# Bachmann 'Classic G kit' Observation car..thingy?



## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

My question is what to do with the lighted 'drum' logo thingy hung on the rear rail? Not sure..obviously..what it's called or how to, or what to affix to it as a logo. For the sake of discussion, I'd like it to be a D & RGW. I'm not sure what colors an Old Timer of this Road would be. It is probably clear by now I'm new to the LargeScale stuff. I think this is an old kit, 9v battery lights and plastic wheels. Bill


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

Its called a drumhead, and would have appeared about 1930 ish on standard gauge I think The D&RG narrow gauge were using them in the 1950's, and then on parlor(1st class) cars . 

The colors of D&RGW then was Pullman Green: pre 1912 it was a deep maroon. 

There were some coaches in 1930 that were red, these were for the Civilian Conservation Corp - set up by President Roosevelt during the 1930's depression, and I would think it unlikely that they had a drumhead which was reserved for express or named trains, hence the drumhead to tell everyone the name of the train. 

It was NOT used on all trains, so is really an accessory; possibly there were only two sets in use.

In the Colo. RR Annual 25 there is a photo of the one for the San Juan train.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I think this is an old kit, 9v battery lights and plastic wheels


If it has plastic wheels, it is a VERY old kit. Bachmann released them in the 1990s, and re-released some a couple of years ago with metal wheels. 

Your Bachmann retailer stocks a pack of metal wheels, or you can buy a box of 6 sets from a dealer at a larger discount. Do yourself a favor and get rid of the plastic wheels. They scrape on the raillhead and wear down, dropping black plastic bits on the rails. Plus the metal wheels add weight low down, so the coaches track better.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Cap'nBill on 01/05/2009 10:00 AM
My question is what to do with the lighted 'drum' logo thingy hung on the rear rail? Not sure..obviously..what it's called or how to, or what to affix to it as a logo. For the sake of discussion, I'd like it to be a D & RGW. I'm not sure what colors an Old Timer of this Road would be. It is probably clear by now I'm new to the LargeScale stuff. I think this is an old kit, 9v battery lights and plastic wheels. Bill 


Dear Mr Cap'nBill - the drumhead actually hangs from the verandah railings of an older-style observation car, always supposing that this type of passenger car is what you have, or on a set of brackets of a more modern car. 

See - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drumhead_(sign) 

They were illuminated, and served as a mobile advertisement for the train [often a named train] or line. I have one on my White Pass observation car, and think it looks pretty cute as it trundles around in the gloom of a British late afternoon.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Cap'nBill on 01/05/2009 10:00 AM
My question is what to do with the lighted 'drum' logo thingy hung on the rear rail? Not sure..obviously..what it's called or how to, or what to affix to it as a logo. For the sake of discussion, I'd like it to be a D & RGW. I'm not sure what colors an Old Timer of this Road would be. It is probably clear by now I'm new to the LargeScale stuff. I think this is an old kit, 9v battery lights and plastic wheels. Bill 
Here you go......


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

What you have there is a drumhead. They were used on many trains throughout the heyday of American passenger trains. And even Amtrak just recently started using one on the Coast Starlight.

For D&RGW there are a few designs you can use. If you're going narrow gauge, which you probably are since it's a Bachmann car you have, then the two designs you can choose from would be either the San Juan or Shavano. Here is a link to a write up on both trains:

San Juan and Shavano


The San Juan ran from Alamosa to Durango Colorado. It received its drumhead in 1937 when is was reequipped with improved cars. It ran until 1951. The Shavano ran from Salida to Gunnision Colorado. It also received a drumhead in 1937 when both trains were reequipped with improved cars. The Shavano ran until 1940. The Shavano drumhead was then used on the San Juan, as one of the San Juan drumheads were damaged. That's what you see in the photo Dean posted...the San Juan displaying a Shavano drumhead.

Here are what the drumheads look like in color:




















There are other drumheads that the Rio Grande used, but these were for standard gauge trains. I'm not too familiar with the histories of these trains or if the drumheads were one time specials or not, but here is a list of the ones that displayed a round drumhead:

Prospector

Panoramic
Scenic Limited

Royal Gorge
Exposition Flyer


These drumheads all come from the Tomar Drumhead section of their website. Tomar makes exceptional drumheads in all of the major scales, including G. 

Also if you want a Tomar drumhead that is not listed under the G scale section but is for a different scale, Tomar will custom make one for you in G scale. I did this for a Shavano drumhead in G scale. While Tomar lists a San Juan drumhead in G scale, they do not for the Shavano, so I ordered a custom Shavano drumhead for G. Very nice to have a San Juan and Shavano drumhead on my Parlor cars Chama and Durango.


Here's a photo of my custom painted and detailed San Juan trainset (using LGB coaches), with parlor car Durango proudly displaying a Tomar San Juan drumhead and Tomar marker lights too:


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Woah Matt!! Awesome website! Thanks for the heads up!


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks for the info, guys! Some neat detail pics. Matt: I like the looks of that train. Can you provide a few more details, like the color scheme and what loco your pulling with? Looks, too, like just the right length in terms of the number of cars.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Cap'nBill on 01/07/2009 9:27 AM
Matt: I like the looks of that train. Can you provide a few more details, like the color scheme and what loco your pulling with? 

Sure. 

The color scheme is based on the D&RGW San Juan (1937-1951), using Pullman green. The San Juan consist had an RPO (mail car), Baggage car, 1-2 Coaches, and a Parlor car. It also was typically pulled by a K-28 locomotive (#470-#479). 

I run LGB scale trains (1:22.5) instead of the more accurate 1:20.3 scale. Why? Because I got into the hobby in the mid 1980s and over the years amassed a large collection of LGB sized equipment. At the time the only major manufacturer out there of American styled large scale trains was LGB which roughly equals 1:22.5 scale. Any other beginning manufactures, like USA trains, also offered 1:22.5 sized items to match what LGB offered. So I used LGB D&RGW coaches to build up a San Juan consist. If I was starting out today I might go with 1:20.3 scale trains since there was an accurate San Juan trainset released by Accucraft trains in 1:20.3. 

On my San Juan trainset, the RPO is two combine cars (LGB 3081) cut in half to get 2 baggage compartments and sort of look like an RPO:









The baggage car is an LGB 30845.









The coach is a full vestibule LGB 3082.










The parlor car is a mix or parts from a full vestibule coach (LGB 3082), and an open vestibule coach (LGB 3080).









The LGB cars, which come in yellow, were airbrushed with Floquil Pullman Green. The roofs, trucks, steps, platforms, and underframes were airbrushed with Floquil Weathered Black. The handrails and grab irons were hand painted with PollyScale Steam Power Black. The windows, wheels, and couplers were removed and unpainted. 

While painting, I masked (used tape) over the Denver & Rio Grande Western letter board on the top of the cars so I would not have to decal these again. For the "gold" lettering, I used dry tranfers from CDS using sets 305 and 306.



After lettering, all the cars were sealed with Krylon Crystal Clear. Normally I seal things with Krylon Matte Finish, but chose Crystal Clear for a semi glossy look to simulate the prototypically high varnished look. 

The loco in that photo is an Accucraft C-16 (#278) which is 1:20.3 scale. A C-16 is a very small locomotive in real life. Because of it's small size, it is about the only 1:20.3 loco I can use that doesn't look overly huge with my smaller 1:22.5 equipment. When the photo was taken both of my main locomotives, relettered LGB moguls, were being converted into battery power. That's why the the C-16 was filling in. Now that the moguls have been converted either one typically pulls the San Juan. I can run track power or battery power locomotives, but I prefer the sound control and ease of operational you get with battery/RC. 

I've always wanted a Rio Grande K-28 to pull my San Juan trainset. But the only one ever made in 1:22.5 scale is a very rare and super expensive brass model made in conjunction with Aster and LGB. 

Hope this answers your questions. If you have any more, please feel free to ask.


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

If anyone missed it, Garden Railways had a review on a company that makes drumheads. If this was already mentioned, i apologize. 
Terry


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Tomar will make one up for ya. Later RJD


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