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 Posted - December 06 2016 : 8:00:07 PM
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I was minding my own business on Ebay when I found this interesting item. http://www.ebay.com/itm/HO-Spectrum-2-8-0-Steam-Loco-Reading-Operating-Pre-production-Sample-/252668122980?hash=item3ad4319764:g:LGEAAOSwo4pYOk6q
Here's the description for this thing: "Operating Pre-production Sample of HO 2-8-0 Consolidation Steam Locomotive, Reading #2005 from Bachmann's Spectrum HO line. This model has been test run and operates. Slight smudges on the tender. The 2-8-0 Consolidation HO Spectrum model was awarded Model of the Year in 1998 by Model Railroader magazine and was part of my late dad's personal collection. He was the long-time head of product development for Bachmann and the father of the company's Spectrum line of model trains launched in 1988."
Huh.... A part of me thinks that this model isn't actually a preproduction sample but is just a regular Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 some guy decided to basically get some extra cash off of by claiming it's a pre-production model. But another part of me thinks that it could potentially be legit. One of the biggest indicators is the fact that I don't believe Bachmann ever made a Spectrum Reading 2-8-0. Yes, they've made a Reading 2-8-0, but not under the Spectrum lineup. Very odd....
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
Edited by - kovacste000 on December 07 2016 2:47:30 PM
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Posted - December 06 2016 : 11:07:00 PM
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quote:It's a 2-8-0 and it's lettered for Reading, but it's definitely not their classic Reading Consolidation with the Wooten Firebox. In fact, it's got an oil bunker in the tender, which doesn't seem very likely on an old Anthracite line like the Reading.
Originally posted by scsshaggy - December 06 2016 : 11:04:20 PM
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Yeah. Assuming this model is a prototype model, that could be why this livery was never actually produced for this model.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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Posted - December 06 2016 : 11:08:35 PM
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It's lettered for Reading, but it's just their newer 2-8-0 and not based on a Reading prototype as were the old Bachmann and Bachmann Plus models.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 06 2016 : 11:10:24 PM
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quote: quote:It's a 2-8-0 and it's lettered for Reading, but it's definitely not their classic Reading Consolidation with the Wooten Firebox. In fact, it's got an oil bunker in the tender, which doesn't seem very likely on an old Anthracite line like the Reading.
Originally posted by scsshaggy - December 06 2016 : 11:04:20 PM
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Yeah. Assuming this model is a prototype model, that could be why this livery was never actually produced for this model.
Originally posted by kovacste000Â -Â December 06 2016Â :Â 11:07:00 PM
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What's quoted there, I later deleted. On closer inspection, I noticed that it is not an oil bunker. Pardon the misidentification.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 06 2016 : 11:17:37 PM
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quote:It's lettered for Reading, but it's just their newer 2-8-0 and not based on a Reading prototype as were the old Bachmann and Bachmann Plus models.
Originally posted by scsshaggy - December 06 2016 : 11:08:35 PM
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Oh, it's fine. I was just typing that when you deleted it, I guess. Another interesting thing is that I actually looked through a bunch of old Model Railroader magazines earlier today and found the introduction of the 1998 Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0. In that article, the model is without any road name decals. It's in the same livery as the Reading loco shown in this EBay listing but without any Reading decals on it. This leads me to wonder... If this loco wasn't (supposedly) used by Model Railroader, then what exactly did Bachmann use it for? I'm assuming that if it is in fact a prototype model that it was most likely used by Bachmann at conventions back in '98 to show it off, more or less.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
Edited by - kovacste000 on December 06 2016 11:18:37 PM
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Posted - December 07 2016 : 5:31:58 PM
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Interesting but like to see more proof! I could type up a story as such and up sell a model.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - December 07 2016 : 7:43:38 PM
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quote:Interesting but like to see more proof! I could type up a story as such and up sell a model.
Originally posted by Redneck Justin - December 07 2016 : 5:31:58 PM
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Yeah. That's why I'm skeptical.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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Posted - December 07 2016 : 8:01:51 PM
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Looks production to me. Even if it was a pre-production sample it doesn't look any different from a regular production model. Besides, the old Spectrum line is pretty cheap and I don't think there are many collectors for it.
Tyco however.......
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