Bachmann 2022 Catalog is out

[reinhardtjh]

It's actually been out a few days but I finally got around to looking.  https://resources.bachmanntrains.com/Bachmann2022/html5/index.html

N Scale begins on page 147.

I don't think there's much new listed except maybe some of the freight cars and the SC-44 Charger locos.  Steam seems to be the same stuff.  There's always hope for a special announcement for the summer shows like when the K4's and Hudson's were announced.  I sure wish they'd do some more C&O steam again.  H-8's especially.

[haasmarc]

Streamlined K4s are new.

[reinhardtjh]

Streamlined K4s are new.

Sort of.  I have a newsletter announcing them back in November 2021 so it's not the first we've heard of them.  They new as in not out in stores yet.

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/NEW-RS-3-Locomotives--Product-Sneak-Peeks--and-More-.html?soid=1115574866827&aid=tLhacvpEKd4


Plus they were announced for the Summer 2021 NMRA Show  New Bachmann 2021

[Glenn Poole]

I have found my recent purchases of Bachman N-Scale steam locomotives have been 2nd to none. They really run great. I run DC and their dual mode decoder seems to be better than anyone else’s when running on DC.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I have found my recent purchases of Bachman N-Scale steam locomotives have been 2nd to none. They really run great. I run DC and their dual mode decoder seems to be better than anyone else’s when running on DC.

Yep. My only complaint is that I want more!

[CBQ Fan]

Some interesting cars but I always assume they are foobies because it is Bachmann. Are the 0-6-0 the same thinig I owned in 1988?

[kiwi_al]

Nice to see the K4 and Hudsons still around, no ten wheelers except for in trainsets, no 2-6-0. I've already got a couple of the rest of them 
At least I get to save my pennies for another year 
On the other hand 3D Printers ......hmmmmmm.   

[garethashenden]

Some interesting cars but I always assume they are foobies because it is Bachmann. Are the 0-6-0 the same thinig I owned in 1988?

The 0-6-0 is mostly the same. They’ve updated the mechanism and it runs pretty good now, but the rest is about the same. It can be hard to buy the most recent ones though, I can’t figure out the differences in generations from online listings. Pretty sure the CNJ one was only released with the most recent update, but I may be wrong about that.

[learmoia]

$40 for $1.50 freight cars tooled in the 1970s..

I call Bull Sh*t
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Maletrain]

$40 for $1.50 freight cars tooled in the 1970s..

I call Bull Sh*t
(Attachment Link)

I do my own inflation estimates, based on things I actually used to buy in times past - sometimes long past. 

Based on gasoline at $0.25 to $0.30 per gallon around 1970, and the current price above $4.25/gallon, I get total inflation = 14 to 17 X.  A dozen eggs gives similar numbers.  Going to automobiles, I paid $3,500 for a car in 1966 that is equivalent in size and power to cars selling for about $40,000 today, so cumulative inflation rate would be about 11 X.  So, the $1.50 car around 1970 might be expected to cost something like 15 X that today, or $22.50.  Which is what I am seeing for many of them.

The problem with cumulative inflation calculators on the Internet is that they use the government's inflation index, which is biased low for political reasons.  (Please excuse the use of the word "political".)  The government argues that a car that is more expensive than its previous models because it has been "improved" (either by actual mechanical features or required modifications to comply with government mandates on emissions, air bags, etc.) is worth more, so what are calculated as those contributions to price increases are excluded from the calculation of the annual inflation rates for the set of items included in the measure.

But, realistically, when we buy current model railroad car products, they really are better than what we bought back in 1970.  And, when we pay eBay prices for the actual 1970 cars these days in 2022, it is more like buying antiques, which, when out of production and still good enough to be wanted, go up in value with age (except for my aging body, apparently).

Finally, Bachmann's advertised list prices are usually heavily reduced by many sellers, these days.  So, it would be more realistic to compare something like ModelTrainStuff's price on a Bachmann car to that $1.50 for the similar car from 1970.

The really depressing thing about all of this is that I realize that, although my salary increased by over 10 X during my working career, it was actually just barely keeping up with inflation.  And, all of the money I saved during those years was mostly losing value, even most of what was in the stock market for all of that time.

[RockGp40]

My wallet is very safe. Thanks Bachmann!

[Mark5]

re Bachmann pricing:

Bachmann has always been at the forefront of absurd MSRPs.

[learmoia]

Based on gasoline at $0.25 to $0.30 per gallon around 1970, and the current price above $4.25/gallon, I get total inflation = 14 to 17 X.  A dozen eggs gives similar numbers.  Going to automobiles, I paid $3,500 for a car in 1966 that is equivalent in size and power to cars selling for about $40,000 today, so cumulative inflation rate would be about 11 X.  So, the $1.50 car around 1970 might be expected to cost something like 15 X that today, or $22.50.  Which is what I am seeing for many of them.

I'll give you that... $22.50 for a 'new' Bachmann Car in 2022 is reasonable.... $40 for a high detail Atlas/Bluford/ESM/Ect car is... expensive.. but you can see the fidelity of detail that your paying for... (Or 'can't see' it depending on your eye sight..) 

Finally, Bachmann's advertised list prices are usually heavily reduced by many sellers, these days.  So, it would be more realistic to compare something like ModelTrainStuff's price on a Bachmann car to that $1.50 for the similar car from 1970.

Here is the hangup.. I pulled out my 1969 Bachmann N scale catalog (1971 were basically the same prices).
First price is 1969 -- x15 (est 2022 price)

4-8-4 Northern $29.95 -- $449.25
GP40 $14.98 -- $224.70
F9A $10.98 -- $164.70
40' Freight Cars $1.50 -- $22.50
50' Freight Cars $2.00 -- $30.00
65' HW Coach/RPO $2.50 -- $37.50

So the argument holds up with the locomotives - but falls short with the freight cars.

[Maletrain]

I'll give you that... $22.50 for a 'new' Bachmann Car in 2022 is reasonable.... $40 for a high detail Atlas/Bluford/ESM/Ect car is... expensive.. but you can see the fidelity of detail that your paying for... (Or 'can't see' it depending on your eye sight..) 

Here is the hangup.. I pulled out my 1969 Bachmann N scale catalog (1971 were basically the same prices).
First price is 1969 -- x15 (est 2022 price)

4-8-4 Northern $29.95 -- $449.25
GP40 $14.98 -- $224.70
F9A $10.98 -- $164.70
40' Freight Cars $1.50 -- $22.50
50' Freight Cars $2.00 -- $30.00
65' HW Coach/RPO $2.50 -- $37.50

So the argument holds up with the locomotives - but falls short with the freight cars.

Well, at least compare a DC loco to a DC loco.  Comparing it to a DCC with sound loco is not really apples-to-apples.  And, use ModelTrainStuff prices.

At MTS, an 0-6-0 switcher is selling for only $64.99.  Using a factor of 15 for inflation, that would make an old price of about $4.33.  Frankly, I don't remember what they actually sold for way back when, but I would not be surprised at twice that. And the ones today have better motors.  Better quality products also have all-wheel, low-friction tender pickup to go with the decoders and speakers, not to mention much better detailing. 

So, there is definitely a large value-added factor that needs to be accounted for, even in most DC-only models being produced today.

[thomasjmdavis]

The "index" I'll use is the "Micro-Trains boxcar index".  When I got into N scale in the late70s, a MTL boxcar cost 3.98 (per the price tag on one of my boxes.  A Bachmann boxcar at the time sold for half that.  Now, the Bachmann MSRP is 1.5 to 2 times the price of a Micro-trains car.  And while I acknowledge that the MTL car is not perfect, it is a whole lot nicer than a Bachmann.  So, I used to be able to buy 2 Bachmann boxcars for the price of 1 MTL car, now even at internet discount price, I would be lucky to get a Bachmann for the same price as a MTL or comparable car.

Essentially, if Bachmann wants me to pay more for their boxcar than I would pay for a MTL car, they need to show me a better product. And I can't begin to explain why Bachmann would even bother with a USRA 2 bay hopper with an MSRP substantially higher than Bluford. And in both cases, the MBK price (substantially discounted from Bachmann MSRP) for the Bachmann is higher

In "MBK pricing"- a Bachmann boxcar is $24.99 https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Bachmann-N-17061-AAR-40-Steel-Box-Car-Pennsylvania-Railroad/
                            a MTL boxcar is $22.99 https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/micro-trains-n-02400480-40-standard-box-car-with-single-door-and-no-roofwalk-new-york-central-207580/
                           
                            recently released hopper from Bluford- 22.99 https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/bluford-shops-n-64098-2-bay-rebuilt-war-emergency-hopper-illinois-central-73279/
                            the soon to be released Bachmann USRA hopper 23.99 https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/bachmann-n-19562-usra-55-ton-2-bay-hopper-erie-159100/