You are right, the train sets are made by IHC/Mehano specifically for Loblaws/Canadian Superstores.  These are special order items designed just for the Christmas season. I would suggest you "google" the companies.

Best place for you to check out would be e-bay.

Pretty hard for anyone here to even guess without your indicating what the brand name and what the engines are.

Hi, I am also quite surprised that Bachmann will release the Birkshire. 

The pictures posted of the unit certainly indicate it would be of equal finish to most of the steam Spectrums.  Wonder why it will be marketed as a "Standard" model? Could it be something concerning the drive mechanism?

I would have thought that the next company to release a Birkshire would be the Hornby-Riverossi company.  As they have the original tooling and have allready re-released the Big Boy, the Allegheny and the Hudson last year. I expect that they would also be releasing the new, updated Bershire in the not too distant future.

http://www.hornbyinternational.com/

I certainly will be looking to obtain one of the Bachmann models when they become avialable though, just thought it more likely it would be one of the new revamped Hornby-Riverossi units instead.

Yes, the price was the first clue.

I have not had the opportunity to compare the any of the new "Standard" models to any other engines by any other maker.

The local HS only carries BLI, Spectrum and the Proto models.

How do the new "Standard" models compare?

The announcement does not specify that the 2-8-4 is a Spectrum. I assume that it is a Standard model. Note later in the announcment there is a Spectrum offering - the street car.

While not specific to your 2-10-2,  you may find the following of some use/interest.

a CN Northern 6167 had the following tender (Vanderbilt) capacity:
   coal  18 tons
   water 11,600 gallons

The Spectrum 2-10-2- (note Light USRA) CN 4209 is labeled at
                coal 16 tons
                water 10,000 gallons

I assume the latter would be in the ball park for a normal - not long haul - tender.

Re: 2-6-6-2.

I am sidetracking a bit here, but I have a Spectrum 2-6-6-2 and wanted to acquire another and was advised that the units were no longer in production,  they seemed to be sold out most places I contacted.

As a result I came across the Mantua's 2-6-6-2 and picked up one of them, Very happy with the unit overall.  I would prefer the Spectrum (bias preference) but it still is a most acceptable unit. Good slow speed control, very smooth runner.

Having read how most of the owners of the Spectrum 2-6-6-2's had nothing but high praise for these engine, would anyone know if Bachmann will be re-releasing these units?

A final note, as a result of obtaining the 2-6-6-2 Mantua I later obtained the 2-6-6-2 tank version as well.

Is this a Harriman style 2-8-0?
-
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/sp/sp-s2724.jpg

I would like someone to release a larger turntable than the standard Atlas base model. It would be great if it was Bachmann.

There is just such a hugh price difference between the standard Atlas and the next size up when looking at what Walthers has in the Cornerstone series.

I was shocked when I discovered my Spectrum 2-8-0 was too large for the Atlas turntable. Hence if I want a proper engine facility there are some financial aspects I will need to address.

I guess I must have received a bad batch then.

The track was part of a bulk purchase. When I mentioned "shortening" I meant that I actually clipped small pieces of rail.

Where two sections of track joined there was enough of a gap that the pilot jumped off the rail, once it was clipped all was fine. Before I clipped I tried to re-arrange the arcs of track (alignment).

As far as the joiners go some of the joiners were slightly out of alignment from being crimped on the rail I would suspect, they were easy to replace.

Actually all of my cutting etc was on curved pieces of track, no problem with the straight sections.

I was somewhat surprised that the N/S EZ track sectional pieces required the amount of modification and tweeking as I had to spend getting the trackwork ready.

I am using the EZ Track sections for the mainline on my layout and then swithing to flexible track for the yards. I chose the EZ track for the high roadbeds and am using cork for the yard areas (with lessor roadbed profile). A significant number of the EZ track sectional pieces required shortening of rail and also re-alignment at the joiners as well as the replacement of the railjoiners for a number of sections.

In all fairness, had I stayed with only diesels a lot of time and effort would have been saved laying the trackwork. One I tried the steamers it was a whole new story. Darn those pilots and trailing wheels.

Quote from: lanny on July 13, 2007, 06:17:59 PM
Hi Sour Rails,

this is just my experience ... but it seems to me that most 'eBay online stores' don't give much of a discount off the MSRP. There is one exception (at least one I've found) that, since he is an authorized Bachmann dealer, I feel free in giving out his name. "The Favorite Spot". If you type in on the eBay search you will find his store. His 'buy it now' prices are very reasonable for the latest Bachmann stuff. And his auctions always start at .01 (and quickly move up from there). But I have been able to get some fantastic (I think) deals from him. Recently I purchased a mint new in box (still in shrink wrap) ICRR Heavy Mountain for a little under $50 plus $12 shipping.

Yes, I have dealth with the Favorite Spot as well. Would check with him first before making any "Bachmann" purchases elsewhere.

Hi, as there have been a few complaints lately about contacting the service Dept. I thought I would relay an incident I had very recently with the Bachman Service Dept.

I need to have a Doodlebug repaired and contacted the Service Department by their e-mail address. I was contacted the next day by Jennifer who answered my questions and who advised me to sent in the unit.

Perhaps instead of phoning more customers should use the e-mail address? I myself have been in contact a number of times with the service department and find e-mail to be adequate.

I will get a track guage today.

As to the wheel spacing aspect, how would one change the spacing of the drivers or the pilot on the 4-4-0?

The 4-4-0 was derailing initially at a switch (the pilot) and then at an ess curve.

On examining the trackwork I noticed that there were small gaps at those locations and used my rail snips and dremel to take out the gaps and now the engine runs fine. I am using ez track and even though the sections are ready to use an examination of the track shows the presence of gaps at a number of locations.

On another segment of my layout (still ez track) the engine still derails (both pilot at swithches and main drivers elsewhere),  I can keep the engine out of that area and go around.  At those spots I noticed that there are also small gaps at those locations that I will eliminate later.