Greetings All! Ive been a TrainBoard member for a few years, but mostly have haunted the G scale forums. After recently moving, I have found some time for my long lost N scale layout. My rolling stock and locomotives are a hodge-podge assortment that I have had since childhood, and others that were aquired through the years.......some are very nice Atlas, Kato, and Lifelike locos that run well.........and others are the typical Bachmann starter set items that, well, don't run so nice! lol As I get my layout rolling again, I would like to stick with one or two uniform roadnames......... and would like to have one, or maybe two.......steam engine locos "that run well"......... So, here is the question.............How much do I have to spend to get an N scale steam engine that runs as smoothly as my better Kato and Atlas locos??? And, what brands would these be??? As I said, I have not been active in the N scale for a loooonnnnngggg time.....so I am unfamiliar with what is available. Any advice is apprecieated. I should state......as of now, I am still running analog track power.........but I do have one DCC capable loco. But since my layout is so small...........I doubt I would switch to DCC for this one. Thanks in advance. Darryl PS, As mentioned above, I have been in the G scale forum..........the following link is to a thread there showing my former layout in the yard........hopefully this spring will bring construction on the new layout at the new house. http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?131290-Fresh-Spring-on-The-G-amp-G!
Not sure how big you want to go, but these are all fine running steamers - Athearn 2-6-0 Athearn 2-8-0 Atlas Shay Bachmann 2-6-0 Bachmann 2-8-0 (Spectrum version) Bachmann 4-6-0 Bachmann Heavy 4-8-2 Bachmann 4-8-4 J (Spectrum version) Fox Valley 4-4-2 Kato 2-8-2 Kato 4-8-4 Life-Like 0-8-0 Lots of information here - http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/locos.html -Mark
the BEST thing about Mark's site is that he is not PAID for the review...he does not have ads for the locos or even gets them for free.
Mark speaks from experience. I dread the day his wife finds out how many locos he owns LOL.... My two cents would be to add: Bachmann Spectrum 2-10-2 (runs like a swiss jeweled watch, and quite a puller!) Life-Like Heritage 2-8-8-2 (negotiates good curves, later versions have traction tires and sound) Atlas 2-6-0 (after a lubing and break-in these run smooth & quiet and pull more than they should, being the size of a gnat!) There are some good deals on Ebay, right now I see a Bachmann 4-8-2 Mountain for $75 buy-it-now that I would buy in a heartbeat if I weren't actually selling locos right now.... good luck, Darryl!
I don't know if you use DCC, this can increase the cost a bit BUT, that being said, I buy all my steamers off of ebay. I model the WM so I need bunches of 2-8-0s If you're patient you can get really great deals on these models. I'm yet to pay more than $50 for a non DCC Spectrum 2-8-0!
Don't forget the latest version of the Bachmann 4-8-2 Light Mountain. She is highly improved and much cheaper to get than the Heavy.
All this talk about steam makes me want one (2-8-0?)... too bad I model modern diesel... Question... Bachmann has a pretty crappy reputation when it comes to diesel... not the case with steam I'm guessing? Why is this?
Most of Bachmann's steamers are part of their high-end "Spectrum" line, whereas a lot of their diesels are not. Having said that, their diesel models have indeed been improving right along with their steamers of late. Their recent DD40, RS-3 and GP7 diesels are very solid models, and their 44-ton and 70-ton switchers are flat out home runs. -Mark
First, thanks to all who replied, and the advice given!! It will help my decision a great deal. As for the Bachmann motive power.........I have only experience with older Bachmann items....ie, at least 20 or more years old. NONE of them run worth a darn......I have a whole drawer full of diesel and steam locos that will either go on the Exxxy auction block, given away, or just trashed. They are not worth the effort to even mess with. Having said that..... I have many pieces of the Bachmann G scale and am VERY happy with them. I am especially pleased with the Consolodation (2-8-0) I have ....it is a Spektrum model........and if the N scale Spektrum runs anything like this engine....then I will get an N scale Bachmann Spektrum steamer!!!!! Time will tell, and I guess I will just have to spend some money to see what works! Darryl
Memories of the Bachmann junk of 20 years ago should be discarded. Their Spectrum line is excellent, competitive with anything made by anyone. I have two of the earlier Spectrum 2-8-0's (before they added DCC), and they run very smoothly, and out-pull my Kato 2-8-2. I've heard that the Spectrum 2-10-2 is exceptional, but I don't have one. The only problem with Bachmann's Spectrum line is that occasionally you can get a lemon; but if you do, you just send it back to Bachmann and they send you a new one. This happened with one of my 2-8-0's; I sent it back to them, and two weeks later had a brand new one in hand. I also like the fact that Bachmann seems to have stuff readily available for a long time. Many of the other steamers on Mark's original list are out of production, though you can usually find them on auction sites if you are patient. I'm hoping for Bachmann to do an N scale Spectrum version of the Berkshire (2-8-4) that they ran in HO scale. My older Life-Like/Wathers Berks run great, but they did not use traction tires on them, and as a result, they are anemic in the tractive effort category (though there are workarounds, like Bullfrog Snot). They also are a major job to convert to DCC. If Bachmann did a Spectrum Berk, I'd have to clean out the bank account . . . John C.
I feel your "pain"! Well, I know it's not really "pain," but I too run modern stuff. Based on all the positive reviews of their 2-8-0, when I found one for a "fire sale" price, and I could no longer resist. I am restoring some of my 35+ year old freight cars and cabooses (given as Christmas gifts by my dear departed parents), which have lain dormant many years, to pull along behind her! Can't wait!
Darryl... Mark (Spookshow) gives excellent advice on his website. I have found that many N scale steam engines are very good runners... there are a few that have some 'issues' still but even they are better than anything created 20+ years ago. You can't go wrong with Marks selections noted in prior posts. FWIW... the are many who have praised the Bachmann Spectrum line of steamers. I also want to state that Bachmann has essentially moved the quality features of their "Spectrum" line to their standard Bachmann products over the past year. Their MOST recent models are not specifically designated as Spectrum... the Ten-Wheeler (4-6-0) and the Mogul (2-6-0) are fine runners and have dual mode (DC/DCC) decoders which allows modeler to run either way... the decoder detects whether you are running DC or DCC. Don't let the name 'Bachmann' keep you from checking out their products. DO STAY AWAY FROM THE TRAINSET OFFERINGS... they are not the same quality... and could be a disappointment if mistaken for their HOBBY QUALITY products mentioned previously. I presently own more Bachmann steamers than any other individual manufacturer's steam offerings. Frankly... if someone would have told me 10 yrs ago that I would have any Bachmann products... I'd have told them to stop smoking the wacky weeds growing in their backyard. I had only ONE steamer in 2002... a Kato Mikado... since then I've accumulated about 80 steamers from various manufacturers. Having said all those nice thing about Bachmann... my favorites are still the big articulated steamers from Athearn, Intermountain, and the last production of Walthers/LifeLike. These babies are very expensive ($300+ each)... but really elegantly detailed models with SOUND decoders. Kato's two offerings... the Heavy Mikado and the GS-4 are very well done models.. solid construction... typical of Kato. Fox Valley Model's Hiawatha train with the Atlantic (4-4-2) is a fabulous set and a well made locomotive as well. Oddly... Atlas have hardly ventured into steam engines... their Two Truck Shay... is essentially a diesel masquerading as a steamer. The model is really nice... but... the side gearing is fragile. Atlas partnered with Tomix for their diminuative Mogul (2-6-0) which is remarkably stoudt for such a small model. An 1850' version of a 4-4-0 American should be out in a few weeks. Athearn's acquisition of MDC/Roundhouse gave them the tooling of the 1890' 2-6-0 Mogul and 2-8-0 Consolidation... both have tender drive and are good runners... not easy to DCC these though. Their are a couple of manufacturer/importers which I am 'reserving judgment' on... not because they are making BAD models... but rather I found their offerings inferior to those mentioned above. Some would probably praise the model they are offering... and I won't deny they are having better luck with their models than I've had with the ones I have. While I do buy most of my model on-line... when it comes to steam engines... it might be better to try them out at a brick/morter hobby shop if possible. Even the well received models stated previously will on occasion be 'clunkers'.
The Bachmann SPECTRUM steam is for the most part, good. There were some problems with first runs of the USRA light 4-8-2 and USRA 2-6-6-2, but I understand that the subsequent runs addressed those problems. As others have pointed out, some of the recent Standard Line products have improved markedly. The 4-6-0 and 2-6-0 are very good. The FM roadswitcher, GP-7, GE 44 and 70 tonners are also very good. Funny thing about the diseasels is that they LACK fly wheels, but run nicely, even at slow speeds. I would add the 1870s 4-4-0 to the list of Standard Line products worth purchasing. Buy the one that comes in the plastic box. Do keep in mind that because of its extremely small size, it does not like plastic frog switches. If you operate it on a pike with metal frog switches, it will hold a steady twenty five SMPH and will not stall on switches. It is not a bad puller for its size. For you modern brickheads who have heard the rhythm of the chugging teakettle (bricks-r-boring, bricks-r-boring, bricks-r-boring........), you can STILL operate steam. Run an excursion train. Buy a few mixed passenger cars, some lightweight, some heavyweight. There is always an oversupply of open deck observation cars, which you will find in many excursion trains. You might even get them at a very low price from steam era modellers who have had to purchase sets to get cars that they wanted, and have three or four of these lying around for which they have no use. B-mann also sells excursion cars. Those of you who have small pikes can still do this. Buy an Athearn 2-6-0 or 2-8-0, a four car set of wood passenger cars and a B-mann excursion car or two and you will also have your excursion train. You can operate the excursion train on weekends and holidays, when the regular traffic is lighter.
Thanks to all those who replied!! Tons of great info..........and ideas. As I said, I love my Spektrum G scale, and hoped that quality would translate to the N scale........and apparently it has. I may give one a go. My only concern will be the size, and what radii curve they would handle. My layout is on a 3 x 6 frame, and a couple of the curves are in the 9 to 12 inch radius range. I would want to make sure the locomotive I select can negotiate the curve!! D
With such tight radii, may I suggest the Bachmann consolidation as a good place to start; you can't go wrong. Even if some of the larger locos do negotiate your curves, they won't look right. And my personal pet peeve, I wish people wouldn't call them "steamers"; that's a relatively new Internet phenomenon. During the steam era, steamers were ships and boats and trunks and various road vehicles and also clams and the appurtenances one would heat one's vegetables in .... but never (or only rarely) steam locomotives... lately it seems everyone has jumped on the "steamer" bandwagon, even magazines; I guess it's easier in our texting shorthand era Either way, have fun. Steam brings a whole new dimension to model railroading... Regards, Otto K.
Just love the MDC 2-8-0's I have. They look good, pull well and run quiet! Fun! The old heads of the railroad I have met call the steam engines ' tea-kettles ' mostly. Or hogs, sows, filthy coal burners and other more colorful names! Just remember, just don't need no stinking diesels. :-D
Well.....I guess I am guilty as charged on using the "steamer" nomenclature..that is a term I have used since childhood.....some 50ish years ago. Not being a ship guy...it never crossed my mind that it might not be the right term....I will know better next time. darryl
If you are running nine inch curves, I would go with an MDC or Athearn 2-8-0 or 2-6-0. These are 1880s locomotives. However, with the addition of a few detail parts and changing the mantleclock headlight fixture for one more modern, you could still operate it as a locomotive that has been rebuilt numerous times over the years. Other options are the Bachmann ten wheeler or just released mogul. The Model Power eight wheeler and mogul are alos excellent if you swap out the stock tender and substitute an all wheels live tender such as the B-mann SPECTRUM USRA standard or switcher tender or the Kato USRA standard. While the Bachpersonn consolidated will operate on a nine inch curve, usually, it could climb them. I have had climbing problems with some of my SPECTRUM 2-8-0s on some sections of Atlas SNAP-TRAK nine and three quarter curves.
