Got a 2-8-0. If you don't hear from me it's cause I'm dead meat.

[SpaceMouse]

What do you know about the Bachman Spectrum 2-8-0? I want the good, bad, and the uggly. Follow-up ??
I wanna know.

[Bikerdad]

What scale?

[Virginian]

Very good engine. Runs well, looks good.

[cacole]

I have three of them and other members of our local HO scale club have four or five of them, too, and none of us have had any problems with any of them. Very smooth runners and easy to put decoders and sound systems into. One member also has the N scale version, and I have the G scale one -- all run very smoothly and are reliable.

[twhite]

I have one, like it quite well. It's smooth, quiet, a much better puller than I thought it would be, and it has very nice detail. Evidently it converts to DCC pretty easily, too--from what I've heard.
Tom

[Anonymous]

Great engines, look and run good like mentioned above. Just thought I'd add, Spectrum steamers are notoriously bad pullers.

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bikerdad

What scale?

I keep forgetting there are other scales---HO

[dehusman]

Runs very smoothly. Pulls well.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

Quiet. No grinding or loud gear noise like my BLIs.

Detail is high. Like low end brass.

The electrical wipers may need tweeking to get proper contact. Other wise it runs erratic.

Not the world's best hauler, but thats to be expected. It ain't a giant tonnage hog.

I see everyone here says "smooth". Almost every Spectrum 2-8-0 I've come across had a slight wobble. Tje cab "dances" as it moves down the rails. I am a perfectionist, so the flaw I see may be a little exaggerated.

They are incapable of great low speed running. Higher speeds equal better drive train flow.

I'm just giving you the facts.

[Anonymous]

Chip,

Great loco and one of the best deals around. I would recommend seeing it run before purchasing. I have sent two back for "hunting (weaving side to side due to alignment problems). They are easy to install decoders and Bachmann makes a vandy tender for us West Coasters....

[Anonymous]

My pop bought a bachmann spectrum 4-8-2 so i am not sure if this is of any relevance.

The good- Great looks,Good pulling power,Great smooth runner even at low speeds
The bad- He bought it in HO and i model in N!!!!! He got it for his layout and i think it will look good but i am yet to find one in N scale.I would love to know Where!
The Ugly- Nothing,its gorgeous!

Pavariangoo

[randybc2003]

I got one and like it very much. It is an "older" one, and has a plug-n-play socket for the decoder. It was my first DCC loco - and naturally I had some problems with it. (the electronics - not the machine) A loose and shorting wire had to be re-soldered in the board, and I had the P-n-P decoder professionaly installed after I couldn't get it to work. (there were other problems w/ the track) Also, I understand the machine is wired bckwards - goes FORWARD when the DCC system says REVERSE. (I am partially colorblind, so I don't notice the color problems on the throttle). I understand the direction problem has been fixed in the more recent runs. See the Saskatoon Modelers Webpage for discussion of the wiring problem.
I repainted my tender to my prefered road, and use it to push my Walthers Rotary Snowplow (also w/ decoder)!! It gets favorable comments.
Several guys at the club have them too, and like them also.
Like I said - I LIKE it. [:D]

[Virginian]

I must take issue with the Spectrums are poor haulers comment. I have a 'J' and a 4-8-2 heavy mountain, and they are both very good pullers. The 'J' was a bit slick at first, but after the wheels got broken in she pulls quite well.

[SpaceMouse]

Follow-up question: Are there suffiicient problems with the wobble hat you would be concerned about getting a NIB 2-8-0 off eBay?I've seen some really good deals out there.

[Anonymous]

My pop got both his Spectum Engines of Ebay.

Pavariangoo

[Anonymous]

I got 15 or so cars up a 3% grade with only some slight slipping with a Spec Hvy Mountain.

Bad pullers indeed.

[orsonroy]

I've bought five of them off Ebay (average price $60) and none of them have any problems. The BS 2-8-0 is a great model: it looks good, runs well, and is a real puller. I've got dozens of new plastic steamers, and use the BS 2-8-0 as my baseline when evaluating other engines (few of which compare favorably to it on all categories)

[SpaceMouse]

This is probably a mute point, but since my son's two Hogwarts trains to date have had serious derail problems, and only his trains have had these problems--how is the 2-8-0 at riding the rails? Any derailing problems I should know about?

[Anonymous]

Chip,

Cough up the $60.00. You won't be disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Mine runs better than my Athearn Genesis "Mike" !!!

And it's detail is at least as good as the Genesis.

It's the best thing Bachmann makes !!!

[Train 284]

It is great! I have one myself, fine looking locomotive and runs well.

Matt [8D]

[SpaceMouse]

I got it, but my wife don't like it. I have to put off the basement layout a month. If I disappear check down there for the body.

[davekelly]

Park it behind a building. If it's located say something like "oh yeah, that's where I left it, I haven't run that thing in like 4 months."

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

Follow-up question: Are there suffiicient problems with the wobble hat you would be concerned about getting a NIB 2-8-0 off eBay?I've seen some really good deals out there.

Chip,

I got a NIB Spectrum HO 2-8-0 off Ebay for $50.00. The locomotive is perfect in every way, comparable to BLI in detail, and runs way better than most of my steamers (whines a little bit a higher speeds but what loco doesn't). I say go for it!

[Anonymous]

Chip,
I have one in "N" scale with DCC. A good loco,good puller. I would recommend it.
gandy dancer II

[JohnT14808]

It's too big for the layout I have....?!?!?!

[Don Gibson]

Congratulation's (or RIP), whichever comes first.