Loco Bill ( Unnofficial Historian )

[Whistlestop24]

I write this with the GREATEST RESPECT.  I love history, and like to find out how things came to be.  Loco Bill says he's the Unnofficial Historian of Bachmann Large Scale Products, and that he has been in Model Railroading for 63 years.  Has " G " Scale, and Bachmann been around that long ??   How did Bachmann come to be Was Bachmann one man Bill, when you started off, did you start off in "G" scale or graduate bigger from another size I started off as a kid with " S " Scale, when I had kids went to H.O. and now I want to get into outside garden rail roading so I went to " G ", and am loving it so far..    My Father got me interested in Trains, ( Pennsylvania Rail Road ), and my Grand-Father got me interested in Electric Powered Trains.  My Father died in 2008 at the age of 87 years old.  He told me when he was 6 or 7 years old, his Father bought him an electric train that was so large that he could ride in the tender behind the Locomotive..  Have you ever seen or heard of an electric train that large, and if so, who made it.. Bill, Thank You for your knowledge, and for putting up with people like me with dum questions..  I feel if a person knows the history of what he's getting into, it makes for a better experience..  Whistlestop   

[Loco Bill]

Dear whistlestop,

I am 70 years old.   When I was a kid I lived a block away from the Milwaukee Road mainline.  I was always amazed when the Hiawatha came rolling by each day.   There was also a little 0-6-0 switcher that switched the Borden Milk company and some warehouses.  I always watched them at work and one day they gave me a ride! That was it for me, I was hooked.  My Dad gave me an American Flyer Santa Fe Streamliner when I was seven, and my brother got a steam loco and some freight cars.  We built our first layout on an old ping pong table.  A few years later I am sad to report my brother blew up the trains with some cherry bomb fireworks.  We had a big fight over it and he never played with trains again.  I used some savings to buy a Penn Line HO scale switcher and started a new layout in that scale.  I stayed in HO scale until 1996.  Many years earlier my wife bought an LGB Starter set for around the Christmas tree and I was amazed by the size, IN 1989 I bought the first Bachmann G Scale set,  It was the original radio controlled Santa Fe set.  By 1996 I was completely into G Scale, having torn down my HO Scale 33 foot long by 25 foot wide layout.  I like Bachmann because it has such great detail and was low cost.   I decided to find out all the things Bachamnn was making in G Scale, so I started a list.  I think I have it all but I can't be sure!  It has been fun doing it and trying to keep up with all the new Bachamnn goodies.  A fellow Bachmann fan my friend Wade Colyer is a lot smarter than me about Bachamnn Trains, and has always helped me.  I am not connected to the company in any way, so that is why I am unofficial.  Bachmann G scale Started in 1989, but he company had roots back to the early 1800's.

Here is a link to a more detailed history:
http://www.bachmann.co.uk/home.php

I hope this satisfies your interest in some small way.

Have a great Christmas!!!

[geogeorge]

Loco Bill
What can you tell me about the SPC  Passenger cars?   I'm trying to put togather a SPC Pass train and can not find the SPC cars other then in a Classic set with a combo and Observation car.  Did they ever make Coaches and a full bag car? 
Thanks
Geoff

[Loco Bill]

Geoff,

Yes they did make the full baggage & coach!

The original cars (combine & obs) were made in 1993 with the plastic railings plastic wheels and battery powered lights.

In 2000 Bachamn introduced all the SPC passenger cars with metal handrails, metal wheels and track powered lighting except for the full baggage which has no lights.

B No.       RR       car no   intro date    type
97196   SPC   17   1993   P Combine   South Pacific Coast
97396   SPC   41   1993   P-Obs                 South Pacific Coast
89193   SPC    None   2000   P Baggage   South Pacific Coast
89192   SPC   17   2000   P Combine   South Pacific Coast
89191   SPC   44   2000   P-Coach                 South Pacific Coast
89194   SPC   41   2000   P-Obs                 South Pacific Coast

The combine and the observation in 1993 were only available in the set and not seperately.

The 2000 intro passenger cars remained in the catalog until 2003, Some dealers may still have them and I see them on Ebay from time to time at reasonable prices. It would be easy to renumber a second coach to get a longer train.


Happy hunting!