Bachmann 4-6-0

[doctorwayne]

Yeah, the original Bachmann Ten-Wheelers had a good amount of freestanding details.  Here's one of mine before I modified it:

...and here's one before painting:

The boiler is from a Varney Ten-Wheeler with its cab removed, while the new cab and lifting injectors are from a Bachmann Consolidation.  Details are from Cal-Scale and PSC, along with some scratchbuilt stuff.

I also modified the tender, shortening it somewhat and then cutting it lengthwise with a handsaw to make it narrower - as new, it was wider than the cab:

With added weight (all three air tanks are lead-filled brass tubing, and there's more lead in the smokebox and under the cab) these are pretty-decent pullers.

I still have the original boilers and cabs laying around here somewhere.

Wayne

 

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

Yes, it would seem that the golden age of plastic/die cast high detail steam locos has come and gone.

Strictly on the issue of detail, Most of the Bachmann Spectrum offerings over the last 15 years, and the Proto offerings stand out above all the others.

And the others are going down hill too. Broadway - generic 2-8-2's, 4-6-2's and 2-8-0's with cast on boiler detail. Most Broadway locos never reached the fine detail level of a Spectrum model anyway.

Athearn's offerings, while nice, are too few to even count.

MTH considers toy like oversized cast on detail important to make the models "handling friendly", and leaves off details that might get broken easily.

So what is Bachmann to do in a market that is facing higher prices and seems to have reached its limit for fine scale detail? They are doing what all the rest are already doing - giving up fine detail for sound and other electronic features.

One of the best models Bachmann ever made was the USRA Heavy 4-8-2. It was offered with a long list of proto specfic detail changes for different roadnames, ran well, looks great - BUT - they are "fragile" to some. The pickup wipers don't like derailments, they have lots of applied plastic details on a die cast metal boiler, and, with the possible exception of the C&O version, they just are not "famous" enough or "flashy" enough for the current market.

Which is great for me, I have large fleet of them, dollar cost average price less than $100 each.

With the passing of Lee Riley, and the current market trends, you may not see too many more great Spectrum models.......

But then again, considering how they always got bashed on these forums, maybe Bachmann is doing the smart thing by returning to more "entry level" or "budget priced" models.

Yes, my view is biased by several facts:

I have no interest in DCC or sound - so BLI and MTH are not on my radar.

I don't mind having to make a little adjustment here and there.

I'm a kit basher and a builder, I was doing model train repairs commercially at age 15........

I can pick up a model without breaking the parts off......

I think I will head down to Star Hobby real soon and buy a few more of the black box Spectrum locos still on their shelves..........

Sheldon

[don7]

doctorwayne

Until sometime today, there was a thread on the Bachmann Forum about that loco, but the thread, for some reason, was removed.  The loco is basically the same as the original version, but has cast-on details and a three pole motor.

I have two of the original ones, but modernised them somewhat:

Wayne

 

doctorwayne

 

Your pictures only emphasis the higher level of detail that was on the first version in comparison to the new re-issued version.

[richg1998]

IRONROOSTER

Looking at the Bachmann website, they appear to have phased out the Spectrum line.  Fewer steam locomotives and most that are still listed for Spectrum are soldout.

Paul

 

The Bach-Man does clear discussions if they cross the line. Sometimes, a kid or usually an old timer, goes too far. Seen it happen a number of times. The discussion was looking ok but I was away for a couple days.

No doubt, Bachmann will move more to Standard to cut cost. Their cost, not our cost probably.

The Bach-Man did say three pole motor like the 2-8-0.

Rich

[Trainman440]

IRONROOSTER

Looking at the Bachmann website, they appear to have phased out the Spectrum line.  Fewer steam locomotives and most that are still listed for Spectrum are soldout.

Paul

 

Which is a real pity. 

I wish they phased out the standard line and stayed with the spectrum line 

[IRONROOSTER]

Looking at the Bachmann website, they appear to have phased out the Spectrum line.  Fewer steam locomotives and most that are still listed for Spectrum are soldout.

Paul

[7j43k]

don7

it is now a Standard line engine with the boiler details being moleded on rather than individual applications.  I hope that is the only difference between the two versions. I would hate to see Bachmann release a toy grade release in place of the excellent Spectrum model which was the first version.

 

 

By your account, they just did.  So they may as well keep going down the slide.

 

I just wandered into the train room and gawked at my "old" Bachmann 4-6-0.  Yup, a real cutie.

 

Sorry to see it go.

 

 

 

Ed

[doctorwayne]

Until sometime today, there was a thread on the Bachmann Forum about that loco, but the thread, for some reason, was removed.  The loco is basically the same as the original version, but has cast-on details and a three pole motor.

I have two of the original ones, but modernised them somewhat:

Wayne

[don7]

Has anyone acquired or seen one of the new re-issued Bachmann 4-6-0 steam engines?

When last released a few years ago in the Spectrum line of Bachmann steam engines I thought it was the most detailed of thier North American steam engines.

I see that the released model is no longer a Spectrum model, it is now a Standard line engine with the boiler details being moleded on rather than individual applications.  I hope that is the only difference between the two versions. I would hate to see Bachmann release a toy grade release in place of the excellent Spectrum model which was the first version.