Bachmann Class 70 pics by Nigel Burkin

I didn't think there could be anything uglier than a Q1, but...

MBQ

Wow! A very fine model that certainly captures the appearance of the prototype.

Just what the heck is it? Looks like it was inspired by an SD70/75, or maybe an ES44c. Weird. But I think you'll get used to it. ;-)

Interesting account of your snow-bound trip, esp. the bit about all those up-scale cars having troubles holding the road. A combination of stoopid driving (because the car is expected to hold the road) and unwillingness to spend money on additional sets of tires.

We fit winter tires here, well, most of us do, some miserly types still think "all season" tires work. I would recommend winter tires even in the UK, albeit for a shorter season. The rubber in summer tires hardens in low temperatures, the effect is noticeable around 5C (40F). Hard rubber makes for a rougher ride and poorer handling. On ice, your summer tires will act like ice-hockey pucks, hence all those slippin' and slidin' cars that threatened to smush yours.

Cheers, Wolf K.

That should be C44AC.

Wolf K.

No it doesn't - it's straight!

When I first saw the prototype, I thought it was a practical joke. I'm horrified to realise that I actually quite like it now! :-)

Yeah - then you hear stories on the news that insurers won't cover you if you fit winter tyres because it counts as a modification to the original spec! Bah!!!!

Interesting example of stoopidity. But that's just my opinion. ;-)

BTW, in Quebec, winter tires are now mandatory between December 15 and March 15 (I run them from November 1 to April 15). I expect the same here in Ontario within a year or two. Then the insurers won't cover you if you _don't_ "modify the original spec."

Wolf K.

I think the cab at the back looks kinda funny....

Wolf K.

I use winter tyres - I have a rear wheel drive Mercedes. Compared to a front wheel drive car, which has the dual benefit of (1) the weight of the powertrain being over the driven wheels, and (2) wheels that give traction in the direction that you want to go, it lacks traction on hard packed snow and ice.

With winter tyres it performs much better. They give good traction and steering that works. Like most people in Germany and the Alpine and Scandinavian countries, I have two sets of wheels - alloy rims with summer tyres and steel rims with winter rubber made in Austria.

Most people in the UK don't bother with winter tyres. I find my 2WD Merc sedan on winter tyres performs far better than my neighbour's 4WD SUV on summer tyres.

It's an ugly b....., that's for sure. Those cabs are hideously ugly, but they have been accurately captured in the model. The rest of the loco is actually quite handsome ... it's just the cabs that look awful, and since they are the "face" of the loco, it's an ugly b.... .

LOL - there were a few 4WD owners who suddenly realised that a heavy 4WD with city tyres just means the car slides for longer then hits harder!

"A dace only a mother could love?"

Those crew protection posts above the buffers are kinda heavy, but otherwise it doesn't look too bad.

Wolf K.

That makes it the forth diesel with character :-) Not sure its ulglier than a Johnson 0F 040 tank which seems a cross between a large ant and an old fashioned pram.

Cheers, Simon

Surely that's the one they dropped?

'tis indeed :-)