# The Venerable Big Hauler - Two Decades



## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Here it come folks! Although there certainly was fanfare during the 10th anniversary culminating in the final (till now) upgrade of Bachmann trains' venerable workhorse of large scale, the culmination of the _second_ decade may very well go unhearalded by Bachmann! The Big Hauler has probably been the #1 top selling model train in largescale. It has run the gamut from cheezy battery operated, plastic everything to a credible scale (okay, how about _semi_-scale?) model replete with upgraded features, metal detailing and Walchaert's valve gear. 

These engines have been sold in larger numbers than any other design. They have provided the basis for many kit-bashed projects both simple and complex and have defined a good portion of our hobby for most of two decades. Many a train that began life around a Christmas tree eventually ended up on someone's pike.

When the 10th Aniversary edition came out it was met with generally excellent reviews but one detail was overlooked: the tender. It only was given a very cursory upgrade of it's uncoupling bar and also a working rear light. The rivet detailing, the drawbar (or should I say the angle bar and loop), the ladders, the trucks and especially the coal load remained essentially the same as they were on the very first all-plastic battery operated one! 

I have had a chance to upgrade my Annie's by adding a few details here and there. I changed the smoke stack with the addition of an Accucraft C-19 stack, I added a visor to the front headlight, I added a drawbar and a footplate (an extra from a Bachmann Connie), I added real coal on top of that fake "oatmeal" load and I added some CDL dry-transfer lettering and then did some detailing with paint. This was _minimal_ detailing but the difference was astounding! Add in the fact that I have added RCS r/c battery control with Sierra sound and I now have an engine that is every bit as good as my Connie or my K at a fraction of the price!

For the 20th Anniversary, I would like to see Bachmann do something with the Annie to upgrade the remaining deficiencies. It's not much and it would really bring this venerable model full circle!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Steve, do you have any detail shots of the drawbar and footplate? I've been wanting to do that with my loco too. Did you have to reroute the electrical connections between the coupler and cab?


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray,
If you look at Kevin Strong's thread about his conversion of a 4-4-0 to"modernize" it, there is a really good close-up of his footplate and how he attached it. I used this method. I lined up the holes in the footplate and drilled at an angle into the back of the cab floor. I then used loops from a charm bracelet to hold it in place (works great and is _tough!_) As for the drawbar, I had one from a 2-4-2 tender in my parts box. With minimal cutting away it bolts right to the engine angled-hook mount. I used a bolt that I ground the head down flat and drilled through the floor of the tender. I used a nut to tighten it down giving it rigidity as well as strength. As for the wiring, it was changed when I had RCS installed. I'll take a picture of it but the wiring clears the footplate easily. The on/off switch is in the water hatch. That hook and loop arrangement really bothers me! It's the only really obvious toylike feature left (well, okay...the oatmeal coal stretches credulity too!)


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve,

It seems like just about everyone has at least one big hauler in their roster. I have been very tempted by the Annie and a further revamped Annie might be more than I can resist.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I had a 1st gen and a 2nd gen... what amazes me is that some people will still actually PAY money for either of them.....


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

I got started in LS with a used DRBW Big Hauller that my grandkids still run every Christmas. 

JimC.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

I have on disc here somewhere a conversion of one with full valve gear to a very credible German steam loco. Others have made some decent Colonial/UK outline models. 

A lot of options with this beast!


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## Rod Hayward (Jan 2, 2008)

Adding a fall plate helps. I replaced the hook and loop with a bar, similar to the Connie arrangement. I discarded the two plugs on the back of the cab and ran a pair of wires under the fall plate into the front tender beam. No sound stuff in mine. Those tender rivets could really do with a retool, personally I cant see Bachmann doing it some how tho.


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## Rod Hayward (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh and here is a gratuitous shot, mind you, the bridge is rubbish compared to Steve's







and your are right, a lil bit of work makes an amazing transformation as you have shown. It is a great blank canvas and cheap enough for a first try any day.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Gorgeous as usual Rod! I absolutely love those classification lamps! What you did with the tender is really nice! Oh yes, that older styled cab really looks much better! Alas....


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## Rod Hayward (Jan 2, 2008)

You know how it is, one thing leads to another, did nt mean to go mad, just drifted in to it. dribble dribble.


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