I had a my eye on a beautiful looking 4-8-4 Santa Fe steamer this evening. It goes for $100. I like the fact that its simple and doesn’t have sound. On the outside its a beauty, but what should I expect running wise? How is the slow speed performance, and will this engine pull a lot?
Thanks in advance.
You don’t say whether you are looking at something at your LHS, online or used via private sale.
If it at your LHS or private sale, do they have a place you could test run it? I have been to several shops that you could. Probably couldn’t test pull many cars unless they had quite a layout set up there already.
Check what the price for it is at several online stores (don’t forget shipping) to see how the price compares.
Good luck,
If it’s the newest release with the knuckle coupler and a plastic box, I’ve heard it’s a winner. (I’m angling to get one myself for a kitbash project). If it’s the older version in the white cardboard box, you should get three for $100. They look more or less the same, but the newer mechanism has many improvements over the old one.
If you shop carefully, you may be able to find a new one at a better price than that. MB Klein (modeltrainstuff.com) has them listed for 69.99, but it might be hard to test run from where you are!
Either way, you should test run it at the shop before you buy. Bachmann tends to have pretty spotty quality control.
Lee
I agree with Lee. I sent back an older 4-8-4 SF unit under their warranty program and they send me back a newer model. While it runs much better than the older one, I think a $100 price tag for it is very hard to swallow. I’d even think twice over the $69.99 deal at MB Klein.
While the Spectrum line is usually very good, Bachmann’s regular line can have very spotty quality. (Of two locomotives from the same lot, one will run like a Swiss watch, and the other will barely run at all.) It is always a good idea to test the engine at the hobby shop if possible. (If buying via mail order or online, make sure you know and understand the seller’s return and refund policies.)
Actually, test running is good advice, no matter what brand you buy. Some years ago, I had to return a pair of Kato locomotives because of poor running qualities. Even the industry leader produces the occasional lemon.
I always had good luck with Bachmann’s diesels in N Scale. I only had one steamer, a 4-4-0. It ran well but I never really liked it much. My experience for N Scale is limited to the 1980’s.
I echo what the others have been saying, but have a couple of additions: 1. The definitive source for N Scale locomotive information for my money (literally) is the N Scale Locomotive Encyclopedia: http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/locos.html 2. I have six Bachmann locos on my BLT RR and have found that they do vary in quality control. I’ve sent back at least three of them for early failure or bad running habits. All needed some tweaking, even the two 2-8-0 Spectrum locos. The first 4-8-2 Heavy Mountain inexplicably smoked its decoder while running and the replacement is noisier but otherwise runs well. Two of the little GE 44-Ton industrial switchers did the same thing, on a different layout. The 2-6-2 Pacific took a long while to run in but is very smooth now; ditto for the cheap little Plymouth industrial switcher. That requirement for lubrication and a run-in time also seems to be typical of Bachmann locos, so one that is reluctant at the hobby shop may turn out well later. The best thing about Bachmann is their return policy. If it doesn’t work, send it back and they replace it. No questions, no hesitation. Because of this, I’ll buy their products online at the best price I can find. I’ve found Trainworld especially accomodating in this.