Spectrum 4-4-0 Roundhouse 4-4-0 Comparison

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Here is a photo comparison of both locos. The Lady on the right needs more jewelry. They are both HO scale. The Spectrum is on the left. I changed the headlight to match the Roundhouse. They both have the SoundTraxx Micro-Tsunami decoders.

Rich

2

While the Roundhouse is very plain as to details the availability of the 4-4-0, the 2-6-0 and the 2-8-0’s allows the modeler to acquire a roster with a strong family resemblance.

If Bachmann would only produce a Spectrum 2-6-0

3

Which ones which?? They almost look like 2 different scales.

4

Spectrum is the petite one.

Mark

5

The Spectrum is on the left. They are both HO Scale. I do not remember the history of their steam loco production but the Roundhouse might have been a little over size.

Rich

6

The Roundhouse comes close to the dimensions of one of the B&O classes of 4-4-0 before the TOC, M-60 of 1893. There were only 9 of them made so it matches something made in the real world.

Harold

7

MDC was one of the quintessential manufacturers of die-cast steam locomotives and very careful with their production techniques; I don’t think there is a scale problem but I do think that the MDC unit is representative of a huskier American Standard than that represented by the Bachmann.

8

Might the relative sizes of the two models in the photo above be distorted due to a wide angle lens?

9

The Bachmann Richmond 4-4-0 is a small 4-4-0 and the Roundhouse is just larger.

Harold

10

I use a close up lense on my Canon A70 for train photos. Here is a front view with driver diameters.

Rich

11

They actually aren’t all that different in overall size. However, the stack on the Roundhouse loco appears too large. IIRC, when the 2-8-0 kit came out in the 70’s, the reviewer said it scaled out at around 18 feet. My guess is the same situation exists with the 4-4-0.

Andre