I would like to add a couple of NS GP50's to my roster.....how good or bad are the Bachmann units, be brutally honest. If they are really crap, what alternatives are there? ConrailPete
I wouldn't bother Pete. These are the old style Bachmanns, with truck mounted couplers (meaning you have the hugh gap in the pilot nad it's hard to conver to MicroTrains) and the super noising running gear. About the only thing good you can say about them (IMO) is that they'll pull a moose. Mike
I've heard mixed reviews on Bachmann's GP50. If you try out a Bachmann GP50 and are not satisfied with its performance, you can buy an Atlas GP40-2 with black trucks and fuel tank and fit the Bachmann shell to the Atlas mechanism. The GP40-2 has the right truck frames with snubbers; if you're not too much of a rivet counter then a GP40 or GP38 should work too. Atlas sells the GP40-2 truck sideframes and snubbers separately for very little, which are molded in black. (I just converted a Western Pacific GP40-2 to a Mopac GP50, saving the WP parts should I wish to change it back.) At worst, you could pull the motor and dummy out the GP50 if it doesn't run well with your other locos. Another option is to find the occassional older Kato GP50s up for bid, but they'll require high-hood conversion and paint for NS, assuming that you want to be prototypically correct. The Kato GP50 mechanisms aren't of the split-frame variety and can be harder to disassemble and maintain. ~Tim
Pete: Those older Bachmann engines really aren't worth the trouble. I agree with Tim and Mike. Go with maybe converting an Atlas engine or try and convert an older Kato GP50. My only gripe with the Kato unit is it is a real bear to disassemble.
Deja vu? Discussed these things a few times. First off, I've been very very pleased with my GP40-2s. Same unit, different shell. They'll run anywhere(even on the dirt if you hook up power ) and pull anything. Kinda loud. Split frame but kinda light. No flywheels. Nscale of Nevada used to make a retro frame that added alot of weight with a better fuel tank and it sure makes a difference (if you can find one). For the units I couldn't get frames for, I modified mine to take Kato fuel tanks (read: grinding frame= loss of weight), still good pullers though. Truck mounted crapidos got cut off. Filled in pilots with styrene and MT1015 couplers. Easy conversion just check coupler height. Throw on mu hoses and/or plow and looks much better. Add some road specific details, paint and decals and you're good to go. Two or three mu'd together can really crawl too. Probably still a little faster than Atlas or Kato though. All around after the work I've done to them, I'm very pleased. Then again, I like to alter everything I touch.
Pete, These guys are being polite. These things are crap. You don't have to be a real rivet counter to notice these things look like hell. Very toy like in all regards from detailing to shell. Not to mention they run awful most of the time, though I agree if you want to run them at 'Mach 1' speed they will pull a mouse <grin>. These Bachmann units are a disgrace to our hobby in 2004! As has always been the Bachmann way with diesel. Some have given praise to the new SD-45, but the ones I see at my local hobby store look shabby in how they are put together. How they run I do not know, & do not plan to find out! For a a youngster just starting the hobby they will do if the new hobbyist doesn't get bored with trying to keep them running & drop out. Reminds me of the old Tyco HO stuff of the 70's. Can you replace this model with the older GP-38 on your layout? If so the NS new release by Atlas is your ticket. Regards, Mike
For starters on the NS run the number they do (6551) is really that of an SD60. The biggest joke about these locomotives is the spaces beneath the couplers. There is NOTHING between the steps on both sides....No Mu's, no snowplow, not even the black frame piece behind it all. The fuel tank is way off as well. The access door arrangement is WAY off.... The trucks look like crap too. The fan sizes are WAY out of proportion- the DB fan should be much larger than the rest...Botchmann makes it small. The horns look like a space ship....way too large and the wrong types. These things are pretty crappy runners. One I had couldn't make it around a 4 by 4 loop without constant mantainance. My friend has one that doesn't run bad- probably as well as a LL GP38-2 IMO the worst LL loco EVER. Some might be able to do a loop without stalling out but it is certainly not worth the risk. Like I said looks wise this thing is atrocious. I havea feeling the model is shorter than the prototype as well. Believe it or not the NS highhood version was the MOST prototypical ok this line. The others are even more a joke- we're talking the SAME SHELL with all it's problems HIGHHOOD in other roads like UP, BN, ATSF. The funny thing is Bachmann even has innaccurate paint schemes on the other versions- HIGH HOOD RED WARBONNET!!! With no silver trucks either and nasty black handrails. Dynamic brakes on all roads- Bachmann didn't care if the RR's had em like that. This is a toy locomotive so I'd stay away from it if you are a serious modeler. I don't want to be rude but this is how bad these locomotives are. If you spend about $20 on detail parts, 5 hours on details- sunshades, new handrails, paint the ends, snowplows, mt's, new horns, mu's, etc. it MIGHT look OK but there would STILL be major innaccuracies. Not to mention the atrocious looking trucks and terrible mechinsm. You'd end up spending $20 maybe for the loco, $50 for an Atlas GP40-2 mechinism, 20$ on detail parts. Best case scenario you're working probably 6 hours and paying $90+ for an ok at best looking loco. If you don't enjoy detailing don't even bother. For a lot less (maybe 30-40$) you can paint up a Kato GP50, never have to worry about looks as they look fine, performance is fine too. You could probably get a custom painted, superdetailed highhood NS one for about 25$ more than the Bachmann one and you save 6 hours of work. Stay away from these crappy locos.
Id reccomend the LifeLike GP60 instead. It will cost you a little more, but you wont be disappointed.
Thanks guys, it's what I thought......living in England I haven't seen the things in the flesh, just a few crappy pictures. I'll definately give these a miss, maybe get another couple of LL GP60's instead when I've checked out the one that should be winging it's way across the pond as we speak! I'll also keep my eyes on eBay for a Kato GP50 or two! ConrailPete
I started getting back in the hobby this past Dec after a 20 year hiatus. When I was at my LHS, they had a NOS GP50 that I bought on a whim for $22. Now I hate wasting money during these times, but this thing runs very noisy. This will be my third Bachmann (bought two Bachmann sets when I was in college in the 90s) and I am through! Recently, I purchased a LL GP38-2, a Proto N GP18, and an Atlas Dash 8-40B that I am waiting to come in. Hopefully these units will run smooth and silky.
POO! Don't bother- esp. if oyu hate grinding noises or want DCC ever.... but you can pick up a Lifelike Modern-chassis GP20 in NS for $30 on Ebay. Why the heck would you bother with the Bachmann? That LL will pull a ton for a 4-axle too- the early release had high-traction wheels compared to the 2nd run.
cool: I have one of those Backmann GP50 in N&W . Mine runs very well, can pull 20 50ft cars with ease. But i could have been luckey..
Crap ????? I must have been lucky with mine, it so quiet that you have to see it moveing..If you want noise, get a Trix GP9, Brass gears, sounds like a tank in an oil drum. Built like a brick outhouse. Over scale, but still going strong..
:tb-biggrin:Yes i agree. older ones i would not not give 2 pence for them, but some of their newer stuff like the spectrum is all right. I have a F7, may be over scale speed, but apart from that runs well. If i had the money to spare, then i would buy LL, Kato, Ect Ect. But being on a fixed income, one has to be carefull. Just keep fingers crossed that on christmas and birthdays, some one gives me money..:thumbs_up:
Any of the old junk Bachmann trains you don't want should disabled by backing your car over them and then disposed of either in landfill or by dumping at sea. I've lost count of the times at train shows where someone bought old Bachmann stuff second hand and then came to us asking if we could get it to run right for them.
You could donate them to the fulltime-student-father-of-two-boys-who-love-trains charity ) Don't know about a tax deduction tho... lol.
I know its a bit late, [ 3 months late ] But my Backman GP30 is running like a dream..But i had taken it apart and given it a dam good overhaul.. Made shure all gears where in mesh, and with a little bit of grease,, whay hay and away it went.. [ Been off air for a bit. Not felt lilke doing much, since the Doc"s told me i had the BIG C in my gut.. Thats the way the wind blows.. Rgds To All Topsy4 }
