Bachmann 4-6-0's re-released, why are they no longer Spectrum models?

[Pacific Northern]

I am very glad to see that Bachmann has again brought back into production their 4-6-0's. Of all of the Bachmann HO steamers I admire these engines the most.  If I could only choose one steam engine type for my layout this is the locomotive that I would choose, they are ideal for both freight and passenger service.

Will Bachmann be releasing the 63" driver version of their 4-6-0 locomotive? The difference between the two versions the 52" and the 63" is quite surprising. The larger version with the larger tenders that were previously paired with just made them more modern looking as their slightly smaller counterparts.?

Also am wondering why this engine was released in the Standard HO line and not the Spectrum line as they were previously.

Any chance of releasing the 4-6-0 in the Russian Blue livery?

When I would on occasion bring a set of my Bachmann 4-6-0s to the local club I would be asked where did you get these and also at least one if not more members would want me to sell them one of these engines.

[Trainman203]

It looks like the boiler now has molded on detail.  Other detail simplifications are probably there too.  The Sound Value package leaves a lot of sounds out.  But at least there is a nice small steam engine coming out among the huge mama-jamas everyone else offers that can't run on average layouts.  If I didn't have 5 low ones and 3 high ones already I'd get one.

[Pacific Northern]

Good eyes, did not notice that the new ones have the molded on detail. No that you made me aware it makes the first edition that much more desirable.  Wonder if the 63" driver version will be coming any time soon.


You have one more 4-6-0 than I have. 

I just could not help myself with these engines, I was lucky and ran across someone moving out of the country and were selling a bunch of HO model railroad equipment.

They had been buying for a couple of years and planned to build a layout when the opportunity for an overseas job came up.

[ryeguyisme]

well considering tooling costs and the market, I'd suspect Bachmann is trying to use the Spectrum name for State-of-the-art releases while using aging spectrum molding for their standard line. This has been happening for a few years now with engines like the 2-8-0

[electrical whiz kid]

Suits me.  As long as that mechanism is as reliable as it has been, I am not upset about what Bachmann has to do out of necessity.  If I had my druthers, I would just as soon have no detail cast on, as that saves me the trouble when I install brass to my liking.  I usually do that.

Rich C.

[brokenrail]

The Spectrum line is no longer being produced in the diesel or electric  and many that were have been placed in the standard line up or discontinued it seems.
Johnny

[Searsport]

It looks like the boiler now has molded on detail. 

Thanks for the heads-up about the molded-on detail. I have looked more closely at the photos and see you are right. What a pointless retrograde step, especially as the DCC ready ones are priced at $299, which is hardly cheap. And presumably the old molds are now irretrievably altered, so there is no chance of seeing the high-grade variant again. I was about to buy the B&O and T&P models, but now can save myself the money. Fortunately like you I have 3x low boiler + 2x high boiler of the old DCC ready unlettered variety. Those old low-boiler models also come with an optional wood cab.

I was also contemplating the UP version. Bachmann's original UP pair, UP#1584 and UP#1585 (respectively Spectrum 82303 (DCC Ready) + 84903 (DCC + Sound) were acceptably close to a small class built by Baldwin in 1907-10 which the UP inherited in 1936 from the Pacific & Idaho Northern Railway and included in its Oregon Short Line subsidiary / division, and which lasted until 1946-47. They were numbered 1584-7 and three were coal burners with 56" driving wheels. The exception was 1585 which had 61" drivers and was an oil burner, but Bachmann make an oil bunker for the small Baldwin tender, which can be found as an optional part in the undec Baldwin Modern 4-4-0 model, if you have one.

I have not tracked down UP 1429, which is Bachmann's new 4-6-0 offering. It may be a loco built by Rhode Island in 1890 for the UP, which was re-numbered to 1225 in 1915 and retired 1926. This was one of a class of 12 (class T-57), built with 62" drivers and re-built with 57" drivers some time after 1911.

Anyway, the point is that the Spectrum UP low-boiler 4-6-0 was a respectable representation of a real class of UP 4-6-0s that operated on their Pacific North-West branch lines until the mid-1940s - mountains and pine trees!

End of Ramble,
Happy Railroading,
Bill.

[Pacific Northern]

On the other thread for this locomotive, which was deleted, I thought the Bachmann administrator indicated that the new model was a three pole motor, on the listings for the old Spectrum 4-6-0's, those versions were all 5 pole equipped if I am not mistaken.

The 2-8-0 also had its engine swapped from a 5 pole to a 3 pole. The Bachmann did explain though that the new three pole was a high efficiency engine and as good as if not better than the five pole motor it replaced.  There was a lot of controversy about the swap when it was discovered.

FYI I think I will pick up few more of the Spectrum 4-4-0's with their 5 pole motors while they are still available and pass on any future Bachmann 4-4-0's that are not Spectrum models.

[Trainman203]

Get the Spectrum Baldwin 4-4-0 with separately applied applied  detail and a quite fully featured sound package while you can........... I have 4 and also 5 of the Richmond ones.

[Yardmaster]

Decisions about how we produce our models are not taken lightly. The industry and it's consumer base has been changing drastically. Believe it or not production costs for an HO steam locomotive have increased substantially since these locomotives were first produced. Should we produce the model as it was originally made and charge you the consumer twice the original price or should we try to find ways to produce it at a price that is close to what it originally cost? Serviceability is another issue that we are attempting to make easier on our end as well as yours. Taking apart and reassembling some of the original Spectrum locos was no easy task due to all of the external piping and details. We need to make it possible to tear down and reassemble these locomotives in a timely manner and molding on some of the detail helps. A thinned down wash of black and some drybrushing is all that is needed to make the molded on detail pop. As far a a complete sound package is concerned that is the reason that we release "DCC Ready" versions so that you can add the DCC Sound decoder of your own choosing. Most people are very happy with the new Sound Value decoders. So basically what it comes down to is trying to keep the models reasonably priced, serviceable and available. We're sorry if that does not please everybody but we are a business and we need to make business decisions that will help us stay fluid and adapt to the changes that are going on in our industry.