my son Luke has a bday coming up in March.
He has asked for a new loco, and likes the lil hauler 040 with the tender.
We are batt/rc peeps so that’ll have to be added as well.
would it be worth the time and expense?
I really liked the concept of the Lil haulers and thought about picking up a saddle tanked one but at a show I had the chance ot handle one and rethought my plans. It is a very light engine and felt kinda cheap. I think I read somewhere that they are having the regularly scheduled bachmann driveline issues when asked to do a bit more than they were designed for. I could be wrong. Also someone on this forum not long ago bashed one up with siderods etc to make it look better.
How old is your boy? I bet you could get the lil hauler working nicely to pull a couple small cars around the RR. I have seen just the engines on Ebay for $50 and sets without track for under $90.
Luke will be 9 in March. The thought of a fragile drive prompted me to post the query.
If I could find a similar-priced LGB 0-4-0 with a Tender-I’d jump! even a Rogers…
re: lil Hauler, I’d prolly do the battery and RC in a Trailing Car situ to make it a little easier on the ol’ man
“would it be worth the time and expense?”
Yes
I bought one of those little haulers to use as a motor unit for a Banta Box Cab kit and the insides look a lot like the Bachmann Indy Mogul that I have, except the chassis on the Lil Hauler is all plastic, I would bet the motor is exactly the same in both locos.
I used a Railboss Remote control for the Lil Hauler motor unit and it works fine.
I bought the Lil Hauler from the Favorite Spot web site for $50.00
FWIW
Dave S
Thanks Guys!
He changed-up on me at the last min, and wanted the Blue Saddle-Tank Engine (once he saw Vic’s post).
Ordered from TheFavoriteSpot on Ebay for $50 + Shipping. I’m gonna order the Rail-boss control in a few weeks. Now to figure what we’ll use as a trail-car.
Dave, what sort of voltage battery are you using?
cale
Right now I’m using 12 Nickle Metal Hydride AA batteries in 2 six cell holders. The Boxcab is 90% done, but all of the mechanical is done and I have run it at least an hour (if not more) on test rollers and it is still on the first charge. The unit I used was the Blue Lil Hauler like the one in Vics Post, sans the extra running gear\rods.
Cale Nelson said:
my son Luke has a bday coming up in March.
He has asked for a new loco, and likes the lil hauler 040 with the tender.
We are batt/rc peeps so that’ll have to be added as well.
would it be worth the time and expense?
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/l9.jpg)
He’s 9 today…wow
Happy Birthday, Luke!
yes, happy birthday and welcome to a lifetime hobby!
Gee I wish I got one of those when I was 9. I had to wait until I was way old till I got my green one the same! and I’m still waiting on my green Accucraft!
Happy Birthday, Luke!
Andrew
I’ll give you one father’s answer to your original question and let others answer how good or bad of a locomotive it is, or whether it’s worth the expense of converting to battery…from the look Luke’s face, I’m saying it’s worth it.
When my daughter was eight she turned an LGB Stainz into a princess locomotive and insisted I run a track to her doll house so she could pick up dolls and take them on a doll “vacation.” That was worth it.