If characters like Stepney, BoCo and Duke do return in the reboot, hope for Bachmann making those characters will be restored. All three of them will most likely be made 100% based on their model series designs, including their faces. Whichever one gets made in HO Scale first would be the first engine made based on a model series design since Duck, with Duke as another engine for Narrow Gauge. BoCo was shafted from Season 22, but the reboot will be his chance. He can be the third larger diesel for the HO Scale range. For now, we got Diesel 10 coming. He was announced just recently.

If we get the mail car in N Scale, it has to be made like how we're familiar with. Not the reboot design. The toy-like rolling stock in the reboot is off-putting.

I think it would be best that if Bachmann makes any model era characters, they make them styled after the model era, and not try to imagine up their own CGI style faces. Most people interested in model era characters will want model era faces on the engines in question. The average, less-detail oriented consumer on the other hand, probably does not know the major differences between CGI and model era faces. Heck, CGI faces are vastly different in design depending on if they're a Nitrogen era character, Brenner era, or BWBA era.

As for the new reboot...

I'm glad Bachmann is deciding to stick to the CGI era style for now. There's a lot of things going on in the reboot I'm not a huge fan of, such as how toy-like the rolling stock is now, rather than being prototypical. That alone wouldn't jive with how Bachmann likes to make new rolling stock. Even Bruno looks like his AEG cartoon design but with more "detail", rather than based on an actual prototypical caboose.

I feel like I'll better articulate my thoughts as the days pass.

If BoCo returns in the reboot, it would mean that Bachmann can't ignore him anymore. Same for Stepney. Both engines can finally get HO Scale models. BoCo would most likely be made 100% based on his model series appearance, while Stepney could have a CGI face from his appearance in Season 12. Both engines would require new toolings, that's for certain. Even Duke could possibly return. BoCo might have a CGI-styled face; being Daisy's without the eyelashes and makeup. To make BoCo even more CGI-styled, he could have a modified version of Daisy's chassis, except his unpowered front bogie would have six wheels.

The CGI series is back, but very different from before. Some of the character designs are drastically different.

So I don't know if anyone saw the trailer for the reboot special, but they dropped the trailer for the upcoming special!


Well dang, they dropped the ball on this one, and makes me thankful they're gonna stick with the CGI (with classics sprinkled in) era characters. Although weirdly enough, unless if my imagination is messing with me, James' front looks like Large Scale version of Bachmann, like take a look and see if I'm tripping...!

I am brand new to model railroading and my layout is completely Bachmann DCC E-Z Track. I have purchased several DCC turnouts and contained in the all the boxes of those turnouts is a tiny piece of gray plastic, wrapped up, that is unidentified in the packaging and instructions. Google AI stated it is a frog insulator to protect from shorts. I would like to know what it is exactly, do I need it, and how and where to install it.  Help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Not real happy how my first gloss medium pour went. I added too much green paint. I have seen real slews which look like this, all green with algae. I am not sure how of if I can fix this/ I may just have to leave it.

The new stone wagons announced at NMRA will have the newly tooled China clay load just recolored to resemble gray stone. I know Matt mentioned that it helps with cost if Bachmann can use a new tool across several products which absolutely makes sense.

With that in mind, I think it might a wise choice for Bachmann to finally start selling wagon loads as a separate-sale item. Of course continue to produce wagons that have loads, but additional loads that can be bought separately would help us fill out our empty wagons. Example: the FQC wagon won't be supplied with a load, so a separate sale "stone wagon load pack" would help with that.

I know I've seen this pitched before and it's a great idea. Stone, coal, ore etc. would all make for great separate sale wagon load packs.

Quote from: SNER on August 17, 2026, 01:33:47 PMI'm wondering what everyone's planning to run with their Diesel 10, if anything (I can't recall him ever pulling anything in the TV series)? Light engine? Scrap train?
 
I know I'm excited to have him pull the express! I can't remember, but I saw someone's YouTube video of him pulling it in the background. Very appropriate for a warship, but also a very strange look with his industrial paint scheme and claw!

Diesel 10 with scrap trucks would go hard, also no he's not been seen pulling anything in the show.

I'm wondering what everyone's planning to run with their Diesel 10, if anything (I can't recall him ever pulling anything in the TV series)? Light engine? Scrap train?
 
I know I'm excited to have him pull the express! I can't remember, but I saw someone's YouTube video of him pulling it in the background. Very appropriate for a warship, but also a very strange look with his industrial paint scheme and claw!

Quote from: Ralph S on August 16, 2026, 03:28:49 PMI just purchased the Bachmann 44 tonner (Model 62207) Baltimore & Ohio (B&O).  In these last few weeks.  You have me concerned that these gear issues are in my new locomotive and sometime in the future may present the same type of gear failure.  This brings me to the question: Are these gears splitting from age, high tensional force from use, or is the grease attacking the gear material?  How long will the 44-tonner operate before this splitting gear shows up, 1-year, 2-years (pass the warranty), you get the picture.

I normally never submit those Bachmann postcards for the warranty, but maybe on this one I should.

I'm no expert on the subject, so take this for what it's worth. From my understanding, there were 3 generations of these  made by Bachmann. First had 2 motors and no DCC, 2nd (mine) had one motor, and DCC installed, 3rd has one motor and DCC w/sound. Hopefully by the 3rd gen units the gear issue might have been solved. I know other manufactures have units with broken gear issues, but that design hasn't changed so parts are still available.

I'm curious, where did you get your 44 tonner at? I've got a friend who is looking for one and has  not been able to find one.