Yesterday, I saw that woo woo woo woo woo woo has recieved the first 70 tonners from Bachmann! I am really interested in those little engines. How do they run? Something like the 44 tonner?
Bachmann is still saying the Ten Wheelers will be here by Christmas and now that the 70T is here I might just have a little hope that it will be true... they were suppose to be coming behind them.
woo woo woo woo woo woo don't have all the 70 tonner paint schemes listed yet so there may be another batch on the way.
I put this on the Atlas N scale site and the Bachmann site.. "I went to woo woo woo Kleins site and saw that they are offering the new N scale Bachmann 70 tonners. I looked at the photos and they look terrific. However, and this is not a complaint but rather a compliment, there appear to be several body styles. The real 70Ts came in only 3 phases. Ph I (A70T) had a round headlight and no grill on the front - Ph II (B70T) had a rectangular headlight and the grill on the front - Ph III (C70T) had a rectangular headlight that the glass was set flush with the sheetmetal on the front and had louvers stamped in (like hot rod louvers - not openings with seperate slats). To the Bachmann units. If the photos are correct the Bachmann 70 tonners are being offered in the following phases: 82053 - Green undec - Ph I (produced '46 to mid '49) 82052 - Red undec - Ph II (produced '49 to '57 - last year of domestic production) 82054 - Yellow w/Black undec - same Ph II as 82054 82051 - Black undec - Ph II variation produced and sold only to Canadian National (18 or so units)for use on its Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island lines - Ph II body with Ph I round headlight. I will have to get one of each,(or more)as I really like these little things, but it will be interesting to see what others do to them. Ph III's were all export units and the Bmann doesn't offer it. However some of the other 2 phases were modified for certain railroads, like the Southwest Portland Cement Co. they had 3 or 4 units with dynamic braking and so had the hoods extended accomodate that and did away with the front porch. US Potash bought 3 - 3 ft. narrow gauge units that had longer frames to accomodate six axle trucks and had no pilots or steps. Steps were on the frames in line with the center wheel of the truck. GE proposed a half dozen to the East Broad Top RR, here in Pennsylvania, on 3 ft. narrow gauge trucks, with the cabs lowered 6 inches and a reduced weight of 60T. And last, SP's Little Giant - used on the Keeler branch - was another 3 ft. narrow gauge unit that came in at 50 tons with the cab lowered all the way down to the frame with the air brake equipment in a box on the frame in front of the cab, and it was painted in the SP's modern paint schemes (Black with silver nose and cab end and stripes on the frame rail) before being sold to a company in Mexico. I hope those photos do show what is being offered. Can we get a confirmation from Bachmann that they are offering 3 phases.." I went bak on the woo woo woo site and checked the HO 70 tonners and it appears that the HO version is only offered as a Ph II, so maybe we are in luck for 3 phases.
Guess Santa didn't want to lug 70 nscale tons around on Christmas, so he dropped mine off today! Here it is on my in medias res test track module. Headlamps are kinda greenish. Nice details all around, including yellow trim on the black front steps. Doesn't look like any room in the cab, but maybe 1/2 figures, or at least a dude out of the cab. Great motor action, as you can see on this video. As it comes towards the camera I slow it down to the first speed setting, and it just creeps slower than molasses in an ice age. (I haven't messed with any settings yet: this is straight outta the box) Only issue I have right now is a hum. Don't have that on my 44 tonner (same mechanism, yes?) Anyone else have that issue? Otherwise: groovy little engine!
Isn't the 70T WB a little longer than a 44T? I'm sure it is the same type of chassis, but it should be longer.
If I had been transported here from ten years in the past there would be no way you could make me believe that was made by Bachmann.
Was Bachmann quality really that bad? I got my 44 tonner in the mail today, DCC Equipped for 41$! Can't beat it!
Ten years ago you wouldn't touch Bachmann N scale stuff with a ten foot pole. My 44 tonner from the first run is still going and is one of my best switchers.
44 tonners and 70 tonners?! I never thought I'd see the day. Now that RTR motive power is available, I guess I'm going to have to break down and start on that Washington and Old Dominion layout. Andy Tetsu Uma
I guess those are Bachmann's new operating couplers on it. They look gigantic. Anyone compare them to MT's?
Did they put real couplers on these? I have a first run 44-tonner. It had dummy couplers, which, to me, are almost totally useless on a switcher. They were junked in favor of some McHenrys very quickly.
I, too, was a little disappointed with the 44t's dummy couplers, and so was happily surprised to find "real" couplers on the 70t: Yes, they resemble The Thing's fists from Fantastic Four, and the shiny lighter brown doesn't help. They're mounted a miniscule amount higher than the MT cars I have. 36' Reefer: 50' gon: [as you can see, I haven't weathered anything, including the storm ; ) ] Some MT z couplers would be good, or even just weathering / painting them dark will de-emphisize the elephantitis knuckles. Runs lovely, with great slow creep. A bit of a humming that isn't on my 44t, though. And the lamps are mesmerizing intense green.
