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Bachmann Diesel Models/Types (Spectum, Plus Etc.)

I have four old Bachmann Diesels (three EMD Fs, one GE). Riddle me this... One of them Fs has a plastic chassis (not sure of the proper term, where the motor mounts, not the shell or the trucks...) and only drives at the rear truck (verticle can motor). The rest have a metal chassis with a horizontal can motor that drives both trucks via worm gears. The shells are of course all plastic. I do not see a differnce between the shells for the different chassis types. So the long and short of it is:

What were the model types for the different chassis types, spectrum, plus, standard etc? Oddly enough the plastic chassis one runs well, I could never get the metal chassis stuff to run well.

As a side note, two of the metal chassis are black (one for te F the other for the GE), both of these units after years of storage crumbled apart (the metal chassis, not the shell!). It looks like the chassis expanded and warped itself. The third metal chassis (F) was blue in colour and had no problems (it is also the oldest, about 20 years). I am sending the GE back to Bachmann for warranty (not sure if it is worth the $10 US). The two Fs with the metal chassis will become one while tossing the crumbling black f metal chassis and using the blue one. Has any else expeirenced the crumbling metal chassis?

thanks in advance for the help, and hopefully this all makes sense...

Reply to
Jason
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I know how much everyone here hates Bachmann, but does no one know the answer to this??? Hmmmmm, come on I know someone knows, maybe they just don't want to admit it.....

Reply to
Jason

Reply to
Charles Kimbrough

Your experience is an example of WHY everyone hates Bachmann.

The crumbling frames sounds like "lead rot", caused by impurities in the alloy. In US made models, that was a common problem on models produced in the 1950's, when the Korean war caused shortages in certain metals. I have never seen it on newer models however.

The Plastic frame is most definitely one of the Hong Kong "train set" engines, and the fact that yours runs is proof that "even the blind hog finds a root now and then". The majority of those units fail after anywhere from 1 to 10 hours of operation.

The metal frame ones are either plus or spectrum, but even those in the diesels have been VERY "spotty" in quality.

Certainly the Bachmann apologists will point the few steam locomotives that have been marginally acceptable, but the fact remains that the ONLY HO models that EVER have run for 20 years OR MORE without maintenance or repair remain good old "blue box" Athearn.

Don

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Reply to
Trainman

I've been told by the LHS guy that even Spectrum diesels don't even have metal axle bearings like Athearns do now.

Jay CNS&M North Shore Line - "First and fastest"

Reply to
JCunington

Theoretically Bachmann has three classes of trains.

  1. The standard toy train stuff - I've seen it with all sorts of frames and motors. Most as I've seen had an in-line flat motor mounted on one of the trucks.
  2. The plus series - once again theoretically because I've never owned or even looked closely at them - an upgraded spectrum like drive mechanism with the standard bodies on them
  3. The spectrum series - upgraded drive and improved details. The diesels in this series has the motor mounted on the frame with drive shafts to each truck. I have several of these to use as examples and some of them run really well. Even the well running ones are noisy in my opinion.

I put the spectrum steam locomotives in a completely different class. I have many and recommend them. It does seem Bachmann has a quality assurance problem though as there are lemons. But Bachmann has always honored their "life time" warrantee. Mail a broken one to them and they will fix it or send you a new one.

Reply to
SleuthRaptorman

Fred Dabney is probably the resident expert on this, having put a fair amount of energy into debugging various Bachmann diesels and stress testing them in a club environment. He says they have solid brass bearings, rather than the oilite bronze used by Athearn and others - as a result they wear out rapidly because they don't retain the lubricant. His recommendation is STP, but even that doesn't prevent the inevitable.

Andy

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Reply to
Andy Harman

Good Morning All,

I agree with the majority opinion about Bachmann diesels. I have never had any luck with them lasting and I find, usually that their paint jobs are of poor quality. But also agree with the opinion about the Spectrum steam engines. I personally own 13 of them in both HO and On30. The local railroad club I belong to has many Spectrum steamers operating with very dependable success. Bob

Reply to
EBTBOB

Many thanks for everyone's input. Sounds like the all plastic unit may be a trains set loco. The other three maybe plus or posibly spectrum. As for running quality, I do not think these will ever run as well as the other low and high quality units I have now....

Reply to
Jason

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