As many of you know I am a big Bachmann fan and have a large fleet of their locos, especially Spectrum steam and newer Regular line steam like the Berkshire.
Yes, there have been a few locos with problems, but I have always suggested that NONE of these products should be judged by the brand name - every company makes some winners, some 2nd place pieces, and some dogs. The Spectrum N&W J is not their best work - the Heavy Mountain, EM-1, 2-8-0, 2-6-6-2 and others are as nice as any brand out there - especially at the price.
So for all of you just discovering what you have been missing, you may want to read this:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/181314.aspx?sort=ASC&pi314=1
It will show how you can make your Bachmann locos even better, and give you some insights into the modeling potential they offer.
And, I have even more Spectrum/Bachmann tender swap and kit bash projects to share - hopefully soon.
My Bachmann fleet includes:
9 - USRA 4-8-2 Heavy (various versions and kit bashes)
4 - USRA 2-6-6-2 (and the C&O H4 version)
8 - 2-8-0
2 - 4-6-0
5 - 2-8-4 Berkshire (converted into freelanced heavy Mikados)
3 - USRA 2-10-2
And there are plans for more.
Some of the best products and best values in this hobby - IMHO.
Sheldon