opinion on bachmann?

Have always use athearn equipment, esp. the locomotives...started back 20 plus years ago, am starting a new layout after being away for a lot of years. Have a few athearns that I am going to use, but just recently acquired a few bachmann's as the price was right. Do not even have them yet, being shipped...and I was wondering what you all thought about them compared to other brands...let me know or what you like to use and why?

 

bachmann and others

Bachmann has improved over the years. If they're spectrum locomotives then you've got no problem. If not then there's a chance of problems. Especially if they're pre 2000. I haven't bought any recent bachmanns so I can't tell ya. Me personally I like Atlas: Good drives, directional lighting, always DCC ready. I too like athearn because of the good quality and cheap prices. And welcome to trainboard.

 

Popular opinion, not always correct. My N scale Acela power car was bad out of the box. The up side is that they replaced it promptly. The pantographs on the dummy locos wouldn't stay down and snagged on an underpass, mangling one of them. I finally took them off entirely. The function decoders in the dummy locos came programmed so that both headlights are on in one direction and both tail lights are on in the other direction. I'm given to understand that their Spectrum quality is better in larger scales.

I have a couple non-Spectrum HO B'mann locos. They are difficult to work on but run adequately.

I'm much more comfortable buying Atlas and Athearn. I don't have any Kato HO, but if their N is any indication it must be excellent.

 

You are certainly doing the right thing by asking here on line. Tune-in to the grapevine and check out what others have to say. If they are unhappy about their purchase they will let you know.

You really don't want to hear my opinion about Bachmann. I've excercised my freedom of speech here and elsewhere. There are locomotives coming along from Bachmann, that many have given high marks. I suspect in time they will eventually step to the plate to produce top notch quality goods.

Here's the key to purchasing and owning excellent running locomotives. Stick to Kato, Atlas and InterMountain...just to name a few of the best. Athearn, Life Like and Walthers each have in their own way stepped to the plate to produce quality products...as well.

If in doubt...don't.

.

 

i missed out on a bachman spectrum NJ transet F40 for $55.00 what a deal but my dad didnt let me buy it because it was a spectrum but i have had no problems with spectrum at all

 

If the Bachmans are their Spectrum line you may be happy with them. If they are their basic line you probably wont be. They are not great runners and tend to be pretty noisey. They are an inexpensive loco but you will get what you pay for. A little more money will get you an Athearn, a little more a Proto, Atlas or Kato. These will put a bigger smile on your face.

 

I currently have four Bachmann diesels that I use, a GP50, a GP35 and two GP40's. They run well enough IF they are well maintained. If they are the DCC Onboard models I recommend that you pull the decoders and install whatever small decoder of your choice. I like the Digitrax DZ125. They're very small (Z scale size), can fit almost anywhere and are robust enough to run most HO equipment, including Athearn BB locos. Been there, done that.

 

The last Bachmann I got in HO was a C&O 2-8-4 which so far runs very well - and it's not even in the Spectrum line. I have a couple of older Dash 8-44CWs in N scale, and they run OK. My F-7s in N have been faithful performers for years.

 

I have four Bachmann Spectrum steam engines. Two C&O Heavy Mountains, a C&O 2-6-6-2, and a consolidation 2-8-0 that I purchased undec'd and lettered it for the C&O.

The C&O Mountains I have had problems with. The first one just "locked" up one day while running and broke the main drive rods right off the wheels. It was Tsunami equipped. I sent it back to Bachmann and they kept it forever. I started calling and after about 4 months, they said they "lost" it. They sent me a new one w/ sound (Tsunami) and it wouldn't track right. The pilot was too low and kept catching on things.

My choice was to try and raise the pilot, OR send IT back. Since the pilot assembly was too involved (for me) to remove and shave down, I elected to just send it back. About 3 weeks later, they sent me a new one. Same thing. I just have it sitting in a box.

Low and behold, after ANOTHER three weeks, my original Mountain comes floating back in the house. I called Bachmann and explained that I essentially had a "free" engine now. But one still didn't track right. They said just keep it for my trouble.

Anyway, the 2-6-6-2 and the Consolidation run great.

I have had so much trouble w/ the Mountains, I doubt I would buy another. But that's just me and my experience. However, they do have some VERY good looking and fairly correct engines out there.

 

I always thought of Bachmann was a step up from Life-Like and Model Power. But now Life-Like has stepped up, so I don't really know how I stand on Bachmann.

I bought a Bachmann engine for 20 bucks a year ago and it ran well enough for me to use it a lot, but it was nothing to write home about.

I'll stick with Athearn and Atlas.

 

I have 5 Bachmann Sd45's spectrum with DCC equipped. They run well, but the decoders are cheap and dont have very many speed steps compared to an NCE or Digitrax decoder. Otherwise I love it. I have had my eyes on some of the steam locomotives, but being unemployed at the moment seriously limits my budget for trains to $0.

 

I see these Bachmann engines at train shows for very good prices; the 20-30 dollar range. They're in boxes and look like they're new. I'll almost bought another one at the last train show, but picked up some Auto Racks instead.

Has anyone come across these?

 

I have a Bachmann 4-6-0 that never has run right and the headlight dosent work.
I'm going to dump it in the bargain bin at the LHS.
I have the Mantua "Dixie Belle" that I detailed and repainted and it runs excellent. Only paid $25 for it and the Bachmann cost me $85.

 

The last Bachmann

The last Bachmann engine I bought practically caught on fire.

 

You had one of those turkeys too, eh? I gave mine away for next to nothing. Since then I've not bought anything in the Bachmann Spectrum diesel line.

 

I've not any engine from Bachmann. Most of my engines are from Kato, then Proto 2000 and a few Atlas.

Wolfgang

 

I own a few Bachmanns. A friend of mine, who only recently retired and sold his hobby shop, used to refer to them as "Botchman's!" I have 2 Spectrum Consols that are great locos. My 2-10-0 just quit running one day; I don't yet know why. I have a mountain that still runs okay. Diesel-wise, I inherited a GP30 but I've never ran it. I wonder if I should when I consider what I've read. I have 5 H16-44's all of which seem to run okay. Lastly, I have 3 GE E33's. I haven't run them yet but we'll see. If they don't make the grade, they'll get dumped. Stick with Atlas, Kato, Genesis and the newer P2K's. I wish these folks would do the Mountains, the Decapods, E33's, etc. Then Spectrum would either step up or shut up.

 

I don't know what to say, guys. I've got nothing but good things to say about the 2-8-4 which was my most recent Bachmann. I also have a C&O 4-8-2 that runs just fine. And my 2-6-6-2 has no problems. What - am I just lucky?

 

Let me guess, the motor started arcing like a Roman candle? I had one that did that and melted part of the shell. Those pancake motors were famous for that.