So, Bachmann...

[2-8-8-0]

Apparently theyre determined to take over the steam loco market.

In HO, they're doing a USRA light 2-10-2, a second run of the H-5 2-6-6-2 (with sound now, right on the heels of the H-4 release) and also, apparently they did/are doing a 2-8-4 in HO?

Anyone know if they'll be doing the 2-8-4 (id like 1 or 2 C&O versions, tho since Life-Like did these, not a huge priority for them most likely) and/or the 2-10-2 in N? Maybe a second H-5 release in N? Or the 2-10-4...?

Maybe theyll do a "bigger" 6 coupled mallet *cough cough*...

C'mon, Bachmann, you're right there. You have the ball, RUN WITH IT. Pacific and Mike next please!

[Puddington]

...but they can't find an affordable motor for a Ten Wheeler......sigh.

Any steam offering is good I guess but "GEZZ!"

[victor miranda]

 bachmann may well corner the n-scale steamer market.
and what a sad day that will be.

they build poor quality mechanisms and
expect the customers to do the quality control
and the customer's expense.

bachmann built one good steamer and based in what they have done since ,
they got lucky on that one.

lets ignore the things bachmann has never stopped doing
such as making out of round gears and wobbly wheels
The path b-mann is on appears to be
avoid traction tires  so that they can install a small motor that is easily burnt out
and coggy, and to mask the coggy-ness by installing a poor decoder that
just happens to be twice as expensive as a normal n-scale decoder.

If you want a pacific, get one from Model-Power
b-mann is not likely to make one that is any better.

victor

[Brakie]

victor,Seems to me Bachmann has the capabilities of turning out a nice looking steam locomotive..Why they don't take the next step and match the drive with the shell is beyond my logic.

Of course a follow club member has 4 of Bachmann's older white box Reading style  2-8-0s that are sweet runners and has ran troublefree for years..

[Freighttrain]

Of course a follow club member has 4 of Bachmann's older white box Reading style  2-8-0s that are sweet runners and has ran troublefree for years..

Even a blind squirrel will find a nut from time to time........

[Mark5]

Anyone know if they'll be doing the 2-8-4 (id like 1 or 2 C&O versions, tho since Life-Like did these, not a huge priority for them most likely)

These have been out (HO HO HO) for a while ...



As are the 2-10-2s.

[Brakie]

Of course a follow club member has 4 of Bachmann's older white box Reading style  2-8-0s that are sweet runners and has ran troublefree for years..

Even a blind squirrel will find a nut from time to time........

I supposed my friend had some "blind" luck?

[Mark5]

Whatever you think about the Bmann steamers, the separately available tenders are a big plus for N scale. I am confident that my Model Power 4-6-2's pickup stinkiness will be cured by replacing the MP tender with one of the new Bachmann tenders - the Bachmann tenders have all wheel pickup.

Mark

[2-8-8-0]

I havent had any issues with my locomotives from bachmann (admittedly theyre all spectrum, none are regular blechmanns) and they run quite nice and smooth. The lack of a traction tire puzzles me, but lets look at the other steam offerings in N.

Athearn; so buddy buddy with Uncle Pete that anything east of the Mississippi appears unimportant to them. They also appear to only want to make steamers that are huge. Shame, their diesels and rolling stock have really improved in the last 5 years.

Atlas; Seem to not want to make steam, though I wish they would. Their diesels are superb, but dosent seem they want part of the steam market. Maybe theyll surprise us, but they seem to have the earlier diesels locked down.

Kato; They made one excellent steamer, and have ignored steam since. Great for the number of modern steamers they produce (once again, in western roadnames) but sadly, absent from the steam market.

Model Power; Close. Theyre close. But the lack of detail really dates these, compared to newer offerings, and they also have more than their share of runnability (is this a word?) problems.

Life-Like/Walthers/P2K/whoever they are this week. They made some really nice steam in N, and then have pretty much ignored the steam market. Must not have sold as fast as they had hoped, I dunno. The 0-8-0 is a nice loco, the 2-8-4 probably is as well, dont have one yet, but since...theyve been pretty quiet.

Bachmann; still no traction tire. Yep. Oh yeah, and the seperate tenders, for all our tender needs!

Miss any of the major players?

[Brakie]

Whatever you think about the Bmann steamers, the separately available tenders are a big plus for N scale. I am confident that my Model Power 4-6-2's pickup stinkiness will be cured by replacing the MP tender with one of the new Bachmann tenders - the Bachmann tenders have all wheel pickup.

Mark

Mark,I have thought long and hard about buying a 2-8-0 in C&O(a stand in G9) but,with B-mann's track record I'm a tad concerned..

[Mark5]

Life-Like/Walthers/P2K/whoever they are this week. They made some really nice steam in N, and then have pretty much ignored the steam market. Must not have sold as fast as they had hoped, I dunno. The 0-8-0 is a nice loco, the 2-8-4 probably is as well, dont have one yet, but since...theyve been pretty quiet.

The Y3 is definately selling, they must be in the 3rd or 4th run by now.

[Mark5]

Whatever you think about the Bmann steamers, the separately available tenders are a big plus for N scale. I am confident that my Model Power 4-6-2's pickup stinkiness will be cured by replacing the MP tender with one of the new Bachmann tenders - the Bachmann tenders have all wheel pickup.

Mark

Mark,I have thought long and hard about buying a 2-8-0 in C&O(a stand in G9) but,with B-mann's track record I'm a tad concerned..

The Spectrum one? I have one in WM and it is amazing.

[2-8-8-0]

I have a pair of the spectrum 2-8-0s, and they run as well as my Kato's. Whatever bachmann's issues may be, they got the 2-8-0 right.

[mcjaco]

My Lt. Mountain runs wonderfully.  It just doesn't pull worth a damn. 

[wm3798]

Count me as a Spectrum 2-8-0 fan.  I've got one that's about 4 years old now, and it still runs like a champ, and just acquired another in a swap.  Just need to get it lettered and affect the WM style nose job.

Looking forward to some double header action on Steam night!

Lee