I really like Mulfred's idea of reusing decals on pieces of rolling stock while changing the livery, allowing for greater diversity without feeling too redundant. Especially since this was a pattern used back in the model seasons. I would fully welcome these additions and would happily pick most of them up. It also saves Bachmann time by reducing the need to create new decals when they can simply reuse existing ones. Overall, it seems like a nice win-win for both Bachmann and the fans.

Quote from: Zorran202 on April 11, 2026, 03:53:44 PMHere's another question: how come we haven't seen the dual ventilated vans be turned into Troublesome Trucks? They were prominent during the model series era...

Probably because they weren't brought into the CGI seasons. Personally, I think a model era Troublesome Truck face would be more fun, especially since the faces are more expressive, but I understand why Bachmann hasn't considered them.

I definitely agree that a Bachmann Troublesome Truck #8 would make the most sense as an open wagon. With the most recent releases already covering a tanker and a van (both of which also appeared in the CGI era), it might feel a bit too soon to revisit those toolings again. Going with an open wagon would help keep things feeling fresher in that regard. Whether Bachmann uses the older tooling or transitions to the newer UK 7 plank design, I think either approach would work nicely as long as it brings something a little different to the range.  This truck in particular I think would be a perfect candidate for troublesome truck #8:


I feel like this works the most because it offers a different emotion (angry) along with a different color from Trucks 1 and 2, helping it stand out more and adding some nice contrast.  Plus giving it a coal load would also be a nice bonus. Like truck #7, this would be a CGI troublesome truck I would be perfectly fine with, and I would happily add to my collection.

I also want to reiterate a point I mentioned earlier about the China clay wagon, specifically how a green livery would be a really welcome addition. Not only would it add some visual variety to the rolling stock lineup, but it would also be a smart way for Bachmann to reuse the existing china clay load tooling. It feels like a relatively simple variation with a different color and new road number that could go a long way in expanding customization options for modelers.

Overall, it's really encouraging to see the level of effort going into these recent releases, and I'm excited to see where they go next.

Might want to tune into Thomas Tuesday tomorrow:

Troublesome Truck #7 and the China clay wagon will be revealed, along with packaged samples of the gunpowder vans, so there's a lot to look forward to tomorrow (and possibly even more).

Quote from: travel_is_fun on April 06, 2026, 01:05:23 AMAlso, has anyone noticed how long HO Duck has been sold out from Bachmann's webpage? Maybe that could be the reason for Bachmann to introduce Duck to N-scale. Hopefully he'll be added soon.

Funny you should mention that... in today's New Model Monday, Bachmann commented that Duck will be arriving back in stock soon, along with James (both normal and origin versions), Henry, Oliver, and Emily, as well as a lot of rolling stock.

But yes, it is very encouraging to see Duck's popularity continuing to be as strong as ever. I also like the idea of them introducing a smaller engine in N scale, like Duck, while opening up the door for more new rolling stock toolings, such as a BR 20-ton brake van and a new tanker tooling.

Quote from: Awesometrain77 on April 05, 2026, 07:56:55 PMTbh I feel like Duck is not much of a necessity compared to Edward tbh .

He's not, but Duck is also a very popular character in the fandom and now has a following similar to Edward's, especially since Edward hasn't been part of the main cast for almost 10 years.

Additionally, if Bachmann wants to take a break from producing another tender engine after Henry and instead tackle a smaller engine, Duck would be one of the safer options, as his HO model remains one of Bachmann's most popular sellers.

'Arry and Bert being a 2-in-1 deal would be one of their biggest advantages. Again, it would probably be too soon to reintroduce them right after Sidney and the Mainland Diesel, but if Bachmann decides to introduce a new character like Hiro at the NMRA this year (or next), and then wants to take things a bit easier afterward, reintroducing 'Arry and Bert would be a much more practical choice on their end.

Hopefully, N scale can also have two engine announcements in one year; perhaps as soon as 2027, assuming they can release the LBSC Thomas, Origin James, and the Diesel and Paxton models by then. They haven't done that since the Emily and Gordon announcements in the 2022 catalog and NMRA announcements respectively, so it would be a real treat if they announced Edward early next year at Amherst and Duck at next year's NMRA.

Thank you, everyone, for the strong feedback! I really appreciate all the insights and thoughts. Hopefully, Bachmann can address this by reintroducing 'Arry and Bert at a later date. I agree that it would be too soon to bring them back while Sidney and the Mainland Diesel aren't out yet, but once Bachmann announces one or two more new engine toolings after Flying Scotsman, that would be the perfect time to reconsider adding 'Arry and Bert back into the line.

So this might be a bit of a long shot, but here it goes:





I think the next reintroduction Bachmann should consider for their HO scale line should be their 'Arry and Bert models. I know this may seem odd, especially with Sidney and the Mainland Diesel on the way, but hear me out.

As of now, 'Arry and Bert haven't appeared on eBay or other secondhand markets recently. There are no recent sold or completed listings, which shows how rarely they come up. When they do appear, they tend to sell for a high price.



A quick edit, but Mulfred shared with me a screenshot of 'Arry and Bert's recent sales in the UK, going over £300, which is the US equivalent of $400.

Unlike Salty, Bachmann likely wouldn't need to update the motor or mechanism. They already produce several models reusing the Diesel motor, body shell, and chassis, including two versions of Diesel, Paxton and the upcoming Sidney and Mainland Diesel.

I know these two were poor sellers when first released, and it's easy to see why. Their faces were nearly identical, making them hard to tell apart, and the yellow paint was a bit too light. However, both issues seem like easy fixes. Bachmann has made similar paint revisions before, such as with the express coaches and Salty.

As for the faces, while I'd personally prefer the model series versions, I understand why they'd stick with CGI. That said, it's more important to make the twins visually distinct; perhaps by removing 'Arry's stubble and leaving it only on Bert, or at least making 'Arry's even lighter than the original release.  If Bachmann really wants to go the full mile, maybe they can give the twins different expressions to allow them to be more distinctive from each other.

If Salty sells well upon his reintroduction, I think 'Arry and Bert have earned a return to the range. It's been a long time, and there's clearly demand. With a few updates, a reintroduction could significantly improve their sales.  Who knows, maybe at a much later point down the road if their reintroduction does well, Bachmann can introduce them in their N scale line.

Either way, I think they'd be welcome additions back into the lineup. Let me know what you think.

I'm not surprised the older thread was deleted; it had a lot of replies and probably took up a lot of space.

My thoughts haven't changed much. For HO, Hiro is still very overdue, given how popular he is; I think he would outsell Bachmann's recent releases, especially Rebecca. If they go with a tank engine, Whiff seems to be the most likely choice, as he's an iconic character and the last model era engine introduced in that era that made it to CGI, (excluding Harvey or Diesel 10). I don't have a strong opinion on the next HO rolling stock, but I would still love to see Bachmann introduce DCC modules for HO.

For N scale, Edward is the clear next engine, though I wouldn't rule out Duck being next. Both are top requests, and I wouldn't be surprised if one is announced at NMRA this summer. N scale also needs more rolling stock, hopefully a coal wagon with load and a BR 20 ton brake van. Bachmann hasn't introduced a new N scale tanker since their original announcement, so I could easily see them discontinue the Farish repaints and introduce some new tankers with a much nicer and accurate tooling.

Personally I'd like to see Bachmann invest in the narrow gauge line the most after the recent success of their Sir Handel model. Aside from the gunpowder vans, the backlog is empty. A Duncan reintroduction makes sense, but they could also bring in Victor or another CGI exclusive engine. For new rolling stock, I think the 4-plank wagons should be next since they appear in both model and CGI and have many liveries to choose from, making the new tooling investment worthwhile.

Definitely worth the watch if you guys haven't seen it already. DCC Sodor goes into great detail about the sound and quality of each of the engines. Although I paid more than I would have liked for these engines, I'd say they're worth picking up if you have DCC on your layout or club layout with DCC already installed.

I do hope Bachmann addresses the issue someday regarding sounds being available for other engines, either by introducing a separate sound module in HO like they did with large scale or, at the very least, by adding more engines with DCC and sound in the future. Considering the sales that DCC Thomas and Percy have had, it's clear the market for HO DCC Thomas models is there. It would easily be worth the investment for them, especially if they introduce modules, as sales for those would likely skyrocket and help more people get into that aspect of the hobby.

Loved the reveal of N scale Diesel and Paxton on the stream today; easily the highlight for me by a long shot. Definitely can't wait for Henry once his sample is done, which, as hinted, shouldn't be too much longer now.

Hope to see an exciting N scale engine announcement at NMRA this summer too. Either Edward to finish off the original main cast, or Duck to be added alongside his old rival, Diesel, would be very fitting choices.

Quote from: GordonPacific04 on February 03, 2026, 09:06:39 PMHere's a question I'll ask and leave you all with, as I feel everyone's answers are important to this topic.
What exactly is the appeal of the Resin buildings, and what advantage do they have over a simple plastic or card kit?

I think the appeal of resin buildings comes down to detail and intended use, rather than them having a clear-cut advantage over plastic or card across the board.

Resin has an advantage when it comes to capturing fine textures and offering a more finished, display-ready look right out of the box. That tends to appeal most to dedicated fans and adult hobbyists who value accuracy and permanence on a layout.

Bachmann's current plastic structures in their Thomas range, Tidmouth Sheds and Cranky, have advantages in other areas, especially for a broader and younger audience. They're designed for repeated handling and play, and can be integrated easily into larger layouts if fans wish, at least more so with Cranky than Tidmouth Sheds.

So rather than one being superior, I see resin and plastic as serving different purposes for different audiences. Each has its own strengths depending on how someone wants to enjoy the hobby.

Quote from: CandygramforMongo on February 03, 2026, 08:57:02 AMOf course! I'm a massive fan of DCC Sodor's work as well, and I've done a couple of sound installations of my own (James and Daisy). I hope I didn't come off as saying more DCC sound engines in future isn't happening, I too firmly believe it is. I was just saying I don't know how feasible it'd be to make a universal one size fits all module to be sold separately like in G at this point in time 

Not at all, we're all good! I appreciate you sharing your experience, and it's great to hear you've done installs on James and Daisy. Always nice to have these discussions and hear different perspectives.

Really enjoyed reading this Christian, I appreciate you for giving the resin buildings some long-overdue attention. You made a really strong case for why buildings deserve a closer look alongside the ever-growing engine and rolling stock lineup.

From your list, there are four buildings I'd personally love to see tackled first:

• A new signal box feels like a no-brainer given how well the original sold and how essential it is to any layout.
• The Skarloey Railway engine shed also feels long overdue, especially with the narrow gauge line continuing to grow. I would buy that day one for my OO9 layout.
• Neptune Refreshments is another standout; it's simple, memorable, and instantly recognizable to fans of both the Railway Series and TV series. Another day one purchase for my OO9 layout.
• Toby's shed would be an incredible addition and feels iconic enough to justify the size. Even if it's not for the Skarloey line, I would buy one simply because Toby's one of my favorite characters in the show.

As an honorable mention, Ffarquhar Station would also be fantastic to see down the road. The size would definitely present a challenge to the pricing, but given it's such an iconic location in both the model and CGI seasons, I could actually see it selling better than Maithwaite.

I also really like your point about packaging. Creating special, more visually engaging packaging for new resin buildings would be a great way to spark interest and show buyers what's possible. Seeing a building placed in a fully sceniced Sodor layout with familiar engines nearby helps people imagine how it could fit into their own layouts, rather than viewing it as a standalone piece. That extra flair could go a long way in encouraging scenery-focused purchases.

Hope this thread takes off and helps Bachmann take new resin buildings consideration.

Hey, maybe N scale fans might get lucky and get a resin line of their own one day too...!

Quote from: CandygramforMongo on February 02, 2026, 04:43:30 PMAs much as a sound module for HO scale would be nice, I'm not sure how compatible it would be with much of the HO engines. A bunch of the chassis offer very little room in terms of sound decoder placement, let alone speaker placement. Bachmann Europe even had to go in and modify Edward's chassis just so it could be DCC ready, and even then, just for a barebones non sound Next18 decoder. Taking out the eye mechanism would allow more avenues to be explored, but I don't see that feature leaving anytime. And while you can always go the route of installing the module in the tender with the speaker, you still have to go the extra mile to drill holes and make connections.

G scale isn't as big of an issue since you have so much more added space to work with, even with the eye mechanism. Granted, I've only seen the interiors of Thomas, Percy and Toby, but I assume it's no different for Emily and James. They can make the sound module one size because they know it'll fit in all of their G scale range, but I don't think the same can be said for HO, especially when you look at many of the different shapes and sizes of each of the engines' PCBs. Granted you can make small sound decoders as proven with companies like ESU with their Loksound micro and nano decoders, but the price would be jacked up substantially as a result when compared to the more affordable soundtraxx ones that they currently use.

Im almost positive that this is why G scale made the jump to DCC way earlier than HO.

You raise some valid points regarding space constraints, chassis design, and speaker placement in HO. There's no question that HO presents more challenges than Large Scale, particularly with the eye mechanism still in place and the limited internal volume on many of the engines.

That said, members of the community such as DCC Sodor and redtender5 have already demonstrated that DCC installation in HO Thomas models is achievable through custom work and careful planning. While these installs aren't plug-and-play, they clearly show that sound and DCC can be successfully implemented at this scale, even within the existing design limitations.

I also think it's worth noting that Bachmann has already demonstrated a willingness to adapt chassis designs for DCC, as seen with Edward in the UK range. While that example is non-sound, it shows that internal revisions are not entirely off the table when there is sufficient demand. I wouldn't rule Bachmann out for getting experimental with a hypothetical DCC and sound release for James by allowing the many of the electronics to be in his tender.  Additionally, HO Thomas and Percy have already proven that sound can be successfully implemented at this scale using SoundTraxx hardware, suggesting that similar solutions could be feasible for a majority of the range.

Cost is certainly a consideration, especially when compared to micro and nano decoders such as ESU's. However, even a higher-priced, official sound module would likely find a market among fans who want a character-specific solution without the added complexity of sourcing third-party decoders and custom sound files.

I understand why Large Scale transitioned to DCC sound earlier: it's undeniably easier with the available space. However, with HO DCC sound now firmly established for Thomas and Percy and growing interest from the community, I think it's reasonable to at least explore what options might be feasible, even if they come with clear limitations.

I appreciate you bringing up the technical side of this. It's an important part of the discussion, and it's helpful for Bachmann staff to see both the enthusiasm from fans and the practical considerations being raised.