Bachmann, Is this the best you got!?

N

NSSD80MAC

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Nov 27, 2005
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A few years back I bought a 4-8-4J class steamer with a smoke box. It was a spectrum series and was a great runner! Here lately I've been hit by the steam fever and began to look at the long list of Bachmann Spectrum line. Come to the realization that they are switching over to v cog belt drives for most of the recent models. (BLEH!wall1wall1) After having some experience with older equipment that were belt driven:curse::curse:, why would I want to pay 100 plus for new ones with belt drives:confused::confused:!? what happened to the precision gears they used ? are they giving up on gear drives?

just makes me wonder... what happened?:cry::cry::cry:

Dan
 
I think the idea is to completely hide the motor in the boiler. In locomotives with gears, one can either see a gear tower or a worm gear between the boiler and the drive wheels. And often, the motor is seen poking out from the bottom ofthe firebox.

That's the reason they chose to use a belt. As to how they perform - I am sure someone else will chime in.

Kevin
 
Hi...I have 4 B'mann Spectrums...a Ten Wheeler, a Connie, a Mike, and a Heavy Mountain...They are all great engines for what you pay for them. I pop into the B'mann forum now & then, and have yet to see someone complaining of a broken belt. These are not your old rubber belts...They're toothed belts that have applications in many more products than model trains...
 
I think the biggest difference between the new cogged belt drives and the old style "rubber band" drive is that there is a gear box between the motor and the belt to reduce the speed before it drives the locomotive wheels. The old style drives didn't have any gear reduction so the locomotives didn't have much pulling power and didn't like to run at low speed.
 
I don't know If the 2-6-6-2 I have is belt driven, but it runs great. It is the most used on my layout. It came in the black box. the siver box junk is worthless in my book. Oh I am sorry I try to not be negative about mrr products but sometimes it is hard I usually am not so hard as when I speak of BLI steam. I have one but there is not a second one in the future as far as I can see.
Les
 
The only problems some of the bachmann steamers have had is the verrry fine bronze contacts on the drivers,other than that they are fine running pieces of equipment not at all like the older toy stuff they once made.
Their new spectrum sound equipted engines use a version of the Soundtrax Tsunami DCC decoder that is a top of the line product.
Couple this with a warranty thats 2nd to none and you got a company thats seriously into the model railroading business.
As stated theres been no mention of any problems with the new drive system.
Shown is my sound equiped Bachmann 2-10-0 Russian Decapod ,bit light footed but a great little engine for the money.
 

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