Bachmann SP Daylight GS4 484

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have one of these? Are they decent pieces of equipment? I like the looks of the loco, and it is very affordable, but it is a standard Bachmann line, and I can't see one or test one before buying. It isn't offered in the Spectrum line. I don't want to end up with an el-cheapo like the Bachmann standard line diesels. I thought I read on the forums earlier that the Bachmann steam locos were pretty good, but the forum search isn't working.
Thanks,
Tim

[twhite]

Tim--I've got two, the "daylight" GS4 and the War Baby. They're pretty good locos, though the "Daylight" GS4 is a little light in the hauling department (they both need additional weight in the boiler right above the first driver). The War Baby is the better hauler, and the 'Daylight" has a little problem with the lead truck derailing on turnouts. I fixed that by CA-ing some lead weight on the truck itself, and it seems to work. I understand that Bachmann is going to be re-tooling the GS4 and re-releasing it in their "Spectrum" line in the future, but God only knows how long that will be. But they are pretty smooth running locomotives. Detail isn't up to Spectrum, but they look pretty presentable. All in all, they're not bad.
Tom

[Anonymous]

Yah they work good it just that they just look a bit silly going around turns.

[AggroJones]

I've got one. It seems great for the money. Started out not running very smoothly. After being tweeked, jigged, and lubed it ran fine. Stock version isn't an excellent puller though. I added weights under the skyline, cut some prongs off the trailing/pony trucks so the bulk of the engine rest on the drivers.
It ran really well in the few years leading up to its driver's axels cracking. But I've had it since I was 14 years old. Whole lot of run time on it. Now it just sits on my shelf. If I'm still around when the Spectrum GS-4 comes out, I'll take one in black, without sideskirts.

[AggroJones]

If your patient, you can wait a little longer and pay a little more for the superior Spectrum version that was originally due out winter 2003. Now, I think, its fall 2005.

[Anonymous]

I sold my Bachman SP Daylight GS4 484 Mine was grey and black color not the orange like one. It was my only steam engine that I just had hanging around on a side track of my laytout just to be there, but I got tired of it and let it go. As for how it ran I do not know because I never ran it more than once around the track to make sure it worked. I got it for only $20 at this hobby shop in my area

[cacole]

I've heard a lot of comments about drive wheels coming off of the Bachmann Plus SP Daylight model and being unable to be repaired because the axles are nylon, and even CA won't stick to nylon. I installed a DCC decoder into one of these for a friend of mine, and it seemed to be alright, but another club member has one that the wheels keep coming off.

[fec153]

I have an old one. I bought it used 12 years ago. It pulls the passenger consist very nicely, no problems.
Flip

[Pennsy58]

I like mine alot. Good product for the money. Probably will add little weight to it though.

[Anonymous]

I paid too much money for a Bachmann GS4 as a child back in the early 80's It lasted perhap 3 hours total running time before the fatal axle problem. It would look like it's splitting in half on all the axles. It was destined for the trash after several attempts with different lubes failed.

I would probably never buy a GS4 again from Bachmann, however the spectrum line will merit a serious consideration if they ever offer it again.

[Don Gibson]

EARLY BACHMANN GS-4 chassis' had press-fit wheels that weren't tight on their axles, which created problems. Later chassis' were better. There is suppsed to be a 'Spectrum' version coming, which is supposed to be better - and at more money.

The GS-4 shell is nice and offered in 2 paint jobs. 'Daylight' and 'War Baby'. The latter, a GS-5, was a smaller versioned GS--4. Bachmann's painted version non the less uses their GS-4 engine for both. GS-4's did end their days in the black and silver, but sans their skirting.

SUMMATION
Nice paint job, so-so drives, but engine and tender have wrong wheel sizes, No big deal as Price is low. Newer version in the works with presumably better drive.

4-8-4 Steam doesn't belong on 18" radus curves. 22" is better looking and better running.

[M636C]

The prototype details quoted are not quite correct. The GS-5 was just a GS-4 with roller bearings, and looked identical to the GS-4, as far as an HO model is concerned. The wartime built locomotives, class GS-6, were basically GS-2 engines, with single headlights (no mars light) but an enclosed cab.

SP did paint some Daylight engines black during WWII, and there are photos of GS-4s in black with skirts in Dubin's "Some Classic Trains".

The Bachmann black models correctly represent a black painted wartime GS-4, and have GS-4 numbers. They are incorrectly referred to as "War Babies" which was the nickname for the GS-6.

I have one of each, (old Daylight and new black) and both are still working, although neither has been run much and I take good care of them. A problem with all "old Bachmann" steam drives is the gear train which can be damaged by pushing the unit if it stalls. I haven't run the black one enough to experience the axle failure. I might invest in two Spectrum chassis when they arrive.

The model is no worse than the early brass models it was copied from.

Peter

[BRVRR]

My grandson got a GS-5 Daylight for Christmas. He loves the thing. He was so disappointed that it didn't have a 'sound decoder in it, that I installed the 'guts' out of an IHC steam sound car in the tender. He was/is thrilled. The installation works better than the original sound car.
This engine ran smoothly right out of the box. I runs well on his 18-inch radius curve DC home layout and even better on my BRVRR, which is DCC and 22 1/2" and 20" radius curves on the mainlines.
I haven't 'looked under the hood' yet to determine the difficulty of installing a DCC decoder. It will get one eventually. Maybe an MRC 1627 Steam Sound Decoder.
All in all, I think the Daylight is a real bargain, as is the Bachmann Niagara.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to all for the input. I thought they were quite attractive, and though I model Santa Fe in the '70's, it's a fictional area, and could use the added interest of a steam engine with color. I may just look into getting one, along with some Daylight passenger cars. Some of them go for $50 or so on Ebay. Doesn't seem too bad a price.
Tim