Watch out, Trainman... There's someone creeping up on you...

[wm3798]

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=3259

Dummy knuckles?  Maybe, maybe not... haven't seen yet.  But 36" metal wheels... Close... pretty close... I'll need to check out Hobby Town next time I'm in Easton to see if these are in stock yet...

Apart from the one with the Evergreen containers ( ???) the loads look pretty reasonable too.  MSRP $15 means its still better than a Walther's caboose...

Lee

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The 50' flat is actually all new tooling. It is constructed much like their log car. The first run has the old trucks and dumby couplers but the next runs are suposed to have new trucks and magnetic couplers. I'm actually pretty excited about their new Canadian grain car. The prototype is much different than the IM or NARC prototyes. The detail looks to be about the same as the Trainman hoppers... good but nor great. They WILL include propert 100T roller bearing trucks with 36" wheels and magnetic couplers. The only down side is Bachmann is not doing any prototypical paint jobs on it. Why go 90I% of the way and mess up what should be easy research in beyond me.

My theory is that Bachmann is tooling these new cars in order to discontinue the VERY old tooling they have used for decades. I imagine its hard to sell a train set for a higher premium if the freight cars are obviously vastly inferior to the engine.

[Bob Bufkin]

Where you been, I saw these cars a week ago and figured you did also, that's why I didn't inform you.  Damn you getting as slow as me in your old age.

[Mark5]

All for only $15!

  But 36" metal wheels...

That car should have 33" wheels eh?

[wm3798]

You gotta remember, Bob... I live in the boonies and the closes dealer to me is mainly a slot car shop....

[sirenwerks]

In terms of the stake pocket detail, are these more like the Atlas Trainman flat, or MT's? They look chunky.

[wm3798]

That's an unsolved mystery until I see one up close.  Bachmann is notorious for posting HO photos, as well as deceptively small images so it's really hard to tell.  The thing I like about the WM cars, anyway, is the lettering is more accurate than the Atlas offering.  At least the font of the road number is...

Lee

[sizemore]

Oh Lee, you're really late...I've had my 3 almost two months or so (couldnt take that evergreen car though)  . I think they are a tad nicer than the Atlas flats.






The pockets are oversized but the stirrups are fine without being so flimsy they break off in handling or an abrupt crash.

The S.

[wm3798]

The floor looks a little fat, but the trucks look real good.  What kind of couplers are on yours?  Looks like the big blobby ones...

[Dave V]

I'm relieved to see they're still offering this classic:



If the next round comes with McHenrys I might consider.  The loads are nice.  Plus thinner stirrups than Trainman.  However, something about that fishbelly profile looks odd to me.

[sirenwerks]

I understand the potential want of a manufacturer to have stake pockets in which stakes can be inserted, but if MT can do it so finely, why can't someone else. The Bachmann stake pockets are just as ham-fisted as the Atlas cars'. Too bad.

I'm beginning to think the only way to get a decent end brake wheel car is to buy two MTs and slice 'em down the center to use the non-brake wheel side of each. A lot of work for a $18+ a car before detailing and decaling. And it will only add up since I'm gonna need a whole lot of 'em to haul lumber with.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Both the Athearn and latest Walthers GSC flats ave nice brake weel detail.

[sizemore]

The floor looks a little fat, but the trucks look real good.  What kind of couplers are on yours?  Looks like the big blobby ones...

I intend to replace it with the NE Scale Models decks assuming the pockets line up, I'm pretty confident they will. If they don't I'll figure something else out. For $10 a pop these were well worth the money for the crisp painting and included load which is what I really wanted.

The S.

[Mark5]

Is it me or does it ride lower than the venerable Atlas 50'? (last Atlas flat I had was a 40' - long gone)

[sizemore]

The floor looks a little fat, but the trucks look real good.  What kind of couplers are on yours?  Looks like the big blobby ones...

They are a tad thick on the sideframe but still a good free roller. The couplers are humongous, it makes that MT look scale.

The S.