N Scale Reading 4-8-4 Mountain Steamer

[ease in N/027]

is this thing any good?... just bought it on eBay, was wondering?

[fieromike]

Which one, the 4-8-4 or the Mountain?

[ease in N/027]

idk... that's what they called in on eBay... i assume its some version of the 4-8-4...

[brokemoto]

A mountain is a 4-8-2.  A 4-8-4 had various names.  The first one applied was 'northern' as Northern Pacific had the first one.

Bachmann has issued two locomotives with the 4-8-2 wheel arrangement in N scale, a USRA heavy and a USRA light.  Both of them were SPECTRUM line. The USRA heavy is the better of the two.

B-mann has sold an ATSF 4-8-4 as part of its Standard Line for years.  They also sold a N&W 'J' as part of its Standard Line, although that one is out of production in favour of a SPECTRUM 'J'.

The SPECTRUM 'J' is reputed to be pretty good, although I have never had one.

I have had two of the Standard Line ATSF 4-8-4s, both older issues.   The older one, the one with a live tender is not very good.  The newer one, the one without the live tender is not much better.  I had a Standard Line 'J', it was no good.

Recently, B-personn issued what is reputed to be an upgraded, improved version of the ATSF 4-8-4.  It is reputed to be allright, although I do not have one.

The oldest issue of the Standard Line 4-8-4, of which I am aware, came in a cardboard box that contained two plastic boxes.  The subsequent issues came in a cardboard box.  The latest issue, the one that is reputed to be allright, comes in a single plastic box.

Some of the Standard Line products have improved.  The six wheel industrial diesel is the first one of these that runs acceptably.  Several manufacturers, including Bachpersonn have sold this, in the past.  All versions were awful.  The FM roadswitcher is a new Standard Line that also runs nicely.

It depends on what version that you received from the FeePay seller.  Favourite Spot sells many B-mann items, but most of his are later releases.  sunnyswarehouse has older and newer releases, but they will usually tell you which one it is in the description.  I can not comment on other sellers of B-mann products on FeePay, as I have never dealt with any other than those two.

[ease in N/027]

Well the one I'm getting is defiantly a 4-8-4... paid $41 for it... on eBay.

its in the white cardboard box with white foam packing so I think that dates it as somewhere in the middle age of the production line from Bachman...

its also listed as a #58060.... does that # mean anything to anyone?

from seller "22train"

claims to be in mint/new condition... haven't gotten it in the mail yet so... cant say...
much else besides that.

[Franz T]

Check out Mark's website ( http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/locos.html  ) for a review of any N scale loco you are curious about....

[brokemoto]

Spookshow seems to like the third version.  It sounds like the original poster here received that version.  I have one of those, and do not like it.

I do not have the latest version, but Spookshow seems to think that it is inferior to version #3.  I did not bother to try the latest version, as a 4-8-4 is really larger than what I would want.  I used to buy many different steam locomotives, as there were not many out there.  Now that the selection of smaller and average sized power is better, I leave alone the big ones. 

I do not know the seller that the original poster mentioned.

[ABC]

I looked him up, he seems to be fine, but is not an authorized dealer and does not accept returns.

[ease in N/027]

aww well I got it, the 4-8-4.. big and okay... my desire for a large steam engine is satisfied... back to reality of find a few other sought after items... and a lot more e-z track...

the 4-8-4 is now in my profile pict