Bachman Plus Question

[Anonymous]

I'll be honest.......

Bachmann plus and Bachmann standard pretty much suck. Some of their steam is ok, such as the 0-6-0s and their 4-8-4s. But they still aren't the best.

Spectrum steam rivals P2K and BLI in detail. They may have a few problems mechanicaly, but otherwise A+ for Spectrum steam. Spectrum disels on the other hand............suck.

[joecool1212]

Not a Bachman fan here. I have a few bachman old diesels and a few Spectrum diesels. Not happy with them. Some are ok and some just plain stink. The spectrums have flywheels but dont act like it. A few squeek at certain speeds, but mostly the Union pacifics. I think you pay extra for a Union Pacific to squeek . Just kidding. Don't have any steam so I cant comment on them. Joe A.

[trolleyboy]

Hey spacemouse one other thought , some of the older bachman locos I've tangled with (plus and spectrum) tended to have alot of white lithium grease in the trucks.I mean tons and in alot of cases this stuff would congeal and crystalize. Once you dug it out and relubed they would run better and quieter worth a look. Rob

[SpaceMouse]

Thanks guys. Though don't spend too much time thinking about DCC for these Bachmans. At the club I have a late steam early deisel set-up with an E7, F2a/b, S1, and an M1A all P2Ks and BLIs in PRR. (Jeez, only an MRR guy could sort that out.) At home, I'm modeling early steam.

Looks like these are destined to be thrown in the eBay.

[Anonymous]

I have a rather elderly one of their F7As, which I bought used last year. It works superbly - after a little cleaning and lubing it will "run on" for a full 2ft or so after the power is shut off. It's as quiet as Proto equipment and just as smooth. Fitting DCC looks as though it'll be easy enough too - there's one pickup on each truck that contacts the frame, so if I clip off the part that's designed to touch the frame and solder a wire to it (as with the other 2 pickups) it'll solve the isolating problem.

I've been looking vaguely at the B23-7 too - I would guess the solution to the noise would be to pop the shell off and do some investigating. Put a drop of oil on all bearings and check if the gearing has grease in - Bachmann usually put plenty in at the factory but there have been a few releases that missed this. Also check for anything rubbing on moving parts such as wires, moulding flash, etc. I'd guess the pickups would be easy to isolate from the motor as if it's anything like my Bachmann locos the truck "body" is plastic, so just rerouting the pickup wires to the decoder rather than the stock circuit board should be enough isolating. Hope this helps!

[Jetrock]

There is probably plenty room in the tender.

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock

SpaceMouse: Are you thinking of #51124, the CP Jupiter? Not sure about how well they run, but that would be just about perfect for the 1880's California theme you want. I'm not sure how closely it resembles the real Jupiter (or how well #51124 resembles UP 119) but they're not too bad looking, and old 4-4-0's like that were used in backwoods service well into the 1920's.

Exactly, but I'm not looking forward to rigging it for DCC (let alone sound). They're just lil bitty thangs.

[Jetrock]

SpaceMouse: Are you thinking of #51124, the CP Jupiter? Not sure about how well they run, but that would be just about perfect for the 1880's California theme you want. I'm not sure how closely it resembles the real Jupiter (or how well #51124 resembles UP 119) but they're not too bad looking, and old 4-4-0's like that were used in backwoods service well into the 1920's.

[SpaceMouse]

Come to think of it, my daughter has a 4-8-4 that runs pretty well. It is not as smooth as the BLI's or Proto 2000s or even the MDCs or IHCs for that mattter, but it is better than any of the 3 Bachman diesels I have--I also have one of the SD Santa Fe's that comes with every kit in the world.

[SpaceMouse]

Anyone had experience with a Bachman 4-4-0 American?

[Anonymous]

I have one-- it sounds fine when it runs EXCEPT for the time a wire was touching a flywheel--then it was loud. Bachmann can be hit-or-miss. I DCC'd mine--I mounted a TCS T1 on top of the motor. The wipers on one side touch the frame--I trimmed them back so they didn't touch the frame, soldered leads directly to the wipers, and drilled holes for the leads. It wasn't too hard to do.

My complaint is the fuel tank--doesn't look ANYTHING like a GE fuel tank to me.

Gary

[rrinker]

What he said.

I will also second the theory that they will probably not be real easy to DCC. Maybe their newest ones are, since they sell them with decoders already in - or are those not even Plus level? My father in law has a pair of Spectrum GP-30's and even THOSE are not gonna be easy to DCC, since they basically built an HO locomotive like an N scale one, two massive chunks of metal that fill up the shell with the motor sandwiched in between. Yet, the Bachmann Spectrum E33 electric he has, you don't even have to remove the shell to DCC, the cooling hatch pops off and there's an 8-pin socket right there for you to use.
I know some people get offended when you pick on Bachmann, but man, it's REALLY hit or miss with them, even with the Spectrum stuff. I might also add that on the two GP30's, the paint is badly flawed in the same spot on both units, the side of the cab. A big thick chunk that, once touched, flakes right off. Yet my ancient Bachmann N scale F9 that I've had since I was a little kid is still in great shape. It doesn't run very well, part of the reason i got out of N scale - right before those excellent Atlas/Kato RS-3's came out, but it looks good. The GP30's RUN great but look horrible. Very wierd.

--Randy

[trolleyboy]

Hey space mouse yah that's pretty much normal for them. They are basically a train set loco with slightly better detail. They'll usually run well but loud.I'm not sure how easy they will be to convert to DCC either , I've never peered inside one but my suspicion is that they may not have the easist to isolate of motors. TB

[SpaceMouse]

I happened into a couple NIB B23-7 deisels. Anyway when I put them on the track and run them around they sound like an electric weed-whacker. Are the Bachman Plus engines normally this loud? I was thinking of trying their 4-4-0 American and I know it is the Plus series.

All my other engines are much smoother and quieter than these Bachmans.