Bachmann heavyweight coaches...anyone bite?

[Dave V]

Has anyone bought from the latest batch of Bachmann heavyweight coaches?  I'd love to see photos other than the stock Bachmann photos.  Also curious as to how well Bachmann's Tuscan on these cars lines up with the MTL heavyweight Tuscan.

I know we've discussed at length that these cars are at best stand-ins for PRR P70s so not looking to rehash that.  Initially I thought the price point was too high to even consider, but street prices are coming down.

I regret not biting on an MTL paired-window coach in PRR...again it would have been a stand-in, but with a pair of 2D-P5 trucks it would be a very good stand-in.

Would love to see close-ups under decent lighting if anyone bought one.  Thanks!

EDIT:  The Bachmann road number doesn't look like it's from the unmodified P70 fleet which I recall was typically 1500-1600s, but PRR did have modified P70s all over the map number-wise.

[bbussey]

I have three that I picked up with doodlebugs at a rock-bottom price a couple of years ago, then auctioned off the doodlebugs to get most of my investment back.  No Pennsy on hand, and I don't see the P70 resemblance even though others do.  But the coaches are good stand-ins that I will be dressing in New Haven livery, and the tooling relief is more detailed than the MTL cars.

[Dave V]

I know the length is off...  But I guess I'm just not tuned into passenger car details the way I am locomotive details in that if I stare at the Bachmann car, the differences--trucks and roof not withstanding--are not immediately obvious to me.  The window count and distribution are right, as are the vestibule windows.  The differences in underbody detail are--to me, anyway--in the "noise" of the variations on real PRR P70s.

So I guess I did rehash that after all, LOL.  I am interested to know what the major differences are that I'm not seeing besides what I mentioned.

Nevertheless, I think I'm going to hold out for the MTL car (hoping @Shipsure can get that runner pack to us).  I was just curious.  Again, it's not as exact as the Lima car (which has its own issues) but certainly fits into the "looking right when moving" category.

[Cajonpassfan]

I got my Bachmann January newsletter today and the heavyweight coach is featured...MSRP $79.00!
Are you kidding me? What are they thinking, or what am I missing? Are they self-propelled? Made of precious metals? What? Anybody have one of these?
Otto K.

[Dave V]

Yeah, that's just plain ridiculous.

[Chris333]

I'd  pay $30 tops for that from them.

[thomasjmdavis]

There were several railroads that had suburban cars of similar length, but I am not aware of the Bachmann cars being any specific prototype.  So, I will be saving my heavyweight dollars for a MT single window coach and maybe some M&R sides if Roberto ever finds time for another run.  Given that I can buy at least 2 MT cars plus some other stuff for the MSRP of one of these (granted, Bachmann MSRP is something of a fantasy number, but still....), I am assuming this is being made for folks with train sets and tight curves, who don't know any better.

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, the model maybe okay, or not, but I just don't get the pricing, it's so far off the norm. It's like whoever sets prices there lives in another universe...and to my knowledge, they are not stupid business people. What gives...odd
Otto K.

[peteski]

They include constant interior lighting and die-cast trucks!  That price is a bargain! 
Plus remember, the Chinese labor rates are going up.   

[Chris333]

I think all of the Bachmann pricing lately is out of line. People are going to stop buying their products.

[Nato]

             :|The Bachmann (Bachperson) pricing really is out of line on some items. I have several trailer coaches on order including a Pennsylvania, when they ship to me from BLW I will let everyone know about the color, of course I' am only a closet Pennsy Fanzee so my review may not be accurate even though I rode on some Pennsylvania Trains in my youth. Nate Goodman (Nato). 

[peteski]

I bought one
tried several times to get photos
had it placed between two MTL cars
no matter how I adjusted my camera
I could not get a good shot
fuzzy and out of focus
even when I had it set to auto
nonetheless, the color of the Bachmann car
is not an "exact" match, but it is so close that
one would not notice the color difference
except under very bright light
otherwise it is quite a good blend with MTL colors

fwiw
G

Gary, I have no idea what you are using for a camera but there are many tricks available to make things work.  Here are couple:

1. focus on another car and then pan the camera to the car you want and press the shutter.

2. go into manual focus mode and then focus and shoot.

3. take a wider shot of multiple cars focusing on another car (possibly at higher megapixel setting) then crop the photo to just the car you want.

4. make sure  that the ambient lighting is strong enough for the camera to focus. Also direct the focus area on some vertical feature which has sharp contrast in it (like a vertical edge of a window or the end of the car).  That usually helps in focusing.

[glakedylan]

@peteski thanks, your information as always is helpful
I am going to learn more about the camera and employ your info
and definitely refrain from posting any photos until--if and when--
I can actually take photo worth viewing 

I really, truly, did well with my 35mm canon. 

have a fantastic weekend
Gary

[VonRyan]

I've three of the aforementioned coaches, in PRR livery, which I picked up for $45 each.
For all intents and purposes, they're P70s. No I didn't caliper the boggers, but I did compare them to P70s in NJ International's PRR Heavyweight book, and I'm satisfied in saying that the Bachmann coaches are P70s, save for minor bits with the roof and the trucks, but the interior lighting is suitably visible, but not overpowering, and is at a fairly consistent level of illumination across the length of the car.

I'm very satisfied with their natural look when positioned behind a Bachmann K4, both in motion and at rest.

[thomasjmdavis]

No I didn't caliper the boggers, but I did compare them to P70s in NJ International's PRR Heavyweight book, and I'm satisfied in saying that the Bachmann coaches are P70s

I am a good 250 miles from any hobby shop that might conceivably carry one of these in stock, and am not going to buy one just to measure, so hoping someone who has one can help me out here.

So, when they say it is a 72' coach, do they mean 72' over corner posts PLUS 2 vestibules?  Or do they mean 72' over buffers (what I have assumed from the photos)?  A P70 is 80' 3 3/4 long over the buffers, and 70' 5 3/4" over the corner posts.
http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=p70_prior1926_fp.gif&sel=coa&sz=sm&fr=

They LOOK like shorties in all the photos, and 8 feet is pretty obvious, even in N scale.  But if they are 72' over the corner posts, then they are a foot and a half too big that way.  Just a ruler, no caliper required.

Frankly, looks a lot like the old Bachmann shorties, with an extra window and new, clean molds.