Bachmann Engines
- Thread starter TruckLover
- Start date
Erm, Bachmann. I've given them my money countless times, and all I get in return is spotty quality. Some can be good runners that last FOREVER and work great, but none of my bachmann stuff, EVEN THE SPECTRUM. I've sold or scrapped nearly every Bachmann I owned. There is one glimmer of hope though. ONE of my 5+ (at one time) bachmann engines ( A plus F7) seens to run like a charm. I had a daylight whose axles split, a 4-4-0 that decintegrated, a 0-6-0 that runs spotty, a pair of F7 that sound like a howling cat, and a SPECTRUM 2-8-0 that had major pickup problems and belt drive slippage, not to mention it's total lack of ability to take cars up a grade. 
A friend lent me his Dash 840 C, and IT CAN'T GO AROUND 18" radius curves without alot of problems!! I keep giving them a chance though, with the (maybe false) hope of actually getting a good locomotive from them... Sigh!
A friend lent me his Dash 840 C, and IT CAN'T GO AROUND 18" radius curves without alot of problems!! I keep giving them a chance though, with the (maybe false) hope of actually getting a good locomotive from them... Sigh! MilesWestern said:Erm, Bachmann. I've given them my money countless times, and all I get in return is spotty quality. Some can be good runners that last FOREVER and work great, but none of my bachmann stuff, EVEN THE SPECTRUM. I've sold or scrapped nearly every Bachmann I owned. There is one glimmer of hope though. ONE of my 5+ (at one time) bachmann engines ( A plus F7) seens to run like a charm. I had a daylight whose axles split, a 4-4-0 that decintegrated, a 0-6-0 that runs spotty, a pair of F7 that sound like a howling cat, and a SPECTRUM 2-8-0 that had major pickup problems and belt drive slippage, not to mention it's total lack of ability to take cars up a grade.
wow, my bachmann runs fine. I think you are just cursed man
. besides, if it says Bachgamn pluss, it has to be old. The only times i had a Bachmann engine fail on me was with my 30 year old Metroliner and E60CP. If I had the money, i'd buy more.My first Spectrum locomotive was my Acela, and that ran great ( although it could use some light glue on the steps to the cab door) , then i got a EL SD45, and a E-33. My 44 tonner is also a bachmann spectrum. Only my spectrum NJT F40PH bothered me, but i add detail to it occaisionally.
I do have to say that for some reason, some locomotives look and run better on the Spectrum line. My E33 looks fine and runs great, but some can use alittle extra detail and slightly quieter motors. The only thing with that is that my E33, Acela, and maybe my SD45 are my only "new" spectrum locomotives. I'm fairly certain my other ones were sitting on a shelf for a long time before coming to me.
they buzz some, but i'm told if you install a Decoder into it, the sound goes down. I never actually tried to "out load" it, but i'm sure it can handle 11-12 freight cars. Mine hasn't given me any trouble. The detail is pretty good to. If anything, there are probably a few tiny things like radio antennas and other tiny detail parts that could be added, as well as some weathering.
One thing that bugs some people, (but not me) is that the right side window is perpetually open with the engineer leaning his arm on the window sill. Some people don't like that, but i don't see a problem with it. you really don't even notice that anyway.
One thing that bugs some people, (but not me) is that the right side window is perpetually open with the engineer leaning his arm on the window sill. Some people don't like that, but i don't see a problem with it. you really don't even notice that anyway.
MilesWestern said:Cool!
Just make sure you get the "new" 44 ton switchers. if you ever want to install DCC, the old ones requirepainful amounts of modification to the insides. After haveing to modify the inards of my U34CH to add the sound and the nose light, ( thankfully the outside remains unmarred, you wouldn't even notice i changed anything) I can tell you its no fun to sit there cutting up your locomotive.
the new ones still need some work, but you only need to solder the correct wires to the correct pads on the circuit board in there.