Hey Guys! Thanks for answering! Does anyone own one of Bachmann's new Russians? How's the detail? How do they perform? Any comments would be appreciated! Thanks! Randy SLSFFRISCOKID
I have two of them. They run really nice and look really good. My only problem with them is that Bachmann made the running boards too thick. Everything else look really good. I would recommend this engine. Eric
The Russians did not pull much in real life. I have had no problem pulling a ten car train. The Russian is a very small engine with a very small boiler. She pulled mostly on shortlines. While the Athearn Mikado is under powered, the Russian is just about right. Eric
Seeing as how the Frisco Russians were found on the secondary & branch lines, small trains were and are prototypical- especially in southwestern Oklahoma, and on the Quanah, Acme & Pacific and later on the lines owned by Eagle-Picher in northeastern Oklahoma. The Frisco Russian looks nice, and the only two things I can see wrong, appearance-wise, are that the doghouse on the tender is off-center (easily changeable) and the stack's a bit thin (I can live with it), but I'm a Frisco Fanatic, so I'm gonna be picky Bachmann has made great strides getting away from the toy-train days, and I heartily recommend buying one.
Hey, Ya' I did! At times though, I take the reviews with a grain of salt. I have learned over the years, that with any magazines product review, it can be tainted, i.e., advertising dollars. I'm not saying the reviewer or editor is bought, just that sometimes they completely miss the mark. To put it frankly: I put more trust in the heart-filled opinions of the users than the word of an editor as a whole. Afterall, we pay for it. Thanks! I agree FriscoBob! Either right or make it right! Ship it on the Frisco! Randy SLSFFRISCOKID
I have a Western Maryland Russian Decapod and it runs great!! Me and John (7600_EM1) ran it duing the Maple Festival on the Historical Society's layout for all 6 days (with breaks, of course!) and it is still going with no problems. As I said before, this is the first Western Maryland Steamer I have owned that was prototypically correct right out of the box, not some generic "cookie cutter" loco with Western Maryland markings on it.
Mike, I also got my own Russian now too! So we now have 2 put on the rear with the M-2! So... I tell yeah all, that this loco is just right in power! It'll pull roughly 10 to 18 cars no trouble at all on level track! On a grade you might have less cars or require a helper at some point! But I haven't gotten my hands on a Bachmann 2-8-0 yet so... I can't say if their decently powered or not... I know the little Russian is tho... And the good part as "Mike K" 6206_S1a willl say it ran very well on the Historical Society layout with 18 cars, pushing on the rear while all at the same time we had a Rivarossi Challenger "M-2" Western Maryland on the point... And they ran great together and all with about the same gear ratio... Only problem we had was the fact of my junk horn hook couplers "XF2's" uncoupling and all being I haven't got all my cars Kadee equipt yet... Other then this... Both loco's hauled the train nicely and all without major speed differences... I've been thinking of purchasing a second one in the future! In the Western Maryland "Fireball" scheme... All depends on funding... [ 19 April 2002, 16:30: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
