Bachmann USRA heavy 4-8-2

[brokemoto]

I have read it, but do not do so regullarly.

The B-mann auxiliary tender trucks are not live, the LLs are.

The tender on #122 is close, but as you correctly indicate, not quite the same as the LL Y-3 tender.

It appears that one could bash #904 from the Athearn/MDC

[brokemoto]

Question about the loco itself - as the light and heavy prototypes shared the same size drivers is this chassis materially different from the Bachmann USRA light mountain?

YES!!!!!!! See Victor's photographs on the A-board.  This thing is substantial and appears to pull well.  It appears to have a three pole motor, as opposed to five, but that does not appear to hurt it.  I have not yet measured the drivers on the new one.  The traction tyres are on the number three pair on the heavy, as opposed to the number four pair on the light. 

This one is a different animal altogether.  See my post on the 'predictions for 2008' topic.  I suspect that this one will displace the Kato mikado as the standard by which we measure all N scale steam.

GRAND!  This topic is on its second page in a little over one hour.

[Mark5]

The B-mann auxiliary tender trucks are not live, the LLs are.

Correction - they are live (the newly tooled 1950s one that is  - I have two of them)

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[brokemoto]

Correction - they are live (the newly tooled 1950s one that is  - I have two of them)

Izzat so?   This is a change from the old one.  I must purchase one at the Chantilly, Virginia Greedberg this weekend (assuming that someone has one).

Bashing possibilities have just multiplied.

[Bob Bufkin]

Correction - they are live (the newly tooled 1950s one that is  - I have two of them)

Izzat so?   This is a change from the old one.  I must purchase one at the Chantilly, Virginia Greedberg this weekend (assuming that someone has one).

Bashing possibilities have just multiplied.

Didn't realize the Chantilly show was this weekend.  Thanks.  Now got something to do this weekend while the wife if out of town.
Bob

[Mark5]

Correction - they are live (the newly tooled 1950s one that is  - I have two of them)

Izzat so?   This is a change from the old one.  I must purchase one at the Chantilly, Virginia Greedberg this weekend (assuming that someone has one).

Bashing possibilities have just multiplied.

Yes, I was surprised to see the light works on the new steam era aux tender. The tooling is light years better than on the 1980s "excursion"
 version (which Bachmann is also selling now as well).

[gunner]

Thanks for the quik review.

I have a few coupler related questions:  What type of coupler has it got on the tender,  how does it compare heightwise?  Is the front coupler on there for show or can it be used to couple another locomotive?

Bob

[Mark5]

It appears that one could bash #904 from the Athearn/MDC

Not too far off, the cab seems a particularly good match!

A couple problems:

1) tender is too high - conspicuously so.
2) no decals available



Notice the angle of the Athearn photos (from an airplane!)

IIRC there is a class that might be a bit closer to the MDC/Athearn thing, but those are way too early for me. Interestingly a few 2-8-0s made it past 1950, although IIRC with "newer" tenders.

[absnut]

The traction tires on both of my light mountains appear to be on the number three axles which is, IMHO, the major problem with its tractive abilities.

Dick

[brokemoto]

The coupler on the tender is at the proper height.

The coupler on the pilot is too low.

It appears to be the same knuckle coupler that is on the B-mann FM road switcher.  They do kiss couple with MTs.

A few further impressions.

It will pull eighteen loaded MT gondolas and a MT wood caboose up a one per cent grade at twenty SMPH.  I will accept that.  The Kato mikado, with the traction tyre, pulls twenty loaded MT gondolas and a MT wood caboose up the same one per cent grade at the same twenty SMPH.  A single Atlas GP-7/GP-9/RS-3 or Kato RS-2 is good for about eight loaded MT gondolas and a MT wood caboose at twenty SMPH.

It is smoother at slow speed under load than light.  It is not as smooth at slow speeds as the MPs, the LL 2-8-4 or even the Kato.  In order of smooth running I rate them: 1)MP eight-wheeler or mogul  2)MP mikado  3)MP pacific  4)LL berkshire  5)Kato mikado  6) LL 2-8-8-2  7)Athearn/MDC consolidated  8 ) Athearn/MDC mogul  9) B-mann SPECTRUM consolidated
10) B-mann SPECTRUM light mountain.  At this point, it appears that it will fall somewhere between the LL 2-8-8-2 and Athearn/MDC 2-8-0 or the Kato mikado and the LL 2-8-8-2, as far as smooth operation goes.

Break-in is not quite finished.  It does appear that it will not require as much break-in as the other SPECTRUM steam.  I will have to step back from my earlier statement that it might be as good as the Kato mikado, or even better.

The Kato pulls better and is smoother at slow speeds.
Even with the latest run, where the traction tyred driver and details are done for you, you must weight the Kato tender to get the best possible electrical pick-up from it.  The B-mann heavy mountain requires no tinkering, not even minor tinkering, assuming that you will operate it on DC.  Put it onto the track and apply power.

For you DCC boys:  The B-mann has a decoder already in it:   put it onto the programming track, programme it and operate.  Decoder installation on the Kato mikado is reputed to be one of the most difficult in N scale.  I do not use DCC, so I am going only on what I read and/or hear.

Appearance:  a tie, one looks as good as the other.

Cost:  the Kato lists for slightly less.

Where one is lacking, the other seems to be up to standard.  Overall, when you total the points, it is probably a tie.  Still, my gut tells me the Kato is still slightly better, which means that the Kato USRA heavy mikado will remain the yardstick against which we will measure N scale steam.

Still, overall, I am happy with this one, thus far.  This is the first steam release in some time about which I have been able to state that.  The debacles, in order of appearance, have been:  WKW 0-8-0, B-mann 2-6-6-2, LL 2-8-4.

The 'will be acceptable until something better appears' (or they make improvements to them) are:  any MP steam or the B-mann USRA light 4-8-2.

The OK one has been the C-C 4-8-4

The good ones have been:  Kato mikado, B-personn SPECTRUM consolidated, Athearn/MDC 2-8-0 and 2-6-0.

I may have left out a few that I do have.  I did leave out the ones that I do not have, such as the Athearn 4-6-6-4 and C-C 2-10-2.

On the nineteenth century 2-8-0 bash: 

The tender's sitting too high is one of the common complaints about the Athearn/MDC 2-8-0 and 2-6-0.  One of our resident SPFs asserts that it is allright for a PRR 2-8-0 of that era, but modellers of other roads find it too high.

I would simply fudge the decals from MicroScale's N&W steam set, assuming that they have not discontinued it.  Decalling in N scale seems to be full of compromises.  The ones through which I have gone are:  NEW YORK CENTRAL SYSTEM roadname on any P&LE diesels, speedlettering on WM FAs (and the nose herald), lightning stripes on NYC sharks.  If someone would do BALTIMORE AND OHIO in black RR Roman Passenger font, I would compromise on the B&O RDCs (heralds from E- and F-unit sheet, numbers from the covered hopper sheet)

[Chulvis]

I spent a lot of time today testing these guys before I shipped out my pre-orders. I have to say I was pretty happy. They seemed to run smooth right out of the box. Nice detail and quiet as well. Good lookers too.
I wish Bachperson would get with it and install an operating knuckle coupler on the head end rather than the stagnant type that is included. Better than a Rapido I guess.
Blue connector wires from the loco to the tender...VERY BAD!! Shame on them. Modelers will have to paint them black. Sorry Guys.
Detail parts package will fall to the floor when you slide the loco from it plastic case...be on the lookout for it.

I've never been a big fan of steam locos but considering I have spent a number of hours testing steam from Life Like and Bachmann this month, I have to say I feel myself  being pulled towards eras I never thought I'd have interest in. There is something strangely relaxing about a steam loco chugging along...what's happening to me?

[ceiteach1]

Chulvis, I didn't realize there were detail parts that need to be applied on this model. I thought these were all factory installed.
What does the parts package include ?

Thanks, Keith.

[Chulvis]

They were so tiny I couldn't tell!!...Just kidding.

It looked like optional head lamps and a rapido coupler through the package. It was kind of hard to tell.

[John]

Chuck .. I appreciate the fact that you test run these things before shipping them out .. thats customer service ..