I have loved the engine since I was a kid and I really want one now, but Bachman seems to be the only company who is making it these days and that bothers me. All the Bachmann engines I had as a kid were loud, noisy engines and wore out quickly, even more so than my toy TYCO engines...with the exception of a chosen few.
I have been out of the business for a long time and I was just wondering how Bachmann are today. In your opinion is $130 too much for a Bachmann Southern Pacific Daylight Special engine & tender? If so, does anyone know of a better brand that is making it these days?
Thank you, Sean.
Bachmann quality has improved drastically since those days. This may not apply to all Bachmann products, but I have at least 20 Bachmann Spectrum locomotives in both HO and G scale and every one of them has been a very good product.
I also have a lot of Bachmann passenger cars and other rolling stock in both HO and G scale, and they too are a good product.
Thanks. That makes me feel better, because aside from the DS, there are two other engines I have my eye on and they are both Bachmann Spectrum. One is a SAL 2-10-2 and the other is a Norfolk & Western "J" with coal tender and auxilary water tender.
I have no experience with the Bachmann Spectrum Norfolk & Western J class 4-8-4, but the Broadway Limited one with QSI sound was very good, and I think they re-released it in their Paragon2 series, which may be even better.
Hmmm, that's something to consider. Thanks.
I have the Bachmann GS4 Daylight with DCC on board. I absolutely love this engine. It has been a childhood favorite of mine right up there with the NYC Hudsons. This has performed flawlessly for me and I got it for a great deal brand new from my LHS. I also have the whole string of passenger cars (from a different maker) to go with it. I run it quite a bit on my club layout where it really stretches it legs and runs over some pretty questionable track conditions without any issues. I know that MTH also makes one with sound and smoke that I hope to eventually purchase...but it comes with a hefty cost. The Bachmann is a great cheaper alternative even though the detail may not be as impressive as the MTH one..but you can't really notice it. Hope this helps!!!....Tim
A true friend will not bail you out of jail...he will be sitting next to you saying "that was friggin awesome dude!" Tim...Modeling the NYC...is there any other?
Sean, both MTH and Broadway Limited make HO SP Daylight GS-4's with sound. They cost much more than the Bachmann, in the $400 range. I have an MTH, and just saw a clubmate's Broadway. Both well done. Used brass versions are available from Caboose Hobbies for less.
Hal
Bachmann has greatly improved their line of locos since those old days of cheap stuff. Bachmann has also improved their warrantee system also to include some lifetime warrantees, better/quicker service, they will actually fix it for you, not just "send you the parts", they will honor warrantees, even if "you workled on it first", or "you broke it", will often work on it even if out of warrantee, and if they can't repair will replace with another new one,OR send you a new one that closely matches what you had, if you agree to that. Their warrantee service dept is in Phillly, PA USA.
My entire fleet of both steam and diesels is made up of Bachmann DCC OnBoard locos. They all serve me well, though one does have a low growl on start up.
Their SPectrum line is their cream of the crop and don't be fooled by their regular line either, they are often 2nd or 3 run Spectrums that have simply been reclassified to the "standard line" to make way for more Spectum models.
no, $130 is not a bad price to pay for the loco, IF you can find it in stock. They sell/ sold out rather quickly!!!!! I do not know if Bachmann will re-run them or not, but you can try all places that list it to see if they have it in stock. I would call first and place phone order rather than 'net order just to be sure they have it in stock!
Good luck!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Thanks, Tim. That does help a lot. I had heard previously that Bachmann were better in quality these days. Of course it was from a commercial hobby store employee who could've been trying to sell me the Bachmann SAL 2-10-2 I've been looking at.
Thanks, Hal. I saw the MTH version finally and it's a bit out of my price range at this time (around $600). I'm sure it's worth it, but as I say, at this time insufficient funds. Haven't seen the Broadway version yet.
Here's the information about the Broadway Limited Southern Pacific GS-4 Daylight locomotive:
http://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon2spgs-44-8-4-2.aspx
But don't be frightened away by the "MSRP" price shown here. Some sites, such as Factory Direct Trains, offer it for much less.
This engine along with Bachmann's other newer 4-8-4's was reviewed by Model Railroad News.
The review was quite in-depth and Model Railroad News described the engines as very good in their running characteristics and construction.
Model Railroad News is known for their unbiased reviews.
I myself will be soon buying one of the SP GS locomotives, based on that review.
The newer 'standard' Bachmann GS-4 is a nice loco for the price. It's a quiet, very smooth runner, but a little 'light' on its feet if you're thinking about pairing it up with a full-length Daylight train. It can be improved with a little additional weight balanced over the first two drivers. The detail is probably not like the current MTH or BLI offerings, but it's a handsome loco. And the price is extremely attractive.
I hooked mine up to a 10-car set of MTH Daylight cars, and it did just fine on the level, but required a helper on my 2% grades. But then, so did the prototype. So for the money, IMO, you can't go wrong.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Sean, that MTH price isn't right; I paid less than 4.
If you get a Bachmann, it might help to know that the Soundtraxx Tsunami Heavy Steam decoder is ideal for it, because it has the right whistle and air horn sounds, plus many other unique features.
Thank you, HDTV Nut. That is something to consider. As soon as my freaking Federal comes back (which I thought would be this weekend) I'm getting an engine. Unfortunately, I don't think the wife is going to allow me to get the MTH that I have been foaming at the mouth over. Women, they always want to spend money wisely. You know bills and stuff - BORING! As long as the electricity stays on and I have some chips, a drink, and a beautiful engine zooming by, I'm fine.
Now, I could go ahead and buy the Bachmann SP DS, but I might save up for the MTH or Broadway. Decisions... However, I am definitely buying the SAL 2-10-2. It is a Bachmann, but I've seen it run and heard it's smooth sound. It seems to be a great engine. I think I'll buy it first, a Bachmann to test the waters and then if I am pleased with it, I may start buying more Bachmann engines.
That said, I would like to have at least one engine in my collection that I can show off and brag about. One expensive and highly detailed engine to be proud of. I can't think of a better candidate than the Southern Pacific Daylight Special (MTH or Broadway). They both look son damned detailed, it's like you took the actual engine and shrunk it down (as my dad says).
Boxcar_melvin....I freaking LOVE your avatar picture!!....My all time favorite movie!!...One of the only movies my dad let me here the swear words in as a kid. Who didn't like seeing Gene Wilder tossed from the train yelling "Son of a bit&c*"???...A classic....
While I never had a Spectrum Bachmann GS 4 I have had two of there stranded DC GS 4. With a little weight added they pulled well and tracked great! Best steam I have bought for the money and never a problem with them. If I was a little more advances 3 years ago I would have installed decoders in them when I went DCC.
While I love my BLI steamers, all but one has had problems and either I repaired them or I sent them back for warranty repairs. BLI services department is top notch and makes up for there QC in China.
With that being said, I would try Bachmann again. But don't count out BLI, just lube well before running them. 75% of the problems I have had been because of lube in the tower gears.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Thanks, Fireman. Silver Streak was one of my favorite movies as a kid and I must've watched it every time it came on cable. I remember watching it with my grandma and her busting out in laughter every time Wilder would get thrown off the train and exclaim, "Son of a B!!@!" She and I especially loved the part where he is knocked off by the overhead railway light post. When he has to grab hold of it and it swings him off the train. It's really a great movie. I have it on DVD now. I could never find a good image online of the train as it crashed into the station, so I put the DVD in the computer and made a screen capture. I thought it would also be a good avatar, since the engine seems to have a face with the crack across the face acting as a smile, as they state in the movie.
When I was a kid, I was drawn to it, because of my fascination with trains. The crash at the end is what captured my interest, but now I love the movie for the fun, comedy/murder mystery that it is.
When I was a kid, I always wanted an HO scale Silver Streak engine, didn't know if there really ever was one. The only version I ever knew of was a TYCO train set, but the "Silver Streak" in the set was a chrome-painted SD engine with matching caboose. Even as a kid, I thought it looked goofy and stupid, so I never bought it. It wasn't until years later that I discovered that the engine and cars in the movie were actually just CPRail with the "AMRoad" logo (a made up railroad name, obviously based on Amtrak) placed over it. I wonder if anyone has ever made a Silver Streak out of a CPRail F Unit? I would bet someone has and I would sure like to see it.
Thanks, CudaKen.
Hi Boxcar_Melven
I'm an oldster and have built different layouts over the years. I have moved so many times taken down and setting up layouts in Ho..So once again we are moving and its time to down size this time I'm thinking about a small set maybe N gage or Z gage on a shelf. . I have some contacts for the Bachmann Southern Pacific Daylight Special engine & tender. Like you I realy love the looks of that engine since I first started collectiong Ho . I have been a subscriber of Model Railrod mag. but I let my subscription laps after the last move and buy it off the shelf now. I feel that the model Rairoad Mag.is the bible for the model railroad community. Anyway this is my first post I just found the forum and really enjoyed reading the post.I'm going to recommend it to my fellow model builders.My e-mail is modelbuilder@gmail.com if you want to contact me..
Choctaw
tr
Thank you very much. Yes, I am a huge fan of heavy steam engines and the colors of the DSP only add to my attraction to that particular engine. I saw the N scale version of it for the first time the other day at my local hobby shop. It's beautiful.
Even though I am doing a 1970s era layou but I will still have steam engines on it, because in my world, the steam engine never died. I recently bought a Seaboard Air Line 2-10-2 freight engine. I was really amazed by the detail that Bachmann Spectrum delivers these days. When I was a kid Bachmann was pretty much on the level of TYCO. Funny how times change.
Boxcar Melvin I too like the looks of this loco. The object is not to hijack this thread, but summarize some comments about these locos and ask some more questions.
Cuda Ken mentioned that he runs a couple GS4's ant the tower gears should be lubed before use. Any other suggestions, Ken?
Sheldon from Atlantic Central in an earlier thread about Bachmann big steam locos suggested adding 2 oz. to the tender and up to 5 oz to the loco.
Cacole says he has about 20 Bachmann locos and they run great.
Read on a post somewhere recently that some modelers add some weight to the pilot truck as well.
Seems to be lots of good things about the locos and also that they might need a little 'tweaking' like any other mechanical thing. Just received a GS4 from Bachmann as a warranty replacement / upgrade to DCC from a very old DC loco. The axles on the loco rear truck were dry and squeaking. Have not got to the tower gears yet. Did find that it tracked better with some extra weight temporarily attached.
Does anyone have any other suggestions concerning putting the Bachmann GS4 Daylight into service?
One more question. Is anyone running them on 18" radius curves, and if so what was required to make them dependable? (Looks aside)
Regards
From Mt Pleasant, Utah, the home of the Hill Valley and Thistle Railroad where the Buffalo still roam and a Droid runs the trains