I just received a new Bachmann 2-6-0 Santa Fe no. 9446. I am impressed with how good it runs and it is a good puller. nice detail in my opinion. the last Bachmann steamer I had was a J years ago. no comparison. old news, but I had to get this off my chest! did I hear somewhere that Bachmann was going to discontinue making steamers? hopefully not…
Don’t believe everything you hear. Still a lot of Bachmann bashers every so often in these forums.
I have belonged to the Bachmann forums for some years. A couple Bachmann reps there also. The sound value line is getting quite popular. On line prices are quite good compared to the recommended price by Bachmann.
I do know some production has slacked off. There are manufacturing issues in China where all this stuff comes from.
Rich
A friend has several of the recent 4-4-0s. Nice runners and a good value.
As a kid growing up, I could always buy a Bachmann train because I could always afford their stuff. They really filled an affordability niche for me. Yes, today they’ve come a long way! They offer a lot more stuff and their prices are still quite reasonable. What I’d like for them to do now is to make a concerted effort in making an incredible smoke unit for their B&O EM1. Not just the units that are the standard of today, but one that would smoke indefinitely! (not one that smokes for just a few minutes). What a solid hit their EM1 would become! (just for evolving the smoke unit to the next level!) Just think if they would offer this smoke unit in all of their steam engines? They’d rise to the top, real fast! -artguy
This is the first I’ve heard anything about Bachmann cutting steamer production. I think that’s just a rumor anyway. Doesn’t much matter to me anyway as I haven’t been into steam since the 80’s. Now their diesel line has improved quite a bit. I still have some I bought back in 80’s and 90’s. They were trainset crap then. I’ve repowered thos units with DCC OnBoard chassis and they run much better now than even when they were new. My newest Bachmann’s are two GP7’s, a GP38-2 and a GP40 plus a trio of old Bachmann Plus GP40’s I repowered with new GP38-2 chassis. I have to agree, their newer stuff is much better.
Picked up one of their Spectrum Climaxes a few months back. If that little jewel is anything to judge by, my days of Bachmann-bashing are O-V-E-R…
Stu
I have at least 7 or 8 of their steam locos, several with sound, and think they are some of the best running/sounding locos for the money. I also have a few BLI steam and diesels (all sound) and know there is a little difference, but a big difference in price. I hope Bachmann continues to develop and improve the sound equipped locos, both steam and diesel. I am gradually replacing all my non sound locos with sound equipped ones. I also have a couple of their old locos and none of them run anymore?
-Bob
I sold my first foray into Bachmann products on eBay about six months after giving it a solid go, including having my fix-it guy try to…well…you know. It was the J Class.
I heard good things about the metal Heavy Mountains, also in the Spectrum Series, and if they’re good enough for Sheldon, they’re good enough for me. I’m happy to say it is as good as any BLI I have.
-Crandell
I have just now switched from N to HO. been a few years since I have bought any HO stuff. I knew Bachmann had improved, didn’t realize how nice they are now. its running on temporary laid atlas 83 with no roadbed around the walls on pieced together pink foamboard. no tracking problems on crappy laid track.
I too have some of the old Bachmann locos, both steam and diesel. The steamer, a metal 0-6-0 was bought new in the 70’s by one of my relatives. When it eventually died he rebuilt it putting in a can motor, nickel silver wheels and brass gears. I inherited it when he passed on. It runs like silk. Most of the old Bachmann diesels I have are the old Plus line GP40’s. They been repowered with Bachmann GP38-2 drives. Couldn’t use the new GP40 drives in them as they wouldn’t fit. They now run much better than they did when they were new. I even added details to some of them. They are all DCC.
I picked up one of their GP38’s that was DCC equipped and was quite surprised by the quality. Now it is not super detailed as everything else I run is, but it is a solid performer that looks good and that I can take to the club w/o having to worry about damaging it. I also picked up their DCC system for my work bench to test engines out. Both I picked up pretty cheap, and you can get some great prices. So if your not a stickler for details you could build up a sizable fleet for not much loot.
sounds good, as for the rumor. There’s no way Bachmann would drop their steam loco’s, at least not in N scale. THey make alot of steamers in N, I know a member here Atlantic central has tons of Bachmanns which make up the bulk of his steam fleet.
I don’t think they are the ones cutting. Kader cut out OTHERS to reserve plant capacity for Bachman. Others had issues finind an alternative manufacturer, but Bachmann was always good.
–Randy
Bachmann has gone from a company that I would not touch for a number of years, back to a company that makes some amazing locomotives!
My Favorite is the Spectrum 2-8-0’s. They will run forever! Except for when they hit the floor… Even so, the thing still runs. Only problem is some detail came off.
Their sound is pretty good especially in the smaller locomotives. I am not the biggest fan of soundtraxx as I think it sounds generic and computery.
Hopefully bachmann keeps up the great work!
Adam
Kader owns Bachmann and has for years and is probly one of the main reasons Bachmann quality keeps getting better.,
If I ever meet the person at Bachmann who gave the go-ahead to produce the B&O EM-1 I’ll give 'em a big hug, or at least buy them a [B].
Before the Bachmann model you had a choice of poor brass (Akane) or expensive brass (Key, Challenger, $3500!)
I’d rate these engines as the best value ever. I have two and got them at a sale price, to boot! I could only dream of ever owning one before the Bachmanns were available. At their price level they are fantastic!
Their Nice little Alco S-2 switcher is great as well. Also found on sale for under a hundred bucks, DCC and sound, too!
Take care, ED
Hi,
Glad to hear your Bachmann is a winner. I have had a number of their steamers, especially the 2-8-0 which has been around for a good 35 years or so. I currently have two.
For the money, their steamers are an especially good deal. No, they are not the best and their detail is generally not road specific, but they do put out a decent steamer - and they usually stand behind them.
As an added note, a model steamer is a very complicated mechanism and prone to problems. So to have one that is a good runner and puller and stays on the track is pretty special.
I would suggest that that the only thing that criticism of Bachmann now proves is how long a model railroader has been in the hobby. [:D]
A newcomer to the hobby should be reasonably safe in buying a new Bachmann loco, Spectrum or otherwise. This is not to say that one should not read the reviews before buying a particular product and should also be aware that there can be slip ups in Quality Control.
Newbies, DO BE AWARE of the less than scrupulous 2nd hand traders who try to take advantage and pass off older Botchman as being as good as the new product lines. I am sorry to say that that sort do exist and accordingly I have made myself less than popular in certain circles.[:(!]
Ed, as I presume that you are in the States and therefore have a better chance of meeting that person than I, would you mind giving them one for me as well, please ??? [:D][tup]
Cheers, the Bear.
I grabbed an HO Bachmann DCC Sound Value EMD F7A and B a while back…the price I got them for made them a complete no brainer. I LOVE THEM! Smooth, reliable, strong, and the sound really is quite good when one considers the price. I’d recommend them to any and all. Their new Norfolk Southern Heritage Units are on my list of wants. On the other hand, my Son had…key word there was *had…*a Bachmann Spectrum N Scale Dash 8-40C and it was a dog! Loud, clunky, rough, and weak (just like it’s real GE cousin…[(-D]…just kidding). Great detail though, crisp, fine, and sharp. It was DCC ready and comparable in price to Atlas and some Kato N Scale models…but just wasn’t even close to being comparable in terms of operational capabilities.
I hope Bachmann keeps going with this trend of supplying the modeler with good products at affordable prices.
Happy modeling!
Don.
How could you not like this?
Or this?
I’ve got the 0-6-0T tank engine, the Peter Witt trolley and a 2-6-0. I’m very happy with all of them. The tank engine and trolley came undecorated, another “modeler-friendly” thing that Bachmann is doing. That little tank engine can pull a surprising number of cars, too.