Safe to say this reboot, will not be getting any Bachmann merch...

My N Scale express coaches and open wagons just shipped out much earlier than I expected. Looks like they all arrived in stock much earlier than Matt Stern expected.

Looks like the Express Coaches are hitting store shelves now! I just got my order confirmation from TrainWorld, and there are some popping up on Ebay as well.

check ebay, the only indicator unless you want to track other auctions..

(TRAINZ.com will indicate last selling price)

It is a small niche market, but in a place like this, it is still fairly strong.

Don't expect to get anything like MSRP original new pricing however!

Hi PrvtDoughnut

          671 here ... I have a couple of thoughts:

The universal parts section ( page three) for Williams O scale has traction tires for diesels. These may fit. Approx $1.35 each. Buy them and give them a try.

You could try electrical shrink tubing cut into ringlets a placed into the wheel's groove. Shrink into place. I do not know if this will work. You may need several layers.

Sometimes Williams' locos use the rubber tire inside of the loco's shell to bundle the wires. You may be able to harvest those bands/tires.

One other thought ... some electrical wires (Sold at Home depot) and Ace hardware in the electrical aisle bulk wire sales area, sell an extension cord type wire, clad in a circular black rubber. You may find a diameter of that rubber type cladding that could be removed and cut to size. Buy one foot of the wire, remove the rubber outer cover, then cut into ringlets that will fit into the tire groove. Use rubber cement to secure tire within the groove.

             Just a couple ideas ... This may help ... 671

What is the market like for K27 and 2-6-6-2 locomotives in their original boxes which have never been used before?

Old Pilot, I'm glad you came across those videos and for sharing that information. I wish you the best of luck in your self-education and subsequent repairs. Please keep us apprised of your progress as I am really interested as to your success. Thanks again, Fred.

As much as I wanted to like the reboot, this first half hour special has left me very conflicted. I agree that Bachmann has made the right call in primarily focusing on the CGI series for their future products, and I can't wait to see what is on the horizon from them.

For me, the CGI renaissance seasons were the most exciting for Thomas & Friends. It felt like anything was possible during that time. Even though it's sad that it was cut short, it's still my go-to whenever I want to watch Thomas.

So, as a palate cleanser, Season 18 it is tonight.

Which reminds me, I'd love a Bachmann Samson!

The reboot officially launched this evening, albeit not yet in English.

Despite that, one can still get the rough premise of the special. Thomas wants to be helpful, but he works too hard, makes mistakes, his friends help him out, and everything works out in the end. However, the overall pacing and presentation of the special makes this reboot feel closer related to "All Engines Go" than it does the Railway Series, classic model era, or CGI Brenner era of Thomas, which I find a bit disappointing.

Mattel also recently announced their commitment to implementing AI into their workflow, and it feels all too present in this reboot. When your eyes become tuned in to the nuances of animation and the details put into CGI, the inconsistencies pop out quickly. Unfortunately, this is the new norm, and where the future is going. I don't believe Brown Bag Films themselves did anything with AI, but I don't trust Mattel on the matter.

In a previous livestream, it was mentioned that for the time being Bachmann would stick to CGI style products. After watching the reboot, I think Bachmann made the right call. There's a lot of design choices going on in the reboot that conflict with Bachmann's "style" of making Thomas products.