Found another critter

[Marlin39]

I was going through some boxes and found this On30 critter I built 40+ years ago. I used an old AHM MDT for the donor, but unfortunately it did not run when I put it on a track.

 

[migalyto]

I was going through some boxes and found this On30 critter I built 40+ years ago. I used an old AHM MDT for the donor, but unfortunately it did not run when I put it on a track.

That's a great looking little fella!

You going to delve into it to try and bring it back to life?

 

[Marlin39]

That's a great looking little fella!

You going to delve into it to try and bring it back to life?

I'll probably list both critters for sale here and let someone more motivated and interested in On30 revive them. They're both just sitting on a HO display stand I built years ago.

 

[Old 97]

I'll probably list both critters for sale here and let someone more motivated and interested in On30 revive them. They're both just sitting on a HO display stand I built years ago.

You should keep them. Get them running.

 

[Marlin39]

You should keep them. Get them running.

I have no interest in going down the On30 rabbit hole again. It would be very easy for someone to find a donor Bachmann 44 tonner and an AHM MDT and get these running.

 

[Old 97]

I have no interest in going down the On30 rabbit hole again. It would be very easy for someone to find a donor Bachmann 44 tonner and an AHM MDT and get these running.

Interesting. What makes On30 a rabbit hole?

Asking for a friend.
I'm an HO man myself.

 

[Marlin39]

On30 will draw you down the "financial" rabbit hole real quick.

Yes, it's fun to play with the "cute stuff", but it does require more ingenuity, space, and CASH. O scale structures, track, switches, etc are expensive.... almost prohibitively compared to HO. Sure, you can use HO track and switches, but it won't look like O scale narrow gauge track.

On30 is pretty much dead. Bachmann was the major suppler for RTR On30 motive power & cars and they haven't produced anything in years. Yes, you can buy 3D printed cabs or scratchbuild motive power like I have using HO donor engines, but it's an expensive search and rescue mission to find O scale Cal-Scale and Kemtron detail parts.

Ebay is loaded with people trying to get rid of their On30 stuff. Kitbashing and scratch building has become a necessity due to cost and availability.