Spectrum HO 2-8-0 review

This review is on the early production Bachmann Spectrum DCC ready 2-8-0s.[:D]

When I first opened the box and saw the detail of this engine, all I could think is “WOW.”[:D] All the detail is beautifully done, and almost every pipe, grab iron and other detail is a seperate part. The thin details, like grab irons and small pipes, are durable blackened wire, which have a better look to them than thin plastic parts, which could break if you do so much as blow on them. The larger details are plastic, but they’re thick enough to be durable, and are cast very smoothly.[:D] The painting is just as nice as the detail, with smooth, even coats all around. The color seperation is perfect, with no colors leaking into eachother. There are round builders plates on each side of the smokebox with very small but clear lettering, and on my Western Maryland 2-8-0, it clearly says the prototype was built in July, 1918. I’d need a magnifying glass to read the rest.[:D] The cab windows have glass in them, and, although they can’t be seen through clearly, it’s good to have it there. The interior is fully detailed, with a backhead and painted crew.[:D] There is a stamped metal drop-step on the back of the engine that is positionable, and lays flat on the front of the tender in the upward position.[:D] The blackened valve gear is very detailed, and there’s a dummy reverse gear on the right side of the engine. The tender is also well detailed, but Bachmann forgot to put a lift bar on the back. The coal load is painted gloss black instead of the usual flat black, so it looks more realistic.[:D] The headlight barely shows up, because they made the light go through a very thin bar to the headlight part, instead of putting the light bulb into the headlight. That could be fixed, but it may take some work to do it.

My 2-8-0 ran ver

I’ve had mine for several years now,been a gem the entire time!!

Thanks for the review! I’ve heard nothing but good things about the Spectrum 2-8-0. One of the guys in my train club brought one to a meet one time and I was very impressed with both the detailing and the performance of it.

Tom

Thank you DSFE for an excellent review. It is reviews such as yours that make it easier for the rest of us to decide what to buy when were’re ready to lay the $$ on the table. GREAT JOB !!!

Pull out your maginfying glass and look. The train drivers are Chinese women.

Mine was pretty sweet as well and the SoundTrax unit drops in. Took all of 5 minutes to install.

I love mine, but I’d love it better with 4 (three before I read Space mouse’s post) changes.

  1. They could have painted the tender connections black, instead of the attention grabbing multi colored wiring harness they actually used.

  2. If they’d built an 1890’s Connie instead, I’d have bought 9 of them instead of 1.

  3. How the heck do you pick it up without risking the details?

  4. Chip, the jury’s still out on the sex of the drivers here. Yes the hair may be a bit long, but there are…anatomical discrepancies …which don’t support your contention. Not sure what, if any, inroads the Playtex Corporation made into Chinese markets, but until I see them, they aren’t there.

The Spectrum 2-8-0 is the best steam puller I have, four heavy cars and a full size caboose up a 5 percent grade on an 18" curve.

Finally, not bragging or anything, just sharing info, but I walked with mine for a cool Franklin, plus tax, from my ever so friendly LHS. You may have to hunt for them, but they’re out there.

P.S., the builder’s plate small print says “Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia USA”.

  1. at least that’s easily fixed

  2. oh yeah , no kidding . it’s amusing how massive the 2-8-0 looks sitting next to the spectrum 4-6-0

  3. very carefully but not always successfully

  4. i need a magnifier just to see that there is a driver , determining the driver’s sex would require special equipment beyond my railroad’s operating budget [:D]

The 2-8-0 is a great steamer, but I have a few problems with mine:

  1. Mine dances down the track. Wobbles all over the place.

  2. Low speed operation is very jerky.

  3. Noisy at higher speeds.

  4. Looks too big. Thing is almost taller than my UP Northern, I don’t think Spectrum got their proportions right.

  5. Mine will barely pull 5 passenger cars on level track.

Maybe mine’s a dud. Either way, I still like it.

I have three of the 2-8-0’s and love them all. I’ve painted the tender connecting wires and connector edges black, added plastic pellet coal on top of the molded coal for greater realism, added canvas curtains to the cab rear (Canadian winters are cold) and in one case added an Elesco feed water pump, and heater. All are fitted with plug-in DH123 decoders and run smoothly.

I pick up using two 0-5-0’s (two hands, ten fingers), holding the cylinders at the front end, the cab in the middle and the tender front end, avoiding pressure on the valve gear and connecting rods. I avoid disconnecting the tender from the loco. I transport them to and from the club weekly or so, cradled upright in 1/2 in. soft foam in turn cradled in Rubber Mai

My Spectrum 2-8-0 was my favorite steam locomotive until I got my P2K 2-8-4 and 0-8-0 I’m lucky to have gotten one that has run flawlessly since day one. I eventually plan to assemble the passenger cars I need to have it pull a 1970’s excursion train around the club layout.

For models shipped before Oct’05 SoundTraxx DSD-B280LC(sound) is a virtual plug-in. This install was detailed in MR-don’t know which issue at the moment.

When this model first appeared in MR news I thought, “Wow, almost looks as good as brass.” [tup] [tup] [tup] I have two, one runs better than the other. I’m hoping installation of decoder will help the weak performer.

Jon[8D]

Jon

Yes,

I love the Spectrum 2-8-0, but I’d love to see a Spectrum HO “Connie”

Cheese

Has anyone tried to covert this loco to an early SP prototype?

Peter Smith, memphis

That’s a good review of a fine little engine. I certainly agree with the brightness of the headlight, or rather lack thereof. For several days I thought something was wrong with mine, was on ‘dim’ or something. I bought mine on sale with Tsunami sound decoder from Micro Mark for about $142 plus shipping, which I thought (and still do) was a good deal, considering what I paid for my P2K and BLI locos. Below is a picture of mine that shows that tether wire that should be black. Gonna paint them black also.

JaRRell

These are great locos: I have seven of them, and they all run smoothly and pull great - even better after adding some weight to them. While they are big Consolidations, they compare favourably the the CNR’s N-2-b class, to which one of mine will be converted. They were rated at the same tractive effort as most of the CNR’s Mikados.

Yes adding weight is a must if you pull heavy cars!

I have two Spectrum 2-8-0 and like them very much.

However, the P2K 0-6-0 and 0-8-0 are running much more smooth. They are extrem silent engines.

I assume the belt is good but not as good as a conventional gear box. Seams to be the same is true for the Spectrum 2-10-0.

Darth,I am about to order a unlettered connie and decal it for a C&O G9.While not 100% correct it is a fairly good stand in.Now since some G9’s had vanderbuilt tenders I made add that type of tender.[:D]

These locos aren’t really that fragile. One of mine took a three foot, head-on dive to the concrete floor. The only damage was a broken drawbar pin on the tender, and one of the plugs between the loco and tender damaged. Both were easily fixed, and she still runs great! [:D]

Wayne

Where do you find room inside to add more weight?