has dozens of different domes (and 1000's of other parts)...swapping domes and external details is a much, MUCH easier task than moving drivers around, and you knwo the loco will still run properly after the work...

the biggest problem with finding a proper donor for HO scale WDW (and Disneyland) engines, is the Disney engines are narrow gauge and you are working with standard gauge models...that's not as big an issue with DLRR No. 1 & 2 since they are models of Standard gauge locos, but all the WDW engines are "for real" 3' gauge engines, and the proportions will be hard to get right

I'm a real newbie here, but it seems like Disney model railroaders don't want to deal with the scale/gauge issue. Is this the case?

Maybe this is because the Tyco SF&D and WDW sets are HO standard gauge. Whatever the reason, I agree that "the proportions will be hard to get right". Even DLRR 1 & 2 are built to something like 3/5 full scale, and 3' gauge.

HOn3 is very expensive, but HOn2 1/2 using N scale mechanisms offer a good quality, inexpensive option.

Well you've really hit on one of the problems modeling Disney. I used standard HO models since the trains will have to run on the club layouts which are standard HO gauge and scale. If I were to build the scenery around the train larger that would make the train look smaller but then so would the other club trains. So like any other model railroad or life we're stuck with a few comprimises. If you really want Narrow gauge and you don't have to run any where but on your home layout go with the ON30 stuff.

another thought is to try and find one of the older Model Power 4-6-0's...



I think they are still available on Ebay for around $40.00-$50.00, just replace the domes and stack and build up the wagon top on the boiler (if you're ambitious) and you'd have something

The On30 stuff is good, but 1/4" scale buildings, etc. are fairly large. I like S scale, because that's the size of Dept. 56-style stuff, and Hot Wheels- type cars.

I figure most Disney model RR's go for HO scale. There are more amusement-type accessories, like Faller, in HO. Maybe I'll give the Disney HOn2.5 idea a shot.

BUMP. preliminary photos coming soon of a WDW mogul and ten wheeler bashed from Mantua Rogers 10 wheeler.

Looking forward to seeing them, JF. I'm working on two Tyco 4-6-0's myself; one will stay a tenwheeler, don't know yet about the other.

First Photo is of a stock Tyco 10 Wheeler.




The next photo is of the future WDW Lilly Belle.



It has had the boiler cut and spliced twice and the frame has been cut and spliced once. still need to work over the CAB and the and the rods. That is what we have winter for, to work on trains.

The last is a revamped ten wheeler where the back 2 wheels are now closer together to be more like the WDW.




These are works in progress but You can see the shape of Lilly forming. I'm still working on a way to move the Walter/Roger sand dome forward and stretch the tapered section of the boiler so the profile is closer. I also have to change the cab since they're the same for all 4 but for now I need 2 diamond stacks and lots of different detail parts.

That's a beautiful Marsh!

Great work so far. Are you building to a particular scale?