# Bachmann Locomotives



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

My plans for my layout include a GE 70 Tonner switcher as I am trying to loosely base my layout around a short track line which connected to the Central Vermont RR. 

Bachmann makes a GE 70 in DCC for less then 100 bucks and they are the only ones that seem to make one. What kind of luck have you guys had with Bachmann? To be honest, their locos are not at the top of my list to buy.

For the record, I would be looking to reproduce this. Thank you.


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

I have an N scale Bachman switcher, Southern Pacific. I am not very impressed with it. I have not ran it much, but performance/smooth operation are not high in its skill set, for me. I gave up on messing with it and just use SD40's as my switcher so to speak. PM me your address and I will drop it in the mail to you. I don't want to mess with it any more, and might be able to save you some money and anquish over it. Then again, on your layout it may work perfectly. 

It does run, but has a lot of problems with switches on my layout. Again that could be my fault, but having the exact loco is not that important to me. 

Happy New Year! 

Bob


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

I have an N-scale Bachmann RS-2 (I think it's a 2) and am quite impressed with it. It came with DCC on board and it runs really smoothly. The creeping speeds are amazing. It pulls well.

Lately most manufacturers have stepped up their quality, especially the lesser ones. Bachmann has improved their products and their reputation. I recommend them to any modeler.


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

Funny thing with mine, I got it out last week and was trying to use it in a small yard. Somehow I have misplaced the box for it, but have others that I can pack it in.

Here are a couple of pictures of it. Still has the same herky jerky motions I did not like. But I only paid like 35.00 for it, so was not expecting much.

If you don't want it, I will end up using it as a prop.


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## cale10 (Jun 15, 2013)

the older bachmann stuff and trainset style stuff is so-so, but their newer stuff is top of the line in my opinion. I have one of their NW-2 switchers running on my 4x2 layout and it ran nonstop for 10 hours at our local railfair, and it was supposedly left on overnight by accident and was still running perfectly the next morning. Also, check out Spookshow.net, hes made a list of pretty much any n scale loco ever made, and did a very detailed review of each one. if it weren't for his review, i wouldn't have gotten my NW-2


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## MatroxD (Jan 19, 2018)

They are ok mechanically.. But once you put a new decoder in them, they are awesome! Kind of defeats the price savings, but then, you can put the device off your choice. The majority of my locomotives are Bachmann converts(they came with Bachmann DCC on board, and I converted them to another decoder), and by and wide, they have performed well for me. But without a doubt, their devices are the weak point..

And lol, if you want to just get rid of it, send it to me.. If he doesn't want it.. I'll take it gratefully!  I couldn't get a Bachmann S2 or S4 in HO to work(and God I've had quite a few) .. Maybe I'll have better luck with an N alco... 



Sent from my Note 8


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

PoppetFlatsRR said:


> I have an N scale Bachman switcher, Southern Pacific. I am not very impressed with it. I have not ran it much, but performance/smooth operation are not high in its skill set, for me. I gave up on messing with it and just use SD40's as my switcher so to speak. PM me your address and I will drop it in the mail to you. I don't want to mess with it any more, and might be able to save you some money and anquish over it. Then again, on your layout it may work perfectly.
> 
> It does run, but has a lot of problems with switches on my layout. Again that could be my fault, but having the exact loco is not that important to me.
> 
> ...


PM sent, sir. Thank you!!! Funny thing with Bachmann, they seem to offer the largest selection of early diesel designs. With my planned layout to be circa 40's - 50's these designs fit right in with what I am trying to do. I will have to get me one of those Atlas Gold S2's with the Central Vermont livery. Gotta have that bad boy at some point. 

@cale10, @fire21, @MatroxD thank you for taking the time to input. Great info and very helpful.


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## cale10 (Jun 15, 2013)

no problem! If im remembering right, spookshow had a rave review of bachmann's newer F units, and Trainworld has them on sale for $49 i think


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

cale10 said:


> no problem! If im remembering right, spookshow had a rave review of bachmann's newer F units, and Trainworld has them on sale for $49 i think


Thats a great site! He gives info about the locos that I have been looking for like how many of the wheels are drive wheels, how many are pickup wheels. Very informative site, to say the least. I was thinking the cheaper locos like Bachmann would be lacking in areas like that compared to some of the others like Atlas or Kato but that does not seem to be the case. 

Thanx!!


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## Ko Improbable (Mar 15, 2017)

*I have two of these..*

The 70-tonners are great little locomotives, but here are the flaws:
1.) They're very light. This makes them rather finicky about how clean you keep them and the track, and means they don't have much pulling power. I generally do my track cleaning when my 70-tonners get annoying. I've been considering making some lead weights to increase their mass, but just haven't gotten around to it.
2.) While they can creep along at low speeds like a champ, they don't transition between these low speeds very smoothly.
3.) Both of mine have this odd behavior, usually because of slightly dirty track, where they'll seem to pause for a fraction of a second and then lurch forward as if to catch up with where they're supposed to be. They only do it at low speeds, though.

That said, they don't suffer the usual Bachmann issue of large wheel flanges.

I also have a GP7, which I like more than my Atlas and Kato locomotives. It just barely impacts the frogs of my Atlas #5 Code 55 turnouts, but so little that it's barely notable.
I have an RS3, which, while it notably impacts my turnouts, it's not bad.
I also have an NW2, which, while it runs well, it bounces pretty obviously when it reaches those #5 turnouts. I dislike how its lights work, but that's a pretty minor issue.

Don't let this list discourage you, however. I can come up with a list of flaws I've had with Kato and Atlas locomotives, as well. As a general experience, Bachmann does slow speed crawl better than Atlas and Kato (though, I've only had one Kato locomotive, so far).


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Frog bumps?*



Ko Improbable said:


> The 70-tonners are great little locomotives, but here are the flaws:
> 1.) They're very light. This makes them rather finicky about how clean you keep them and the track, and means they don't have much pulling power. I generally do my track cleaning when my 70-tonners get annoying. I've been considering making some lead weights to increase their mass, but just haven't gotten around to it.
> 2.) While they can creep along at low speeds like a champ, they don't transition between these low speeds very smoothly.
> 3.) Both of mine have this odd behavior, usually because of slightly dirty track, where they'll seem to pause for a fraction of a second and then lurch forward as if to catch up with where they're supposed to be. They only do it at low speeds, though.
> ...


Ko Improbable;

I'm curious about those frog bumps you mentioned for various locos. Do they drop into the frog slightly, and then bump back up onto the frog point? This is a pretty common behavior on most commercial turnouts. Or, perhaps it's the same problem you saw earlier, where the wheel flanges actually are too deep and hit the body of the frog when they first encounter it? One other possible bump causer would be either loco wheels, or turnout, or both, out of gage. I suspect you have already checked and fixed that, if it's the cause of the bumps. When both the turnout, and the wheels, meet all the applicable NMRA gauge specs. including frog depth, and wheel flange depth, the ride through the frog is super smooth, no bumps.

Any feedback will be appreciated.

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:
When both the


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## Ko Improbable (Mar 15, 2017)

traction fan said:


> Ko Improbable;
> 
> I'm curious about those frog bumps you mentioned for various locos. Do they drop into the frog slightly, and then bump back up onto the frog point? This is a pretty common behavior on most commercial turnouts. Or, perhaps it's the same problem you saw earlier, where the wheel flanges actually are too deep and hit the body of the frog when they first encounter it? One other possible bump causer would be either loco wheels, or turnout, or both, out of gage. I suspect you have already checked and fixed that, if it's the cause of the bumps. When both the turnout, and the wheels, meet all the applicable NMRA gauge specs. including frog depth, and wheel flange depth, the ride through the frog is super smooth, no bumps.
> 
> ...


They rise up out of the frog, on the non-diverging side. It's been on every Atlas Code 55 #5 turnout I've ever used.

I attempted to fix it on the NW2's wheel flanges, and found that they're the right depth, now, but I believe they're too thick. Attempting to thin them out would require putting a tool into a place where I would damage the gearing of the truck.


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

traction fan said:


> Ko Improbable;
> 
> * I'm curious about those frog bumps you mentioned for various locos.* Do they drop into the frog slightly, and then bump back up onto the frog point? This is a pretty common behavior on most commercial turnouts. Or, perhaps it's the same problem you saw earlier, where the wheel flanges actually are too deep and hit the body of the frog when they first encounter it? One other possible bump causer would be either loco wheels, or turnout, or both, out of gage. I suspect you have already checked and fixed that, if it's the cause of the bumps. When both the turnout, and the wheels, meet all the applicable NMRA gauge specs. including frog depth, and wheel flange depth, the ride through the frog is super smooth, no bumps.
> 
> ...





Ko Improbable said:


> *They rise up out of the frog, on the non-diverging side. It's been on every Atlas Code 55 #5 turnout I've ever used.
> *
> I attempted to fix it on the NW2's wheel flanges, and found that they're the right depth, now, but I believe they're too thick. Attempting to thin them out would require putting a tool into a place where I would damage the gearing of the truck.


Funny this came up. Funny strange, not humorous. Tony's Trains is a short hop for me over in Essex Jct. and they do sell over the counter there and the brain picking in enormous, to say the least, not to mention wonderful folks. They "strongly" advised me to go only with Peco Code 80 track and turnouts for this reason as well as many others. Not bashing Atlas, no dog in the fight. 

Of course the debate rages on over insulfrog v. electrofrog.


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## craftech (Nov 6, 2018)

I'll never buy another Bachmann product again.

I have a Bachmann Spectrum 4-8-2 Light Mountain Loco with green Southern paint. It was beautiful and I was sold a bill of goods on "Spectrum" not being like other Bachmann products that preceded the Spectrum line. I bought it in 2008. It came out for Christmas for a total of maybe 2 hours a year run time (like the others).

It started having problems around 2010 with rods coming loose and other mechanical issues. I repaired those myself. Two years ago it would not run. Light comes on. Motor will not turn.

I put in a repair request last January on Bachmann's website and they accepted it. Their stated repair costs seemed very reasonable to me.
Sent it to them and didn't hear anything from them for nearly three months so I emailed Customer Service and this was the response:

"Hi John,
Sorry for the long delay but we have a 6 week turn around at this time of the year.
You were put into our system on 01-24-18 and we are working at the end of Jan. now so it should not be too long now.
But we thank you in advance for your patience."

Several weeks later I received the Loco back exactly the same way I sent it to them (broken) without a letter of explanation. The packing sheet indicated a generic "discontinued - no parts". So why didn't they tell me that before they accepted it and had me ship it to them at my expense only to sit on it for three months and send it back to me broken because they have no parts??

Never again.

John


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

My Hobby shop will not carry anything but thier starter set ups. I think he has over 50 HO locomotives on display for sale, with numerous ones of the same road name and number. He will not order a Bachman for any reason. Spend/waste your money else where, as he did nto want the hassles of dealing with them. Sounded like pas experience.

I had a steam locomotove that worked fine, but sold it as I moved to a more modern time frame.


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## Ko Improbable (Mar 15, 2017)

CV-62 said:


> Funny this came up. Funny strange, not humorous. Tony's Trains is a short hop for me over in Essex Jct. and they do sell over the counter there and the brain picking in enormous, to say the least, not to mention wonderful folks. They "strongly" advised me to go only with Peco Code 80 track and turnouts for this reason as well as many others. Not bashing Atlas, no dog in the fight.
> 
> Of course the debate rages on over insulfrog v. electrofrog.


Well, the weird thing is that it doesn't happen on the diverging side of the turnout, and it doesn't happen on the #7 turnouts.


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