S1 #11, a former S6 from NP, and some S2's(unsure). I'm thinking of getting one to repaint into SP&S colors as a yard switcher, to pair up with some RS1's #50 and #51(once the shell gets here and I get a frame for it) big thank you to MRL dave! how do they run?
Sounds like one guy over at Railwire really hates Bachmann. They look OK to me, of course you're going to see flaws in a model if you take close up photos as if you were a mosquito standing next to it, even Kato or Atlas. Show pictures taken on a layout from a normal viewing distance to show what they will look like, I can remember when you could photograph a Bachmann loco from ten feet away and still see the mistakes. I have a couple of Santa Fes coming and are looking forward to getting them.
If these run as well as the 44 and 70 tonners, and I have no reason to expect they won't, they will end up on my want list. My research has found that a few made it into the very early years of the BN, but most were gone by 1973 having been sold off to a number of shortlines. Which is fine by me since I have set my BN era to only the first couple of years. Now I just have to find one that is close to NP paint to simply remove the lettering and do a patch job with the decals I already have. Haven't found a single photo yet of one that made it into BN paint and they were sold off probably too quickly for that to have happened.
I used to be a Bachmann Basher. But with the quality of the products they've put out the last few years, those days are over. And now the give us an Alco switcher? Why that practically makes then a (little g) god.
I've only seen one photo of an Alco S series switcher in BN paint, it was an S2, the paint scheme was a little different than you might expect, as the green extended higher on the hood than normal, and there wasn't a BN logo on the side of the cab. http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bn/bn0902dsa.jpg
When they arrive, can give us your assessment of them if you wouldn't mind? I've got an Atlas S2 on order, but I might have to think about one of these. Thanks
Mine just shipped yesterday, so I should have it tomorrow. And based on Bachmann's other recent releases, I'm assuming it's going to be a solid model. Maybe not quite as nice looking as an Atlas or a Kato, but then again, not as expensive either (especially for the DCC folks). A DCC-Equipped Bachmann S-4 lists for about the same as a DCC-Ready Atlas S-2, and considerably less than a DCC-Ready Kato NW2. Cheers, -Mark
Not sure where the notion that a railroad can't have both an S2 and an S4 comes from... you can never have enough switchers if you run small locals or actually assemble your trains with switchers. Heck, you could assign a permanent switch crew to each yard. When I say this I am not picking on you in particular... Im just trying to spend more of your money. Even if Bachmann doesn't release their S4 in B&M I might buy one, the quality will be high enough and I am all about supporting companies that make what the market wants instead of hoping the market wants what they make... I am already planning on buying their NW2 when it comes out. By the time the NW2 comes out I will have 4-5 small switchers, of course I have plans for a much larger layout within the next few years.
Atlas is not even doing SP and Bachmann is doing SP in tiger stripes (perfect!). Looks like my choice has been made for me.
Santa Fe had S2's and S4's so I've got a couple of the former on pre-order from Atlas too. As well as being different models they are doing different AT&SF paint schemes on the first run too.
How does this model disassemble? I did a WM RS3 hammerhead with Bachmann's N scale RS3 and it was a royal pain to work with! The cab was glued to the hood section. I couldn't even get the glass out. Is it the same with this model? Thanks!
I'm waiting for an undecorated S4.......I like all my recent Bachmann offerings, but as Piperguy noted, Bachmanns are a pain to try to repaint......and no roadnames I want in this run. Atlas didn't do any roadnames I want either, but they DID do an undec, so they get my money this go around. The S2 will become an SP&S........it was between that and Milw. Road, and I figured there's a better chance I'll see a Milw S2 in a later run. Bachmann has NEVER done a Milw. Road loco........or SP&S......so I may be SOL on the S4.
I don't think Bachmann really does undecs anymore (if they ever did). The closest thing is their generic painted/no-letters/no-numbers units. -Mark
They did do undecs-- I painted a Dash 8-40 C for a friend that started as an Undec. However, that was in the previous century. I don't think any are currently offered. In other news, the S4s are shown as Sold Out on Bachmann's website. (No fancy whirling sign though.)
I had one of their SD45 undecs. As for gluing in the windows, they were not glued in on the one I had (and I managed to lose it while disassembling it to paint).
You always go for one of the old Arnold S2s: no headlights, metal body and the potential for split gears, but they pull really well and are nice and noisy, almost like a real Alco, and there were actually a couple roadnumbers offered for MILW.
They've been shown as sold out even before they had arrived, maybe it's just meant to mean 'not in stock' and they've never updated it. One online dealer is now showing photos of some of the N scale roadnames, the zebra stripe doen't look too bad.
