Bachmann Trains

[LuisLopes]

Hello fellow modellers,

I'm a young portuguese boy, who's a beginner on this modelling world. I always enjoyed trains, and now it's time to have them in my room...

Anyway, my first question on this forum is:

Can you give me info about Bachmann trains? Are they any good? Why are they so cheap?

I don't want to compare with other manufactures. From what I've been told, Kato, Atlas and Life-like are the best manufactures of american trains. But what about Bachmann? They are so cheap, that scares.


I enjoy American trains, and European to, that's why I'm building a layout that is suitable for both.

By the way my iste is: http://luisdaniel.pt.vu
Go check it out.
Thanks for your time

 

[roryglasgow]

Bachmann

Luis,

I think that it is the general consensus that Bachmann's locomotives are typically of inferior quality to those of the manufacturers that you listed. I think that attitude has been changing lately. Bachmann's Spectrum line is supposed to be of better quality than their previous releases.

Spookshow maintains a list of American locomotives by various manufacturers. He reviews each one and assigns it a grade. I've found it to be a very useful source of information:

http://www.users.uswest.net/~spookshow/

Click on the Model Railroading link, then click on the N Scale Locomotive Encyclopedia.

I hope this helps!

-Rory

 

[billk]

Luis/Rory -
The last time I looked, Spookshow wasn't maintaining his list, so the new Spectrum stuff might not be covered. It's still a good reference source, though. (Maybe we should try to get it captured into the Academy or Archives)

 

[Catt]

Luis,welcome to the Gauge. I think you will find that Bachmann locomotives are just not worth the money.Their quality is very bad for the most part.

I visited your site and am quite impressed.If I have the time this weekend I will send you one of my E-passes for exchange with you.

 

[roryglasgow]

Web site

I got onto your web site this evening (I guess there was too much traffic earlier). Your trackplan is really cool!

I have a couple of questions: How well does that Fleischmann tank loco run on your turnouts? What brand and type of turnouts do you use?

I have a Tomix Thomas the Tank Engine (0-6-0) and he sometimes stalls on my Atlas standard #4 turnouts. He can't quite make it over the plastic frog! Anyway, I was curious to find out if Fleischmann's design for that 0-4-0 did any better...they are rather pricey, but I figured that meant they were probably better quality...

-Rory

 

[shamus]

Hi LuisLopes
Welcome to the gauge, your website is very good and your track plan and photo's are excellent.
As has been stated, Bachmann N-scale is not that good, for cheap trains that have also got good qualities try Life Like. Whilst Kato & Atlas & Rivarossi are excellent value for money.
Shamus

 

[nscaler]

Bachmann's standard stuff is pretty bad. I purchased a Class J a few years back and it just went bad, Bachmann sent me a new one and it ran even worse. I also had purchased a prarie 2-6-2 and Northern 4-8-4 and they are horrible. (I had bought the Prarie and Northern because my first Class J was great).

Here is a good site for loco reviews:

http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/locos.html