Bachmann Online Forum

Discussion Boards => HO => Topic started by: jdvass on January 23, 2010, 08:46:59 PM

Title: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: jdvass on January 23, 2010, 08:46:59 PM
The new GP7's look great but I have one beef! Why no Canadian road names? >:(   Just think how good those babies would look in the Canadian Pacific maroon and gray paint scheme or Canadian National geen and gold. Come on Bach Man, don't forget your nieghbors to the north.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: ABC on January 23, 2010, 09:17:02 PM
You could always repaint one just like the real railroads.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: rogertra on January 23, 2010, 11:10:55 PM
Quote from: jdvass on January 23, 2010, 08:46:59 PM
The new GP7's look great but I have one beef! Why no Canadian road names? >:(   Just think how good those babies would look in the Canadian Pacific maroon and gray paint scheme or Canadian National geen and gold. Come on Bach Man, don't forget your nieghbors to the north.

Perhaps because they're not accurate for Canada?

Canadian diesels have quite a few detail differences from American units, the number of steps in the stepwell for a start, then there's the shape of the handrails on the pilot deck, placement of bells, headlights, m.u. connections. 

Just painting a stock Backmann unit in Canadian colours, steam or diesel, doesn't make it a Canadian locomotive.  It's just an American loco painted in Canadian colours.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: ABC on January 23, 2010, 11:20:06 PM
Yeah, I guess you'd also have to custom detail it. Good Point
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: the Bach-man on January 23, 2010, 11:58:38 PM
Dear All,
Roger, as usual, makes good points. Still, they would look nice. I'll pass along the request.
Have fun!
the Bach-man
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: HOTrainFan on January 24, 2010, 10:51:36 AM
I agree im from the north also (Canada) I think the bach-man should make a Canadian Pacific AC4400 and the ES44AC because thats pretty much all they use these days!
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: ABC on January 24, 2010, 11:17:41 AM
They haven't even made American models of those yet.
Athearn and Kato make AC4400's, and Athearns can be found online for $50.
Intermountain makes ES44AC's and can be found online for $150.
One last note, I'm pretty sure the United States is Bachmann's biggest market, so it would make the most business sense to concentrate on the market where you can sell the most products. On the other hand, Canada is likely Bachmann's second largest market. Basically, it seems if the Canadian model is identical to the American model then Bachmann will go ahead and make it in Canadian liveries. But, I don't think a great deal of Americans favour the Canadian roads over the American roads. However, Canada has a lot of nice things like Niagara Falls and plenty of snow for the most part.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: pipefitter on January 24, 2010, 11:53:43 AM
Don't forget to include CN Zebras! I think that scheme would be very appropriate for GP7's (as well as GP30-40's and SD40's)

http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/rail/70s_slides/file048.jpg

Thanks, Robert
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: Jhanecker2 on January 24, 2010, 12:10:54 PM
 I believe CN & CP both have American subsidieries and run trains through the US.  J2.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: ABC on January 24, 2010, 12:31:47 PM
Quote from: Jhanecker2 on January 24, 2010, 12:10:54 PM
I believe CN & CP both have American subsidieries and run trins through the US.  J2.
True, but the point I'm getting at is most (not all) people living in the U.S. are going to have "American" railroads as their favorite. For example, I like Erie, Erie Lackawanna, Akron Canton & Youngstown, and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie among older railroads. For modern railroads I like Wheeling and Lake Erie and Ohio Central System.
But my second favorite hockey team was in Canada-the Winnipeg Jets, my favorite was the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: jward on January 24, 2010, 03:20:40 PM
while we are on the subject of canadian roads.....

cp had a sizeable fleet of h16-44s

cp also had 2 gp30s

both cp and cn had gp35s

cn had gp40s, and some ex soo line and milwaukee gp40s eventually wore cp paint.

both cn and cp had gp38-2s.

cp had a massive fleet of sd40-2s, most of cn's sd40-2s were widebodies, but cn subsidiary grand trunk had sd40-2s and gp38-2s both.

i believe cn also had 70ton switchers but am not sure of the numbers.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: ABC on January 24, 2010, 03:56:24 PM
Here's what JD wanted to add, he just added it to the discussion of the Connie:
Quote from: jdvass on January 24, 2010, 03:47:03 PM
Granted, the Canadian market is not as big as the American but that doesn't mean that manufacturers should not make Canadian painted units. As far as being prototypicaly accurate I don't think that these units will be prototypicaly accurate for any of the road names offered. They are however, a great starting point to get you going.
Besides my layout has a lot of "what if CP had one of these?" on it so if it is not exactly prototypicaly correct I'm okay with it.  ;D
Okay, then do what I first suggested: repaint and decal one in Canadian colors and do some custom detailing. It does not make sense to make a product that will not make as much money as another product. The object of the business is ultimately to make as much money as possible, but I guess keeping the customers happy couldn't hurt.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: stang212 on January 24, 2010, 04:11:43 PM
Hi Bach Man. I am new and green. First email. My question is this: I live in Missouri and bought a Casey's Express Ho set. Can you tell me about it?
Dougie
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: ABC on January 24, 2010, 04:36:44 PM
Quote from: stang212 on January 24, 2010, 04:11:43 PM
Hi Bach Man. I am new and green. First email. My question is this: I live in Missouri and bought a Casey's Express Ho set. Can you tell me about it?
Is this your train set?
(http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/ehobbies-com_2089_161286582)
Here's what is included:
USRA 0-6-0 steam locomotive & tender with operating headlight
* Four freight cars including a caboose
* Body-mounted E-Z Mate knuckle couplers
* 47" x 38" oval of Steel E-Z Track
* Suburban station
* Signal bridge
* 48 miniature figures
* 36 telephone poles
* 48 railroad and street signs
* Power pack and speed controller included
* Illustrated train set instruction manual
The following excerpt is courtesy of My Atomic Hobbies:
Behind schedule and trying to make up time, engineer John Luther Jones raced his way into railroading history when his need for speed cost him his life near the town of Vaughan, Mississippi. Ever after known by his nickname, John Luther lives on as the railroad folk hero "Casey Jones".
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: Tylerf on January 24, 2010, 09:21:08 PM
Quote from: ABC on January 24, 2010, 11:17:41 AM
They haven't even made American models of those yet.
Athearn and Kato make AC4400's, and Athearns can be found online for $50.
Intermountain makes ES44AC's and can be found online for $150. I don't see es44s on their website, for all I know I thought only t55 and olm made them? Plus since t55 sold their tooling to athearn their no longer available in anything but brass. I ask because I would so buy one! Just gotta find one.
One last note, I'm pretty sure the United States is Bachmann's biggest market, so it would make the most business sense to concentrate on the market where you can sell the most products. On the other hand, Canada is likely Bachmann's second largest market. Basically, it seems if the Canadian model is identical to the American model then Bachmann will go ahead and make it in Canadian liveries. But, I don't think a great deal of Americans favour the Canadian roads over the American roads. However, Canada has a lot of nice things like Niagara Falls and plenty of snow for the most part.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: Nigel on January 25, 2010, 12:25:44 PM
JD;

There is a very simple solution - you can contract with almost any of the model suppliers for a run of 500 units, painted however you want, and then you can distribute them.  You can get very reasonable prices if you provide the artwork.
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: ABC on January 25, 2010, 01:51:21 PM
When I answered Tyler F's question, I pretty much put a product announcement for another manufacturer, so I would like to apologize to Bachmann, as it was in clear violation of the policy. Sometimes you do things without realizing what you really are doing, and what I did was not fair to Bachmann as they provide the forum as a service and the least I could have done is tried to follow the rules. I just though of it this morning and it's nice to see it has been removed.
And a nice big Bachmann Logo...
(http://www.trainfest.com/image/SponsorLogos/Bachmann-trains.jpg)
Title: Re: Why Bach Man why? New GP7
Post by: Jhanecker2 on January 26, 2010, 02:12:43 PM
to Stang212 :  Is your Casey's Express P/N # 00685  purchased from  Casey's General Store for their  40th Year Celebration ? This a Bachmann Set having a smooth-running EMD diesel locomotive with all-wheel drive and operating headlight , a forty foot box car , a 40' single - dome tank car , and a wide-vision caboose.  the tracks consist of E-Z  track to make a 47" x 38' oval including 12 pieces of curved track ( 18"radius ) 1 piece of straight track (9" ) , and 1 piece straight plug in terminal rerailer  ( 9").  Power pack and speed controller are regular  DC. and an illustrated instruction manual. locomotives and cars are equipped with E-Z Mate Knuckle couplers . If this is your set what additional information do you require ?   Sorry it took so long to reply, I keep most of my train related equipment in the shop behind the house and I sometimes forget about all the other stuff I'm into when I'm working on something else . I found out about the set on this forum last year , and since my niece moved into her Home in Paw Paw , IL and they had A Casey's General Store around the corner , I went in and bought one for myself for X-mas.  John  II