Hi gang. Is there such a thing as a good Bachmann HO steam loco ?.
Tracklayer
You’ll be proud to own any Bachmann Spectrum labeled steamer. All the standard line steamers are junk.
Well, I would have to say there is such a thing. I have seen many of their Spectrum models, and all seemed to run and look good to me. I also own the Spectrum 2-8-0, and it is much smoother, quieter, and overall better than the BLI Hudson I have. Also is very well detailed.
Yes. I’m well aware of the quality of Spectrum, but I was more interested to know about the old standard Bachmanns. Thanks.
Tracklayer
I have a “Standard” 4-8-4 Niagara that I bought a while ago. I like it. Its no where as detailed as the high end spectrum ones, but it looks pretty good and runs pretty decent and was pretty cheap. I don’t think the standard bachmann is PNP DCC equipped either, whereas the spectrum version is. It got a good reveiew in MRR when it came out as being one of the only non spectrums that was decent. But in general, I agree with everyone else, go spectrum.
Get the model that fits your requirements.
Bachmann stands behind thier products with a good warranty, like the other importers.
The recent 0-6-0 in the standard line has a very good worm gear drivetrain. The older ones had a spur gear drive train with a “pancake” motor - not good. The recent 0-6-0 runs very well, the older one … well it could stand in the scrap line…
Short answer is, yes.[:D]
I have a Bachmann 4-8-4 Niagara, and it’s a pretty decent engine.[:D] The only problem is that a couple wheels are slightly off-center, which causes it to wobble, but it’s not the newer DCC one. The newer ones have improved drive wheels, so I’d expect them to run very well, just like most other Bachmann drives do.[:D]
Recently I picked up the new HO Specrum 4-4-0 with DCC. I have the unletterd with wood cab. It comes with coal, wood or oil top for the tender. It also comes with different type cow catchers. It is a beautiful looking and running locomotive. I changed it over to DCC/sound with a SoundTraxx DSD-100LC decoder. The tender is already ready for a speaker with holes for a 1 inch speaker. I am going to change the headlight to the box type to backdate the loco some. I am still not sure about keeping the generator.
Rich
Rich;
The generator is only needed if there are electric lights for the generator to power…The earlier headlights were oil or acetylene.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylene
“Acetylene is also used in the acetylene (‘carbide’) lamp, once used by miners (not to be confused with the Davy lamp), on vintage cars, and still sometimes used by cavers. In this context, the acetylene is generated by dripping water from the upper chamber of the lamp onto calcium carbide (CaC2) pellets in the base of the lamp.”
The early Niagra, Daylight, and Santa Fe’s 2-10-4 and 4-8-4 , were suseptible to valve gear lock-up from pressed-on wheels slipping on their axles.
Bachmann replaced non Santa Fe with later versions for $15.(and shipping). Moulds on Santa Fe were broken - and not replaced. [B)]
Rich;
The generator is only needed if there are electric lights for the generator to power…The earlier headlights were oil or acetylene.
Hi Nigel
Thanks. I have been considering leaving the generator as the locomotive was being upgraded to electric lights and the box headlight was converted to electric to start with. Though the over all locomotive cannot really back dated very far. It just looks too “modern”.
My problem right now is, I burnt out the LED headlight when I installed a new DCC decoder with sound. I did not realize the headlight was a LED. I cannot figure out how to remove the smoke box front without damaging it. I need access to the connections inside the smoke box. The Bach-man in his forums will not respond to the question so I sent a Snail Mail question to the Bachmann Company in PA. Hopefully they have a service department with live people.
Cheers
ikc9
the Santa fe 4-8-4 is availabe again, all new tooling for body, new spectrum type drive, and DCC factory installed.
Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I have 3 of the standard Bachmann Niagaras. Granted they hum abit, and aren’t the most powerful but pull my passenger runs quite nicely. If you have a grade on your layout, you may not want to use them. NYC called the 4-8-4 ,Niagara instead of mountain like everyone else because they were used in the flat lands not mountains so they fit my layout fine.
4-8-4 were generally called Northerns. 4-8-2 were generally Mountains, though NYC called thiers Mohawks.
You must have gotten a unique engine from Bachmann. I’ve got two Spectrum 2-8-0’s and neither runs better, smoother or quieter than my BLI Hudson. They are great value for the money-excellent detail(good job Bachmann [tup]) and they run acceptably.
Jon [8D]
Can’t fault their 2-10-0, 2-6-6-2, 4-8-2, 2-8-0 or the 0-6-0T…
Jon
Bachmann didn’t make a santa fe type 2-10-2, they made a texas type 2-10-4.
I’ll add my praise to the Spectrum Line steamers–I’ve got several, and they are quite nice. Smooth running, powerful and quiet.
I do have two ‘Daylight’ Standard locos, but I don’t run them very often, mainly because of their rather limited pickup electrical base–only the drivers on the loco pick up and the tender is just along for the ride. They are not strong pullers, and though they have the ‘newer’ worm-drive motor as opposed to those God-awful ‘pancakes’, they are fairly noisy and wobbly. I understand that Bachmann is coming out with a ‘new, improved’ version of their 4-8-4’s, but I do not know if that will include tender pickup, also, like their Spectrum series.
I’d stick with their Spectrum line, just for safety’s sake.
Tom