Thanks a lot guys. I think I will have a look at the Bachmann forums, and in any case, I will try to avoid Bachmann the white.and remain with Gandalf the blue.
Rich brings up a good suggestion, as I did early, about the Bachmann forums.
If you have the older train set type with the pancake motor, nothing you can do will give you anything but zooming around the track. That's just the way those motors work, and by the time you try to repower it, you could have a newer style with the decent motor and drive.
I would think the shell might fit on the newer drives, with the 8 axle drive train, but I've never done it.
Mike.
My You Tube
The OP can also ask at the Bachmann forums. Many users of Bachmann products there with a couple Bachmann reps.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Thank you both for your replies. I presume the older ones are crap in terms of running quality, right? If yes, is there a remedy?
Regards
Walid
Bachmann has made 2 types of GP40s. They all have basically the SAME SHELL, but the insides are different.
First kind used pancake motor. It is crap, not worth a dime. Horn hook couplers were mounted, the pilot was really wide. (came in white or yellow box)
Second kind used same high quality drive and can motor, some of the best drives out there (near Kato quality). (came with blue box) The second version came either with DC or with a DCC decoder. The decoder is also crap. The shells had much better pilots.
All the shells are the same, just with different paint jobs. Older shells tend to have thicker paint, and thicker handrails, newer ones look slightly better.
Hope this helps :)
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
My limited experience with Bachmann, the locos in the white box, with the clear window, would more than likely have the pancake motor, and only 2 axles drive, like their train set locos.
The locos in the blue box with the clear window, usually have the 8 wheel drive.
There is also a economical DCC version in the blue box, and it will have DCC on the front of the box. They also have the 8 wheel drive.
I don't believe they ever put out a GP40 in their Spectrum line, which is their top of line loco.
Bachmann also has a great forum where you can get all questions about Bachmann answered.
EDIT: I will add that the DCC version does have nice detail, with more accurate handrails, ladders and grabs, and coupler lift bars.
Hi,
Using the search words : "Bachmann GP-40" either on Google or Ebay leads to mixed results. Some look basic and toy-like, others look much more decent. I tried to include a specific engine number but I always get the same results. Did Bachmann an update of the GP-40 at some point of time, or is only optical illusion that makes the same engine look different?