Yes, it is possible. All you need to do is carefully pop the face off your Diesel model using a hobby knife, and then switch to the expression you want the model to have. When putting the face back on, make sure the eyes line up with the mechanism, as this will allow them to move while the model is running.

Well, I figured now is as good a time as any to get started on my Emily review. So here are my thoughts on the N scale Emily, as well as her coaches.


Emily has had quite a fascinating history with Bachmann. Some of you may remember that back in 2006 or so, she became the first HO engine to be delayed. Although she was announced at iHobby in November 2005 alongside Toby and Spencer, she wasn't added to the catalog until 2006 and didn't release until late 2007, a year after Toby and Spencer were released. The large scale version also has an interesting history—some may recall that her coaches were officially announced before the engine herself, in summer 2011 and winter 2012, respectively.


There isn't anything particularly extraordinary about the release story for the N scale Emily, but for what it's worth, I think this is Bachmann's best version of the character yet—better than both the HO and large scale releases. That's especially impressive given the smaller size and the level of detail they've packed in.


Aesthetically, Bachmann once again nailed the look of the character. My favorite aspect is the level of detail—you can see through the spokes on Emily's wheels, something we haven't seen in previous N scale engines, including Gordon. It really makes her stand out and adds appeal for those interested in converting the model into an N scale Sterling Single.


I also really appreciate that, despite the model's small size, the frames are also see through rather than molding them as part of the tender like the HO Emily did.  That little extra touch goes a long way in making the model pop.


Overall, Bachmann did a fantastic job capturing Emily's look, and I admire that they went the extra mile for collectors of both Thomas and British N scale models.


In terms of performance, Emily is a very smooth runner thanks to her thoughtful design. As many of you probably know, her trailing wheels in front of the driving wheels are also powered—just like in the HO and large scale versions—which gives her a bit of extra traction on the layout. This feature helps her navigate switches with metal frogs without stalling and improves overall pulling performance.


Speaking of pulling power, I tested Emily with a few old Pennsylvania Railroad coaches to compare her to Gordon. Unfortunately, she couldn't match his strength. Gordon pulled three coaches with ease (and could probably manage more if my layout had more space), while Emily couldn't pull three and could only handle two—barely—while her wheels began spinning furiously.  I think this has more to do with the gearing of the motor along with the large drive wheel not giving Emily enough strength for heavier loads.  Of course, this isn't a perfectly fair comparison since those are American N scale coaches, not Thomas express coaches, but it was still an interesting test of hauling strength.  Once the express coaches come out I'll do a hauling comparison by then and will make sure to have it on a proper N scale loop on an even surface.  I also want to be clear that the lack of strength is not meant to be a detriment of the model in any way shape or form, especially since the majority will likely let Emily only pull her two coaches or small goods trains.  Again, just a fun comparison worth sharing on the forum that I hope to explore further in the future once the Bachmann express coaches are released.


As for the Emily coaches themselves—there isn't much to say. They reuse the Annie and Clarabel body shell, but with different roofs and wheel frames. Personally, I think they work just fine and accurately reflect how Emily's coaches appear in the show.

Final thoughts:


As they say, "there's no one quite like Emily." I was a little skeptical at first, but I've really warmed up to the model. While Gordon remains my number one favorite N scale engine released so far, Emily is a very close second. The detailing and overall craftsmanship make her stand out, and I highly recommend her.


That about wraps up my review of the recently released N scale products. I'm looking forward to future announcements and updates—we already have plenty on the way, including Henry, Diesel, Paxton, the express coaches, and some repaints. Looking ahead, if my forum signature is anything to go by, I firmly believe Edward and Duck would make excellent future additions to the range. There are also several rolling stock items I'd like to see, but rather than list them all here, you can probably spot them in the image above.

Once again, thank you, Bachmann, for producing these incredibly well-done models in this range. I'm excited for what's next!

Quote from: [email protected] on April 14, 2025, 12:13:13 PMAny chance we could see a picture of the figure riding in the cab of an engine that has an open cab?

Ask and you shall receive.

Well the big, little guy is finally here.  Time share my thoughts on the Bachmann N scale Gordon.  I'll also briefly talk about Henrietta and Hannah here too. 


Picture this: it's Christmas 2000, and you receive an N scale Thomas set by Tomix. Excited, you start collecting N scale and eagerly await future models of Percy, James, Gordon, and Henry. Over time, most were released—except Gordon. Frustrated with the wait, I switched back to HO during Bachmann's first launch of their HO Thomas products and hadn't really touched N scale again until late 2020 during the release of Bachmann's N scale line.  A range, while I was a little skeptical of at first, really grew to love and appreciate over time.


Fast forward to the 2022 NMRA announcements: Bachmann revealed an N scale, ready-to-run model Gordon, finally making this long-awaited model a reality. With all of that being said and seeing the model in person, after over 20 years of waiting, I can confidently say this model was worth it.


Bachmann did a fantastic job capturing Gordon's essence. Whether you prefer the model series or CGI version, this Gordon works for both, with differences being minimal. His blue livery is beautifully painted, and details like separately fitted brake pipes, whistles, and valve gear are impressive. While the trailing wheel placement mirrors Magic Railroad and onward, it allows tighter curves, which is practical for smaller layouts.


The tender's coal detail and printed number look great, matching the CGI series. Gordon's face is another highlight—it's CGI-based, yes, but one of the better faces in the N scale line in my opinion and captures the look and charm of the character really well.


Gordon runs exceptionally well, even at high speeds. On my narrow gauge layout, he handled switches flawlessly without derailing, proving the high quality of this model. While space limits my hauling tests, Gordon pulled a train of my old Bachmann Pennsylvania coaches effortlessly, foreshadowing his potential with the upcoming N scale express coaches.  I am fully aware how absolutely silly and ridiculous this looks, but I guess that's the fun of the hobby, having fun!

Final Thoughts


Gordon is a standout in the Bachmann N scale Thomas line and a must-have for collectors, whether you're new to the hobby or a long-time fan. Bachmann continues to deliver exceptional models, and I'm excited for the future of this range.

Time to talk about Henrietta!



I, for one, appreciate the fact that Bachmann even bothered to make Henrietta at all for the N scale line—which, sadly, is more than can be said for the large scale range. Henrietta is one of those overlooked essentials for Toby that many manufacturers, including Bachmann in large scale, have consistently ignored. Toby just isn't complete without his faithful coach. I wish more brands had made Henrietta while the show was still running, but that's beside the point.


The N scale Henrietta really captures the charm of the character. I love the separately applied railing details, as well as the appropriately placed windows on all sides of the model.


And yes, like in the CGI series, Henrietta has a face. While I understand why this might bother some people, it doesn't bother me at all. As I've said before, I'm just grateful to have a model of Henrietta in the first place. I imagine the face can be removed with a hobby knife for those who prefer her classic look. Otherwise, fans of her CGI appearance will appreciate the face—it's a perfect match.


She looks great behind Toby. Whether they're both traveling alone or pulling a few wagons behind them, having Toby paired with Henrietta and some extra rolling stock just feels more complete and satisfying. She's a solid piece of rolling stock and one I highly recommend.


I also want to talk about Hannah—the first exclusive character in the N scale line. Although she's essentially a repaint of Henrietta with a different face, I admire the decision to make her at all. Reusing the Henrietta tooling to create Hannah shows real commitment. While she's not a character I'm especially passionate about, I still picked her up to support Bachmann for making Henrietta in the first place. Like Henrietta, she runs smoothly on the layout with hardly any issues.


Overall, I truly enjoy and appreciate both additions. Whether you just want Henrietta or are a collector aiming to get both, fans who've been waiting for a Henrietta model are going to be very pleased. They're definite standouts in the N scale line, and I highly recommend either—or both.

That's it from me!  Hoping to share my thoughts on the several new and highly anticipated products on future reviews.  I'll be working on a review of Emily and her coaches next, after that I'll take a look at the figure packs once they arrive, along with Sir Topham Hatt's car.  Thank you, Bachmann, for making Gordon in N scale a reality along with adding Henrietta and Hannah in N scale too. The future is bright for this exciting range, and I look forward to seeing what's next!

I figured now would be an appropriate time to share this, as I just received a special package in the mail from Doug, which includes the figure of him that was shown during my TrainWorld stream appearance.


I'm super grateful to have this in my possession—it felt impossible not to take a picture of it alongside Douglas.


He is currently running on my layout right now as we speak alongside Duck pulling a train of the 12 ton vans... felt it was appropriate to run my favorite character too!


Doug was also kind enough to send me the engineering sample of the 12-ton van, along with a full set of the four vans.  I already had a gray van already but it's nice having a bonus alongside.

Doug's last day was Wednesday, and as of today, he is enjoying his retirement. Once again, I can't thank everyone enough at Bachmann for making these exciting projects happen—especially Doug for everything he's done to contribute to the hobby—and all the other staff at Bachmann. It's amazing to see how far the range has come compared to where it was 20 years ago since I first joined back in 2005... anyone else remember the days of when we were waiting for Gordon and Henry?

For those of you wondering, I will be doing reviews again soon. I've had a lot going on in my personal life that has taken up a lot of my time, but now I feel much more motivated. You can expect a review on N scale Gordon and some other products very soon.

It was a lot of fun being on the stream! I couldn't really see the comments while I was presenting, but I definitely noticed a few familiar faces during the live session.

It was truly an honor to be there for Doug's final appearance before retiring. As I emphasized earlier, he's not just a great businessman who brings a wealth of knowledge when it comes to trains and Thomas, but also a really great friend. That said, Matt will do a fantastic job stepping into Doug's role, and I'm looking forward to seeing how progress and updates unfold moving forward.

It was great seeing the official image of Sir Handel posted in addition to extra pictures taken of the model on Bachmann's Facebook page.  I'm excited to get mine the day it's released!

After some thought, I decided to create a list for NMRA and my thoughts on the next N scale engines after Edward. As always, I'll start with HO, followed by N and Large Scale.

HO Engines


For HO, I'm leaning more than ever toward Hiro after the recent release of Rebecca. It's unfortunate he wasn't in this year's catalog, but understandable given Bachmann's current workload.  He would be one of Bachmann's very best sellers, despite his inevitably higher price, and many would buy him day one of his release.  He has a majorly wide appeal and continues to have a strong fan following since his introduction in Hero of the Rails.


If Hiro isn't announced, Whiff seems like the next likely candidate. His simple design aligns well with characters like Rosie and Stanley, introduced around the same time and with similar followings. Not counting Harvey or Diesel 10, Whiff would be the last major character from the model era who also appeared in CGI—a detail that adds novelty to his inclusion.

I only have two suggestions for HO rolling stock, both are repaints:


Green China Clay Truck: This would complement the upcoming red China Clay Truck and encourage sales. While green trucks didn't appear in the Railway Series, they were part of the Wooden Railway range in a two-pack with the red one adding some diversity. If Bachmann is introducing a new China clay load, it makes sense to use it across multiple wagons.  They can even copy the same decals from the red wagon (barring the numbers, which can be changed). It almost feels wrong only having a red China Clay truck but no green one to go along with it since I remember having the wooden railway two pack as a kid!


Gordon's Special Coaches – These darker blue repaints of the Express Coaches, would be a very smart addition. Not only do they offer a nice color contrast, but they also represent a piece of model-era rolling stock absent from the recent catalog announcements.

Figure Packs
By summer, I expect figure packs to be available for sale. If new packs aren't announced by then, I could see them included in next winter's catalog. Two possibilities that seem popular are a Sodor Brass Band pack and a Sodor Celebrity pack.  Hopefully they will do more than that in the future, but for now I'm just going to stick with these two.

Narrow Gauge

After Sir Handel is released, I could see the next narrow gauge engine being Luke.


Luke is a popular CGI-era character and fits naturally with the mining theme of the narrow gauge range, as he resides in the Blue Mountain Quarry.  He would likely be an expensive and a lot more of an intricate locomotive, but I feel the cross appeal for both Thomas fans and 009 modelers is definitely there, more so than CGI Duncan by a longshot. I would buy him day one!


For narrow gauge rolling stock, I'm going to suggest the 4-plank wagons, which have appeared in both the model and CGI eras. These could come in various liveries—brown, oxide red, and gray.  In addition, Bachmann can create different loads of their choice in each wagon such as coal or stone.  If not, these wagons would still make great additions, with or without additional loads. 


Narrow gauge brake van - tan - This I feel would be a long overdue repaint since the tan brake vans are more commonly used for goods trains.  This is an addition Bachmann can add either alongside the newly tooled Luke and 4 plank wagon suggestions made earlier or even work as an announcement on its own if Bachmann would rather focus on getting Sir Handel and all the previously announced rolling stock released first.

N Scale


The consensus among fans seems to be that Edward should be the next N Scale engine. While I understand the delays due to ongoing projects, it feels like a missed opportunity not to have announced him in the catalog to complete the original Steam Team.  That said, I think at this point he feels like a shoe-in for the summer and he would in no doubt be a popular seller once released.


After Edward, I firmly believe Duck should follow in 2026. His popularity, consistent CGI appearances, and strong sales of his HO model with an introduction in Bachmann UK make him a clear choice. A recent Japanese poll also highlighted his strong following ranking him in third place behind Thomas in his Railway Series and model series appearances respectively during the midterm results.  If that doesn't speak highly of Duck's popularity, I genuinely don't know what does.


Daisy also deserves quick mention too. After her recent UK introduction, she could be a strong candidate following Edward and Duck in N scale.  Despite how this would be a lot further down the line, it almost felt wrong to not mention her alongside Edward and Duck. 

N Rolling Stock
So like earlier in the catalog I'm going to suggest another pair of wagons which may seem redundant, but I feel with the additional coal loads and different color choices it will add some extra diversity:



Coal Wagon w/ load - This iconic rolling stock appeared extensively in both the model and CGI series and has been a popular purchase in HO and Large Scale.  It continues to be a popular request for a reason, and people would purchase multiple. 



Mining Wagon w/ load – With a blue livery and decal, this wagon would pair nicely with the green coal wagon, offering contrast and variety.


BR 20 ton brake van - In terms of new toolings, a BR 20-ton brake van should be added to the range this summer considering how it's been a lot more popular and iconic than the LMS brake van that was announced earlier. While Bachmann likely chose the LMS brake van to avoid investing in new tooling, the BR 20-ton brake van would be a versatile option for future repaints, including the Spiteful Brake Van.  Personally I think introducing one in either brown or gray or even purple and adding the two coal wagons mentioned earlier would make for a very fun lineup of N rolling stock!

Large Scale

Large scale is lucky to get any announcement these days, so I don't expect much activity here. However, I believe introducing the same two vans in HO (1945 and retro logo), would be a smart move for the large scale range.  These could not only appeal to large scale modelers but also to collectors as display pieces. 

Anyway that wraps up my thoughts on NMRA predictions plus which N scale engines should come after Edward.  I'm glad to see a lot of similar views all while still enjoying the reveal last weekend.

While I'm still very much a fan of the announcements revealed today, I'll admit that most of my personal wishlist and predictions haven't changed all that much, apart from the obvious additions of Troublesome Truck #7 and the large scale LBSC Thomas now being out of the way. If anything, it highlights how much more anticipation I have for seeing some of the previous suggestions during future announcement dates, particularly Edward and the coal wagon with load in N scale.

I don't think I've ever been more excited for a starter set than I am today with the 80th anniversary set especially with the inclusion of exclusive rolling stock and the Thomas model with silver buffers and updated decals to match the original illustration.  This one is a definite winner, and I might just have to pick it up.

The retro rolling stock decals are... intriguing. I've noticed Mattel has been incorporating these logos into much of their apparel this year, and Lionel seems to be following suit with one of their boxcars. However, I like how these decals are applied to the vans; they're a nice touch, and I might consider adding them to my collection.

Troublesome Truck #7 is a welcome addition too. While I'm not surprised they opted for a van with a face, I'll give credit where it's due—at least it's not another international rolling stock repaint like #6. For that reason alone, I can see this one performing better than its predecessor.

I'm a bit surprised it took Bachmann this long to update the HO milk tanker. It's interesting that the fuel tanker didn't receive a similar update at the same time.

The N scale LBSC Thomas and Origin James are fantastic additions, and I'm glad we're getting both rather than just one of them. I was hoping Edward might make an appearance, and while I'm optimistic he'll arrive this summer, it's understandable if that's not the case given the number of items we're still waiting on.

It's great to see some of the wagon repaints making their way into N scale as well. I'm a fan of the red one, not so much the Sodor Scrap Co wagon.  Hopefully, the original coal wagon with load isn't far behind! Maybe they want to wait before making the coal load mold in N first?  Still solid choices though.

Among this year's announcements, the large scale LBSC Thomas was probably the least surprising. This is one release that most people likely saw coming if large scale was going to feature a new engine. Still, credit to them for getting something out, especially given the limited offerings in large scale lately.

Finally, we now have updated images of the narrow-gauge gondolas and the blue open carriage. They look fantastic, and I'll definitely be picking these up. Holding off on new narrow-gauge product announcements this year was probably a smart move, considering Sir Handel and much of the previously announced rolling stock haven't been released yet.

The non-Thomas narrow gauge stock is quite exciting too.  Sir Haydn being next was a given once we had a better look at the sample and the Ffestinog wagons are a nice bonus too.

Overall, it's an adequate lineup. While there are no new tooling announcements, there's still plenty to be excited about. It's also great to see the anniversary year being acknowledged across all the scales, barring narrow gauge, and that alone makes this lineup all the more special.  I'm a fan!

Quote from: Gotoit756 on January 08, 2025, 09:10:31 PMMy predictions for new Thomas releases coming soon will be...

-Stepney the bluebell engine
-Nia the African engine
-Duncan (narrow gauge engine)
-Duke
-Harvey
-Murdoch
-d199/spamcam
-d7101/bear
-kana
-sandy
-Carly
-aeg Thomas, Percy, James, Emily, Gordon and diesel
-class 40/the diesel/d261
-Caroline
-Tom tipper and his post van
-George the steam roller
-diesel 10
-whiff
-Neville
-Norman
-Charlie
-Boco
-Trevor
-bulgy
-luke

Bachmann has already announced Bulgy, and he can be preordered at Trainworld or other shops.

Quote from: DustyMarie53! on January 07, 2025, 08:11:52 PMNow that we know the DCC Thomas and Percy use the same sound files as g scale, this opens the door for the rest of 2-7, Emily, and Spencer to become DCC in the future. I would fully expect to see them announced over the coming years. Could be cool if they announced one or two of the Three Railway Engines for DCC this year. I could see them waiting until these are out to announce anymore but I do think they will be on the horizon.

I would love it if the range expands their DCC options beyond Thomas and Percy. I've been meaning to upgrade some of my engines to have DCC at some point since my club runs DCC and I am literally one of three or four members that runs analog because of the Thomas models.  So having options available for the rest of the original steam team and Spencer would help a lot long term so I can run more Thomas models for guests during our shows.

Sir Handel looks great too. Can't wait to see how he looks once they finish the final details.  Didn't think it was possible to be even more excited for Sir Handel, but here we are. 

Quote from: Kemptown Branch on January 06, 2025, 09:10:50 AMFor open wagons, I think that Bachmann should do the Red Open Wagon, whether it has the clay load or not, and the original version of the Coal Wagon w/ Load. They might be a bit plain looking compared to options with logos, but they were both used extremely often in the show for 10+ years, so I think they have somewhat of an advantage. So far, all of the stock we've gotten for N Scale has been either a character or had logos, so I think the simple colors for rolling stock that actually appeared in the show should be prioritized to balance things out a bit. Considering both wagons are still in the HO range despite there being alternate versions with logos, I think they're probably popular enough to consider adding to the N Scale range.

I'd like to echo this in particular as I feel the plain logoless wagons would be a lot more of a natural addition to the range, and the fact that they've been used in the show would make them all the more of a welcome addition. I mentioned in an earlier post but a great way to approach this would be making the original coal wagon with load along with the China clay wagon and a cocoa powder wagon with load, all while reusing the same blue and red wagon designs from HO and large scale all while reusing the same coal load just repainted to match the China Clay and cocoa powder loads respectively. 

Sorry for the double post but I want to thank a friend for pointing this out. Earlier, I mistakenly said that Skarloey's front windows were open while Talyllyn's were blocked. It turns out I was wrong—Skarloey's front windows have always been blocked since it's initial release and remained that way since and the Talyllyn model offered a visual improvement over this area over the Skarloey model as I noted in my review. Again, I apologize for any misinformation I may have shared earlier and I'll take the L on that one. The review has been updated with more factually correct information.

The trailing wheels on Talyllyn are not powered just like Skarloey.