# Cab Forward G scale locos



## Festus (Jun 28, 2010)

*I sent an e-mail to Aristo-Craft about the possibility of them producing cab forward locos, and here's what they said: * 


“*Rick, Thanks for your suggestion. We have talked about it from time to time, but haven't hit a financial return number that we're comfortable with. Not many RRs had them.....which limits production and interest. You never know what will go into production, as the hobby rebounds from the recession, and grows. Regards, TATE The Aristo Train Engineer.” * 


*So, I thought I'd take a poll from everyone to send back to Aristo-Craft and Bachmann at least. Will everyone who reads this please tell me if a G scale cab forward loco was produced, similar to their 2-8-8-2 in size and price (they sell for $540.00 and up right now) would you buy one? Just a yes or no will do, but explainations are always welcome. I have a pair of Bachmann 2-6-2s that I want to combine and make a 2-6-6-2 out of but now I think I'll try and make it a cab forward instead. Let me hear from you. This may be all it takes to get them to produce one. I looked and couldn't find a similar topic, so hopefully this hasn't been done before. Also: a video of my humble MIRR: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIVLBmiDNHE FESTUS*


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Dear Mr Festus - please could you use the same, or similar font that most of the rest of us use? My tired old eyes nigh-on exploded when faced up with your post. 

Persnally, I think it that the chances of Aristo-Craft, or any other manufacturer for that matter, making ANY cab-forward in ANY of the large scales is so small as to be immeasurable. The cost would be unbelievable! 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Someone DID make a SP Cabforward, Accucraft made an SP cabforward some time ago if I remember right. 

Why not just buy the Aristo Mallet and kitbash it into a cab forward? Also why convert 2 Bachmann engines, if your looking for a narrow gauge engine instead look around for the narrow gauge 2-6-6-2 mallet they did.


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## benshell (Oct 1, 2008)

As far as I know the Accucraft one sold out too, even at $7000+. So I think Aristo-Craft is wrong about there not being a market for it. Besides, look how many HO scale and even O scale cab forwards have been made! There's definitely strong interest in cab forwards, even if they were only used by one railroad (one very large railroad with a huge fan base!). But I don't think we'll ever see anything from Aristo-Craft but generic locomotives. They are convinced that is the way to go. Fortunately USA Trains and AML have produced a few more unique locomotives so I also keep hoping for a 1/29th scale cab forward someday. If not, maybe I'll cut up my Aristo-Craft Mallet someday. 

PS: Have you read about the Broadway Limited 1/29th scale cab forward that never was? Not sure I understand what really happened but there's a thread about it here: http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/14/aft/114578/afv/topic/Default.aspx


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## Tom Leaton (Apr 26, 2008)

Ben is right, kitbashing a cab forward from an Aristo Mallet should be fun. You will have to make the tender an oil tender, and lengthen the pilot deck. You could even copy the SP cab forward 2-8-8-2: 

http://www.btcomm.com/trains/primer/prototype/articulateds/cab_forward.jpg 

'cheers


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

We have a member that bashed a couple of cab-forwards, I recall a thread tha referenced his work not that long ago.... 

There were other railroads that had cab-forwards, at least two if I recall, but then again I maybe mistaken. I read alot of stuff and forget about it generally until something like this comes up! 

Its all numbers, you either invest in a sure thing or something that might not even recover the inital cost to produce. I kinda recall the original release of the Mallet didn't meet expectations for Aristo. All that said, Arsito wouln't have to re-invent the wheel to produce a Cab-Forward. 

Anywho, I'd by a couple of Cab-Forwards but I'm an ESPEE fan. 

Michael


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

For those that perform the kit bashes and even more to the ones that post pics of there kit bashes, I aplaud you all. 

But it take some knowledge of what you're about to do, patients, and a lot of nerve to take the saw to a piece of equipment costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars. 

I used to build some very intricate model cars, but while I feel I have the knowledge, I definently don't have the patients or nerve to start cutting on a perfectly good 500 dollar Mallet any more. 

Once again, this subject makes me wonder why someone doesn't develope kits to transform steam engines and diesels into something they're not. 

With the 3D printers and the cost of CNC machines coming down, I forsee these type kits becoming available in the near future and at fairly reasonable pricing.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Michael Glavin on 02 Aug 2011 05:47 PM 
We have a member that bashed a couple of cab-forwards, I recall a thread tha referenced his work not that long ago.... 

There were other railroads that had cab-forwards, at least two if I recall, but then again I maybe mistaken. I read alot of stuff and forget about it generally until something like this comes up! 

Its all numbers, you either invest in a sure thing or something that might not even recover the inital cost to produce. I kinda recall the original release of the Mallet didn't meet expectations for Aristo. All that said, Arsito wouln't have to re-invent the wheel to produce a Cab-Forward. 

Anywho, I'd by a couple of Cab-Forwards but I'm an ESPEE fan. 

Michael Mike
Only one RR with had a modern cab forward in its ranks: Southern Pacific

On the other hand around 6 RR companies had Yellowstones (2-8-8-4) now that would be a marketing piece for Aristocraft. At the present we are in the process of converting an Accucraft AC-12 to AC-9 (Yellowstone) in live steam operations


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

In the latest Steam in the Garden magazine Custom Model Products has a live steam cab forward in 1:32 scale for $7900. You could probably pay someone to bash you an electric from a Aristo Mallett for a lot less! 
Cab fwd 1-800-443-8567.

I know nothing about the company.

Jerry


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I have no interest in a Cab forward, but a Yellowstone in DM&IR, D&RGW, and B&O would be very, very tempting.

Chuck


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Even though the real railroads didn't do it, any oil burning engine could have been made into a cab forward engine in the big shops. For a freelanced RR, I would think that smaller engines could be made that way. The stuff I've read says that the S.P. did it because of so many tunnels on the mainline.Makes me wonder what would have happened if they would have applied that to some of their narrow gauge engines in California....


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## Esppe Pete (Jan 21, 2008)

There is also a 1/29 scale Cab Forward that is supposed to be built. The cost is aprox $5000.00 and it is brass, with sound, electric to be MFG by KISS in Germany. Gold Coast Station will take a deposit on one for you. Delivery has been delayed by recession but they are close to go last time I heard.


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## Santa Fe Rick (Jul 31, 2011)

Maybe we could get Charlie Ro (USA trains) to do one in die cast like his Big Boy. I rather pay 3500 for an USA trains 1:29 electric version than go 7-8 K for an Accucraft at this point. 

Ricky


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 02 Aug 2011 06:05 PM 


Once again, this subject makes me wonder why someone doesn't develope kits to transform steam engines and diesels into something they're not. 

With the 3D printers and the cost of CNC machines coming down, I forsee these type kits becoming available in the near future and at fairly reasonable pricing. 

Making a kit is very time consuming. I haven't designed a kit myself, but I have helped with HO etch brass and white metal kits.

Most people in the game of making small run specialised kits also have a full time job, families, and there own modelling projects. Before you can sell it, you need to make sure it goes together and the instructions work. The time just adds up and up and you very rarely get it right 1st, 2nd or maybe even 3rd run.

Kit making takes real commitment.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 02 Aug 2011 03:40 PM 
Someone DID make a SP Cabforward, Accucraft made an SP cabforward some time ago if I remember right. 

Why not just buy the Aristo Mallet and kitbash it into a cab forward? Also why convert 2 Bachmann engines, if your looking for a narrow gauge engine instead look around for the narrow gauge 2-6-6-2 mallet they did. I didn't say nobody had ever made one - I implied that nobody would make one NOW. Both AccuCraft [$7000-ish] and Fine Art Models [$20000-ish] made one, as you can see from my many Youtube movies on the subject, but that was quite a while back. The news that Kiss is having one made is a new one on me - however, their track record is nothing to write home about, and you should be prepared for disappointment as well as glee. 

As for so-called 'G-scale', whatever that might be depends on who you are talking to - for some it's LGB's approximately 1/22.5 scale, for others it's USAT/Aristocraft's 1/29th scale - and as we know, there ARE many others.

The Aristo version of the Mallet was designed and built and paid for when China was deliberately 'cheap',but all that has changed dramatically in the last three or fouir years. Just like the drug dealer who gets you hooked by providing with cheap drugs, and now ups the price, we have been so used to getting stuff cheap that now the price has hit the reality barrier we are horrified at how much it all REALLY costs.

The one company building model locomotives that has always had realistic pricing - at the top end of the market - is Aster. Their prices, thought by many to be nigh-on extortionate, simply reflect the reality of building working live steam models with little or no compromise in either quality or detail. Twenty years ago their prices were the same, fiscally speaking, as they are now. 

tac
http://www.ovgrs.org/


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Amber on 02 Aug 2011 08:17 PM 
Even though the real railroads didn't do it, any oil burning engine could have been made into a cab forward engine in the big shops. For a freelanced RR, I would think that smaller engines could be made that way. The stuff I've read says that the S.P. did it because of so many tunnels on the mainline.Makes me wonder what would have happened if they would have applied that to some of their narrow gauge engines in California.... This is what did happen(Dwight at controls):


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## Festus (Jun 28, 2010)

Bachmann also responded but they seemed to be totally uninterested also. So what I gather from all your posts, and the e-mails from Bachmann and Aristo-Craft is: If I want a cab forward, I'll have to bash it. I've been looking at some of the urban powered stuff and if I found or bought a body from one of those, I'd have a marvelous cab forward to work with and I could put it on almost anything as whimsy or my own creation. If it'll cause people to scratch their heads when they see it, then I'll be pleased. Festus


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