The "N" Crowd

[Dave Vollmer]

Sounds like nothings' changed...  I had an HO Bachmann 2-6-2 over 20 years ago that did the same thing!

In N scale, at least, don't buy any locomotive from Bachmann unless it's their Spectrum line.  Why a manufacturer would have two or three different manufacturing standards is beyond me...

[pcarrell]

The Bmann standard line is usually junk, I agree.  The 2-6-2 you bought, yeah, I've got one of those!  It's my test mule for whenever I want to try out some crazy idea that probably won't work.  It's been junk from day one!

The Spectrum line is different though.  I already had a 2-8-0 and two 4-8-2's, and they run like swiss watches!

The 4-8-4 is in their regular line, but the mechanism has just been redone to basically spectrum standards.  The only reason it's still in the regular line is that they didn't upgrade the shell (strange how they didn't do that).  I've heard great things about this new mechanism, so I did a try before you buy deal with it and got two.

With Bmann, stay away from the stuff packaged in the cardboard boxes.  Thats the junk!  With the jewel case stuff (thats the newer stuff), try before you buy!  They are making some really top quality loco's, but quality control can be an issue, so run it before you plunk down your hard earned cash!

These four ran great, thats why the man got my money.

[R. T. POTEET]

Sounds like nothings' changed...  I had an HO Bachmann 2-6-2 over 20 years ago that did the same thing!

In N scale, at least, don't buy any locomotive from Bachmann unless it's their Spectrum line.  Why a manufacturer would have two or three different manufacturing standards is beyond me...

Dave, at NMRA ST. Louis in 2001 I approached the individual manning the ramparts at the Bachmann fort and ask for his comments on a rumor I had encountered somewhere-or-another in my travels; I had heard that Bachmann was in the process of upgrading ALL of their N-Scale steamer line to Spectrum standards.  Now before you bridge salesmen start sending me emails let me say that I really gave no credence to this rumor but thought I would bounce it off this nameless individual - who, I suspect, really had no input into marketing decisions - anyway.

Perhaps I was a victim of what is known as wishful propaganda.  As is to be expected he pooh-poohed the whole idea; Bachmann's appeal to the mass market, he informed me,  could only be met by maintaining a product line that spanned all levels of the price spectrum and this required inexpensive items - he did not really say cheap - for the trainset market and a more expensive line for the hobbyest such as myself.

I countered with the following argument:

"Cheap trainsets really don't sell anything.  Lionel's trainsets are not cheap and most adult Lionel modelers were introduced to the hobby via a trainset under the Christmas tree.  Lionel wants their trainsets to offer a long-term appeal for future purchases - and they do just that.  I am not a Lionel modeler but I do trust the Lionel name. 

"I do understand a little bit about marketing and the long term profits in this hobby come from the hobbyest.  If a 'kids' first perception of this hobby is 'junk' then he is going to conclude that that is what this hobby is about: junk  And he won't come back to it when he becomes a potential purchaser with iron men in his wallet."

I  told him that on select occasions I purchased a couple of British model railroading magazines and Bachmann enjoyed a substantial repute in the United Kingdom; why, I ask,  were so many of their products here in the country of their corporate headquarters held up to such derision by those who should be beating the proverbial path to their doorstep?  

At this time I got a half-hearted nod of the head.

Bachmann should, I informed him, upgrade their product line to become directly competetive with Kato and Atlas and get completely away from the "low priced spread".  I told him about my few years back purchase of  some C40s and, if I found them a bit noisy, they did pull rather well and I would consider Bachmann Spectrum for future purchases.

This engendered another half-hearted nod of the head - and then I drifted off into other realms of the world of fantasy. 

[Anonymous]

My LHS had a post holiday/blizzard sale yesterday. I purchased a Bachmann "Old time 4-4-0" for next years Christmas layout.

I got it home and decided to give it a test run. I put 3 small passenger car, a small hopper, cattle car and caboose together for the test run. After about 20mins. it started to slip on the rail so I though maybe the Loco may have been over lub'ed, so I though I'd wipe it down and see what happened. I could see a lot of oil on the bottom of the tender. So I started to take it apart to clean it up a little. This is my first small loco so I was surprised to find there is no motor in the loco but it's in the tender and coupled to the drive wheels in the loco by a drive shaft.

While I had the loco apart I found that one of the drive rods was hanging down (luckly I found the tiny screw that holds the rod to the wheel.) To make the story short the hole for the tiny screw is stripped out. Guess I'll have to something about that, but not sure what.

Another case of Bachmann trash.

Dewayne

[nscaler711]

FOR EVERYBODY: DO NOT BUY BACHMANN LOCOS THEY ALL SUCK!!! {this excludes their Spectrum(R) line.} their cars are ok but their locos are crap the e-z command is ok but i burnt mine obiviosly you must have all track connections in b4 you plug in ac power duh i feel stupid now i have to replace it now after i bought a deccoder or two this just sucks u can laugh if u want or u could tell me that u did something simmular.

 

hey Dewane how is your GE Genesis? have you tested it yet?

[pcarrell]

Dewayne,

Bachmann has a great warrenty program if the LHS won't replace that loco for you.  I have not personally had that happen to any of the 4 Bmann 4-4-0's that I have, but admittedly, they don't see a lot of track time.  The one that I've run most probably only has 50 or so hours on it.

FOR EVERYBODY: DO NOT BUY BACHMANN LOCOS THEY ALL SUCK!!! {this excludes their Spectrum(R) line.} their cars are ok but their locos are crap the e-z command is ok but i burnt mine obiviosly you must have all track connections in b4 you plug in ac power duh i feel stupid now i have to replace it now after i bought a deccoder or two this just sucks u can laugh if u want or u could tell me that u did something simmular.

I guess you've not had a good experience with Bmann's.  Thats too bad, because while I've had some minor issues with them in the past, as I have with almost all the loco companies I've delt with, they've been able to consistantly deliver a decent product most of the time.  The 2-6-2 was the lone Bmann exception to this.  My 2-8-0's and my 4-8-2's are some of the best in my fleet, and that includes my three Kato Mikes.  And the easy command,....yeah, it's very limited, but the instructions tell you that right up front.  It's a one trick pony.  It doesn't do much, but what it promises it will do, it delivers on in my experience (Yes, I own one).  Anyways, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that maybe all the Bmanns you've had experiences with have not worked out, but to say that they all are that way would imply that you've tried every single product they have ever made and tested each one extensively.  I'm doubting that this is truely the case here.  I like my Bmanns and am quite happy with them, and I think I'm pretty picky when it comes to the runability of them.

[Anonymous]

Dewayne,

Bachmann has a great warrenty program if the LHS won't replace that loco for you.  I have not personally had that happen to any of the 4 Bmann 4-4-0's that I have, but admittedly, they don't see a lot of track time.  The one that I've run most probably only has 50 or so hours on it.

FOR EVERYBODY: DO NOT BUY BACHMANN LOCOS THEY ALL SUCK!!! {this excludes their Spectrum(R) line.} their cars are ok but their locos are crap the e-z command is ok but i burnt mine obiviosly you must have all track connections in b4 you plug in ac power duh i feel stupid now i have to replace it now after i bought a deccoder or two this just sucks u can laugh if u want or u could tell me that u did something simmular.

I guess you've not had a good experience with Bmann's.  Thats too bad, because while I've had some minor issues with them in the past, as I have with almost all the loco companies I've delt with, they've been able to consistantly deliver a decent product most of the time.  The 2-6-2 was the lone Bmann exception to this.  My 2-8-0's and my 4-8-2's are some of the best in my fleet, and that includes my three Kato Mikes.  And the easy command,....yeah, it's very limited, but the instructions tell you that right up front.  It's a one trick pony.  It doesn't do much, but what it promises it will do, it delivers on in my experience (Yes, I own one).  Anyways, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that maybe all the Bmanns you've had experiences with have not worked out, but to say that they all are that way would imply that you've tried every single product they have ever made and tested each one extensively.  I'm doubting that this is truely the case here.  I like my Bmanns and am quite happy with them, and I think I'm pretty picky when it comes to the runability of them.

I am with Pcarrell on this one. I love the 2-8-0 spectrum that I currently own. I though am a little lerry about the non spectrum line from bachman though. I have had some minor problems with there freight cars and such. As time and money will allow however I will get a couple more locos for my fleet and we shall see what I think.
Curt

[pcarrell]

I though am a little lerry about the non spectrum line from bachman though.

Normally I steer well clear of the regular line stuff, but I recently have heard several good reports of a new mechanism they installed under the old 4-8-4 Northern shell.  I had the opportunity this weekend to take a couple of them on a test drive and I liked them enough to buy two of them.  One is perfect and the other the guage is just a bit snug on, but thats an easy fix.  Other then that, after breakin, these puppies will be happily earning their keep on the mainline of my RR.

I've heard a few people say that the new version (in the jewel case, not the cardboard box version) of the 0-6-0 is much improved, but I haven't had the chance to give that one a spin yet.

There was a time, not so long ago, when anything that came from Bachmann was immediately suspect, but thats changing fast.  They're working hard to undo the lousy image that they have had for so long.

[trainfreek92]

I though am a little lerry about the non spectrum line from bachman though.

Normally I steer well clear of the regular line stuff, but I recently have heard several good reports of a new mechanism they installed under the old 4-8-4 Northern shell.  I had the opportunity this weekend to take a couple of them on a test drive and I liked them enough to buy two of them.  One is perfect and the other the guage is just a bit snug on, but thats an easy fix.  Other then that, after breakin, these puppies will be happily earning their keep on the mainline of my RR.

I've heard a few people say that the new version (in the jewel case, not the cardboard box version) of the 0-6-0 is much improved, but I haven't had the chance to give that one a spin yet.

There was a time, not so long ago, when anything that came from Bachmann was immediately suspect, but thats changing fast.  They're working hard to undo the lousy image that they have had for so long.

Did these locos have Knuckle couplers on them?

[pcarrell]

Scott,

No such luck!  A conversion is in order here.

[CanadianShield]

 

 Hey Guys!

 Whatddya All think of my new logo???

 

 

[Adelie]

 Hey Guys!

 Whatddya All think of my new logo???

 

Both my thumbs are up!  Very sharp indeed. 

[nscaler711]

MY 2-6-2 was in the jewel case brand new updated version and it sucked im not saying there cars suck just their orginal non spectrum line ive owned three spectrum locos dash 8, sd45(i think or is it sd40? i dont have it in front of me so i cant remember) and another. ive had two e-60 noisey little buggers, and an f7 2-6-2 gp40 and some others

[trainfreek92]

Scott,

No such luck!  A conversion is in order here.

Phillip, I think you are confusing me with Trainfreak409? Im Tim not Scott. lol thats to bad about the knuckle couplers.

[P & LE RR]

before you throw out the ho guy, let me start by saying im here on behalf of my younger brother who is thinking about starting out in n scale... normally id convince him to go with ho, but hes about to start medical school next year so he cant get started on something too big and i was talking with him about maybe building an n scale module to start... but we have some questions...

 whats the norm for a nscale module.. does it follow the ntrak standards and come in the 2' x 4' variety... if so, does anyone have any fun module plans?

 

[cpeterson]

I think the N-trak idea is a great one.  I did pretty much the same when I was in med school.  Did a 2X6 module.  Enough to run and switch a little, and something to relax and keep your hands busy after studying for hours each day.  When he's up at two in the morning studying and needs a break it will be a good stress reliever.

 Model Railroader has published a lot of great plans over the years and did some project modules as well.  Also the N-Trak handbook had a ton of ideas.  I'll look around through my old MRR this eve and see if I can find a few examples.

[pcarrell]

Scott,

No such luck!  A conversion is in order here.

Phillip, I think you are confusing me with Trainfreak409? Im Tim not Scott. lol thats to bad about the knuckle couplers.

I did it again!  Sorry!  I just see the "trainfreak" part and then zone out.  I'll try not to let it happen again Tim.

[modelalaska]

I think what we can take away from the discussion on the Bachmann Locos is the it is a hit and miss situation.  If a person doesn't want to take a chance, they should stay clear.

I got a 4-8-2 light mountain last year and though it is one of the most beautiful detailed engines I have, it really runs poorly. It jerks and studders and is noisey (right out of the box). 

<>Peter

[Lego_90]

I'm new to the hobby myself, though I had plenty of exposure when I was a kid with my dad's N scale layout.  Anyway, I picked up Bachman's Empire Builder set when it was discounted at Hobby Lobby for $95 for Christmas, and it came with the 4-8-4 Northern engine.  The shell isn't super-detailed and I'm afraid if I breathe too hard on it, the front bell or whatever that little piece of plastic flashing is might fall off.

But the train runs beautifully.  No stuttering at low speed, and nice and smooth even at full bore.  I was worried how well it might push in reverse with the tender to engine coupling being a little plastic tab, but it did just fine, even on the 11.25"r corners that came with the set.

...And I also went to the WGH tour in Indy and came back with my wallet a little lighter :)  Got an ERmodels PRR Sharknose A&B and some cheap rolling stock.  I'm on a budget, so the discounted rapido couplers are right up my alley :)

[Dave Vollmer]

I'm new to the hobby myself, though I had plenty of exposure when I was a kid with my dad's N scale layout.  Anyway, I picked up Bachman's Empire Builder set when it was discounted at Hobby Lobby for $95 for Christmas, and it came with the 4-8-4 Northern engine.  The shell isn't super-detailed and I'm afraid if I breathe too hard on it, the front bell or whatever that little piece of plastic flashing is might fall off.

But the train runs beautifully.  No stuttering at low speed, and nice and smooth even at full bore.  I was worried how well it might push in reverse with the tender to engine coupling being a little plastic tab, but it did just fine, even on the 11.25"r corners that came with the set.

...And I also went to the WGH tour in Indy and came back with my wallet a little lighter :)  Got an ERmodels PRR Sharknose A&B and some cheap rolling stock.  I'm on a budget, so the discounted rapido couplers are right up my alley :)

Welcome aboard!  Congratulations on your good taste with those ER Models PRR Sharks...  I have a pair myself, shown below:

I like them.  I added the Gold Medal Models PRR Trainphone antennas to the roof.  One sad note, though, is that Digitrax used to make a really easy drop-in DCC decoder replacement board for them, but they quit making them in October 2005.  I found some in November 2005, but they've become pretty scarce.

[NS2591]

Well, I screwed up on my layout. I used Code 80 Joiners on Code 55 rail. You can get away with this in HO(I've done it) with Code 100 joiners on Code 83 rail. But it doesn't work in N scale. So tomorrow on the way home from school I'm going to stop at the LHS and Order 2 packs of Code 55 joiners. I could Solder the rails but thats too much work, and If I change my mind about something I don't have a lot of ruined track. I'm also going to start putting feeders every 6 feet Approx. You can get away with larger joiners and less feeders in HO but not apprantly in N scale

[cpeterson]

Well, I finally started my backlog of scratchbuilding projects.  I started with Sperry Flour (ogden UT).  I have all of the windows cut in the elevator and am adding architectural details while filing out the defects from the cuts.  Hopefully by next week I'll have the elevator assembled (maybe not painted?).  When the elevator portion is complete I'll post some pics.

[nscaler711]

 im not dewayne, not tryin to be rude, pcarrell i was trying to get somethin out of dewayne hes been quite lately, not payin attention again hmmm sounds like someone i know...........................ME!!!!!  hey i forget peoples names too!

[pcarrell]

 im not dewayne, not tryin to be rude, pcarrell i was trying to get somethin out of dewayne hes been quite lately, not payin attention again hmmm sounds like someone i know...........................ME!!!!!  hey i forget peoples names too!

Man, I've really been screwing up the names lately.  Sorry about that!

[CSXFan]

Question for Dave Vollmer (again)

Sorry I keep on bugging you, but your layout continues to inspire me as I go along. Anyway, I noticed the curves on you layout are superelevated. I went to your website and saw that you used 0.010" and 0.020" styrene for this. How did this work for you? Should I put the styrene under the roadbed or track? Thanks. 

[trainfreek92]

Pcarrel, thats ok i see were you could go wrong. Anway does anyone no any good sites for Maine Central? Im most intrested in the Mountain division. Tim

[Dave Vollmer]

Question for Dave Vollmer (again)

Sorry I keep on bugging you, but your layout continues to inspire me as I go along. Anyway, I noticed the curves on you layout are superelevated. I went to your website and saw that you used 0.010" and 0.020" styrene for this. How did this work for you? Should I put the styrene under the roadbed or track? Thanks. 

It worked OK...  I would use cork instead of foam roadbed next time because the foam is soft and "absorbs" the shims to a certain extent.  I glued the styrene shims directly to the underside of the ties.  Hope this helps!

[pcarrell]

Pcarrel, thats ok i see were you could go wrong. Anway does anyone no any good sites for Maine Central? Im most intrested in the Mountain division. Tim

Tim, (Hey!  I got one right!)

I know of a couple of places to look.

This one is just pics, but there's over 700 of them!  http://naphotos.nerail.org/show/?byrail:1:Maine_Central

Here's a diesel roster: http://www.trainweb.org/trains/MECROS.HTM

Or:  http://www.northeast.railfan.net/mec.html

More pics:  http://www.trainweb.org/trains/mec.html

and more pics:  http://users.silcon.com/~lgoss/Homepage.htm

And did you know the MEC had Hudsons?  http://www.steamlocomotive.com/hudson/mec.shtml

Some system maps from different timeframes:  http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2004/07/boston_and_maine_maine_central.phtml

A little more info:  http://kenanderson.net/aroostook/railroad.html

A history lesson:  http://home.sprynet.com/~jwhite07/mec/mec.htm

Some semaphore info:  http://www.semaphores.com/resources/Waterville3.html

A nice loco shot:  http://catskillarchive.com/rrextra/mcr469.Html

Some really old pics:  http://www.vintagemaineimages.com/bin/Detail?ln=8068

And some good general info:  http://www.trainandtrooper.com/

That ought to give you a start!

[trainfreek92]

Thanxs Pcarrel. Do you have anygood sites to read about the divisions of the Maine Central thanxs

[andrechapelon]

Pcarrel, thats ok i see were you could go wrong. Anway does anyone no any good sites for Maine Central? Im most intrested in the Mountain division. Tim

Try here: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mikemcnh/flatcar/mec.html

And here: http://www.thebluecomet.com/mecmountain.html

This would probably help: http://home.comcast.net/~railimages/SLIDE-LIST/MEC.htm

N scale double deck plan: http://www.falken.net/dave/layout/nplan.html

 Then there's Iain Rice's Mid-Sized and Manageable layout book with an N scale plan for the Mountain Dvision. It's large, but you don't have to use the whole thing. Most of the plan consists of Portland Union Station and Rigby Yard. The actual Mountain Division trackage is a pretty small part.

Andre