Bachmann Tenshodo Bullet Train

[Anonymous]

[?]Has anyone purchased a Bachmann/Tenshodo Bullet Train? I am thinking of doing so, but I would like to know as much as possible about the actual model as it is an expensive investment - especially when you live 12 000 miles from the nearest supplier and cannot even see the item before purchase . Bachmann, in their usual weird, twisted logic, have no pictures of their Bullet Train on any of their web sites! Is it so bad they are too ashamed to show it!
If any of you have already bought one, I would be really grateful for your frank and candid comments (- warts and all!) on its performance, details, etc, etc.[?] Any information you can contribute would be very gratefully received.

[cacole]

If Bachmann is up to their usual tricks, none have been built yet so no photos are available for them to put on their Web site. I've noticed over the years that Bachmann is not the only company guilty of announcing a new product six months to one year before it is actually available. I think companies do this to see how much interest is generated in a product before they actually produce it, so they don't have too many left over. There have been a couple of instances where product announcements have been cancelled because not enough interest was generated.

[Anonymous]

It's been released, and has been released for a long time now (probably a year or two). They don't have it on their website because they don't make it anymore. It was a limited run item (not a large demand due to the price). I've seen one in person and it was pretty nice, but couldn't come close to justifying the price. Trainworld has it for $325.

[cjcrescent]

Bilby2k;
I don't think you can go wrong buying one. The models are imported by Bachmann, that is sold under the Bachmann label, and they may have made part of it, but the rest of the model was made by Tenshodo of Japan who is one of if not the top producer from Japan. When brass production moved from Japan to Korea Tenshodo stayed in the business in Japan and are still producing Japanese model trains there. Tenshodos in the past were imported by the likes of PFM, Westside, and NWSL. They were for years one of the top brass producers before the brass market got screwy here. In Japan their equipment is still considered top notch, and I have read its considered even better than Kato. They supposedly still have the largest model train store in Japan located in the Tokyo Ginza.

[Anonymous]

I just got one. It is actually made by a chinese manufacturer Kairyu (possibly the one which makes Bachmann's stuff) and branded by both Bachmann and Tenshodo. The detailing is pretty good, but not Kato quality. (i would say it is slightly better than the spectrum acela express). There are a lot of cast on details, but louvers and such are very detailed and the printing is crisp. The pantograph is for decoration only and actually looks cheesy. It comes with a motor unit and 4 other coaches (2 green car and 2 end cars).

It runs pretty well all in part to a very heavy motor unit (which is the 2nd unit by the way). The coaches are a tad light with respect to NMRA requirements but I have had no derailing problems running at top speed.

I have it converted to DCC operations which is not too hard since there is a NMRA plug in the end coaches and the motor unit, just be careful about removing mounting screws. I recommend an advanced decoder such as Digitrax DH163 or NCE 14SR series. As for directional lighting, I used a TF4 soldered onto NMRA plug for each end coach. It runs smoothly with good slow speed if you fiddle with the speed tables. It actually runs faster on under DC operations because I can get 18-20V output from power pack, as opposed to Digitrax DCC max voltage ~14V. On the DCC, my maximum scale speed ~170-180mph (300kph) which is prototypical (~2 car lengths per second).

If you want pictures, try this website (in japanese). I would recommend translating it into English or whatever with Google language tools.

http://www.tenshodo.co.jp/railroad/new/ho/500/index.html

Hope that helps.
JB

[tatans]

Looks great, just wondering what HO scale speed is, calculated from 200mph this baby would whip around your track about 50 mph, cmon now , we have to be accurate, if it's not going actual speed whats the use? hope it has "magnetractcion"

[Anonymous]

[:D] Thanks everyone - and a very special thanks to joebaze - for your input. I am changing over to DCC so your advice is extremely useful, JB.
Trainworld's price is actually reasonable when compared to what Europeans (and Australians!) have to pay for their local stuff. A Fleischmann coach is over $100 here in Oz!
I had a look at the web link for Tenshodo as you recommended.
Folks, if you want a good belly laugh, log onto that site from the joebaze posting and then right click on Google and ask it for a translation - it's hilarious!

[i]ByTheWay, tatans, I think you should use a calculator rather than your fingers . . .[i][:D]

[pedromorgan]

i have seen them in person. they are very nice but also very expensive. i dont think they have stopped making them. the add on packs are due to arrive in the summer i think. i think a large part of the cost is the packaging!

the bachmann stuff is made buy Kader (as is a large protion of the worlds teddy bears!)

it is expensive but you get a tenshodo mechanism in it.
it would be nice to see them extend the range. interestingly lima did a shinkansen in the early 80's for which hornby now have the moulds. i dont think they will make it but it would be nice!

Peter

[TurboOne]

I have been looking at it. One of our local stores has two sets. They want $399. Trainworld at $325 is the best I've seen, but I may get it at the local shop if he comes down a little.

Joe thanks for the link, bilby thanks for letting me know google translates, that was cool.

Tim