I am considering replacing my Rivarossi Berkshire with the new Bachmann with DCC on board. I noticed that none of the ads for it say Spectrum but it looks pretty well detailed from the photos. Does anyone know about these engines and if they are as detailed as the Spectrum line?
Bob
I am assuming the Rivarossi is from the 60s-70s, if so, replace it with the Bachmann. You’ll be glad you did.
Actually the Rivarossi is a newer model with can motor/flywheel and RP25 flanges. It is a good running engine but I felt the Bachmann would be a better detailed and running model. I looked at puttting a decoder in the Rivarossi and it can be done with some reworking of the weights.
Bob
What is Bachmann’s number for it? that can help in the look up at the Bachmann site or the 2010 catalog to help determine.
Often, their “spectrum” line becomes their “regular line” after the spectrum series is run.
Second thought- I looked in the catalog it appears the Berkshires are regular series DCC OnBoard.
I have several Bachmann DCC On Board locos of both types {steam adn diesel}…and haven’t had a problem with any of them yet.
The Bachmann number is 50906 and the engine has road number 765.
Bob
Nope, not as detailed as the Spectrum line. I’d put the detail midway between the Rivarossi model and a good Spectrum model.
Where the sub-Spectrum level of the detail is most noticeable is below the walkways, where things are rather simplified.
The Bachmann pulls better than the old Rivarossis, and better than the P2K Heritage Berkshires. My experience is that the P2Ks beat the Bachmann on detail, but don’t pull as well.
Considering the range of Berkshires from the Rivarossi to the Bachmann to the P2K, I think that the Bachmann occupies the “sweet spot” for its combination of price, performance and detail. And the ability to have it repaired, should anything go drastically wrong.
The Bachmann Berkshires definitely benefit from having their factory-installed decoders replaced with more full-featured decoders from Digitrax, NCE or TCS, which allow them to run more quietly and smoothly…
Yep. It is one of the ones I looked it up in the 2010 catalog. It is definitely a regular DCC OnBoard series loco.
Do you want the model to have a Mars light or not? The 765 is the current "railfan’ version with the single beam headlight and no Mars light above it. The 759 road number model is the late NKP era with dual beam headlight and Mars light above the light. The mars doesnt flash, but can be easily upgraded to with a different decoder. The LED’s Bachmann uses are a bit to yellow, but also easily replaced with Yelglow ones from Miniatronics, 3mm version. Beautifull model, room for more weight and they run excellent. Mike
I have both P2K 2-8-4’s and one of the Bachmann 2-8-4s. While the detail on the P2K is superior to the Bachmann, the Bachmann pulls very well. It also has a higher factor of affordability- I wish the Bachmann had come out years ago, I’d have six of them instead of three P2ks.
thanks guys, I think you have settled my dilema and will go with the Bachmann. I have several of the Spectrum steamers in other wheel arangements and love how they look and run. I just needed to know if the Berk was a Spectrum level of detail. I had planned to detail the Rivarossi if I kept it…
Bob
Bob,
You will not be disapointed with the Bachmann. I have 5 of them which I am converting to LIMA heavy 2-8-2’s for my freelanced ATLANTIC CENTRAL.
I have added over 5 oz of weight and these locos pull great now. I am also adding some of the details that are missing compaired to Spectrum level models. They include hand rails on the tender ends and cab, deck plate, engineer and fireman. These are the main things I “noticed”, so I will add them.
I also plan to get a couple more of the C&O versions as I also model the C&O.
And, shop around, they are readily available for about $100 +/-. Try Star Hobby in Annapolis Md, or Peach Creek Shops on the web.
Sheldon
I replaced my old Rivarossi Berkshire with a Proto Heritage engine.
The Proto engine is from the first run andit could hardly pull its own weight. When I contacted Walthers to see if I could replace one of the drivers with a set from the second run which had a traction tire I was told that it would not fit.
So I ended up buying one of the Bachmann 2-8-4’s. It is a great puller, compared to the Proto engine. When I compare the amount of detail with my Spectrum 4-8-2 I notice that there is no apron between the tender and engine and there are no seats or crew in the cab as well as no steel rails on the rear of the cab. Not a lot of detail is missing really. The Proto engine spends most of its time as a filler at the round house.
if you ever saw one of the Chinese Spectrum engines such as the Mikado SY it has as much detail as the Proto engine, if not more and significantly more detail that any of the other Spectrum engines.
I will keep an eye out and if I see any good deals on a Bachmann Berkshire I will buy it jst to have a spare. If you have noticed prices on all model railroading equipment keeps going up. Prices from a couple of years ago are significantly less than prices today. I am referring both to MSRP and actual street prices.
Those will be splendid looking 2-8-2s whern they are done!
Thank you, I will post some more photos when 2 or 3 of them are out of the paint shop.
Using the various versions of the 2-8-4, and swaping around some parts, I will have three different sub classes. One sub class will have long haul Vanderbilt tenders.
Sheldon
I have added over 5 oz of weight and these locos pull great now. I am also adding some of the details that are missing compaired to Spectrum level models. They include hand rails on the tender ends and cab, deck plate, and fireman. These are the main things I “noticed”, so I will add them
Sheldon,
Do these locos come with an oil tender instead of a coal tender?
Be sure to shop araound at all e-tailers to see who actually may have it in stock because wholesaletrains.com shows it as out of stock:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Search2.asp?Search=50906&scale=HO&Submit2=++Search++
BUt hurry here they show 2 in stock:
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Bachmann-HO-50906-2-8-4-NKP-Berkshire-p/bac-50906.htm
No none of them come with an oil tender because none of the prototypes were oil fired. Bachmann did offer a Hicken oil tender seperate, which are is still generally available. It would reqiure some wiring changes but could easily be made to work with the 2-8-4.
Sheldon
Peach Creek Shops and Star Hobby have lots of them.
Sheldon