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 The 1990s: when Bachmann got good!
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Author Previous Topic: Did Bachmann Ever Have Mehano Make Stuff For Them? Topic Next Topic: Bachmann Plus 2-8-0  

wiley209
Hudson

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 Posted - April 26 2015 :  8:12:16 PM Link directly to this topic  Show Profile  Add wiley209 to Buddylist
Now, it's been known in the model railroad circle that Bachmann used to make some rather shoddy products in the 1970s and 1980s (like their cheap locomotives with pancake motors, the old-style rolling stock with talgo-truck X2F couplers, several operating accessories that required quite a bit of effort to work properly, some non-prototypical colors to certain locomotives and rolling stock, etc.) almost basically being like TYCO (in fact, we all remember when Bachmann and TYCO used to be big rivals when it came to HO trains.)

But the decade of the 1990s seems to be when Bachmann began shaping up into the company it is today. Some of it even goes a little further, to the late 1980s: the Spectrum line started in 1988 with just a GE 44-ton Switcher, and then the following year they began their Big Haulers line of G-gauge trains.

1992 was when the Bachmann Plus line of locomotives were introduced. This was the mid-range line between their regular line and the Spectrum locomotives (which had grown a big by 1992.) Several of Bachmann's existing steam locomotives, like their old 2-8-0 Consolidation, and their 4-8-4s (like the Class J, Niagara, Northern and the Daylight) were upgraded to the Plus line with high-quality 5-pole can motors, all-metal chassis, worm gear flywheels, metal tender wheels and body-mount couplers. They still had the old smoke units though, but were a big improvement over their 1980s predecessors (I have the Santa Fe Consolidation.)
New diesels were introduced with the Plus line; this is where Bachmann's F7, B23-7 and GP35 originated. The low-quality diesels like their F9, GP40, U36B, and the "old" DDA40X and SD40-2 stayed available until 1995 or 1996, when they would only be sold as part of train sets instead of as stand-alone models (only the F9 and GP40 remained by this time.)
An N-gauge version of the Bachmann Plus line came out in the mid-1990s, as well.
There was also the Bachmann Plus series of building kits, for HO and N-scale, designed for hobbyists that wanted higher-quality buildings rather than the Plasticville line.

1994 brought us the debut of Bachmann's E-Z Track line. Back then, it was all with steel rails and black roadbed, and you only had full 18" and 22" radius curves, 9" and 3" straights, the terminal rerailers, a 30-degree crossing track, left and right "regular" remote turnouts, and bumpers. But it was still pretty successful, and then in 1996 the nickel-silver version of E-Z Track came out, and expanded over time to include the wide variety of lengths, radii and configurations we have today (the steel E-Z track is still mostly the same as it was introduced in 1994, though with the addition of a 90-degree crossing.) The N-scale version of E-Z Track came out in 1997.
In all this, Bachmann continued to sell traditional sectional track as well (steel for HO, nickel-silver for N) until 1997.

In 1996, Bachmann's Silver Series line came out. Most of Bachmann's existing HO rolling stock of the time (except for the ones included in train sets) were upgraded with metal wheels, non-magnetic axles and body-mount couplers. They still initially had X2F couplers, but unlike older Bachmann rolling stock, they were easy to upgrade with knuckle couplers.
This also included some Silver Series train sets, which consisted of a Bachmann Plus or Spectrum locomotive and Silver Series rolling stock, nickel-silver E-Z Track and a Spectrum power pack.
There was also a Plasticville Silver Series line, where the buildings were slightly higher-detailed than the regular line.

Their line of "operating accessories" shrunk during the 1990s, though. The "gandy dancer" handcar, lighted passenger and freight stations, diesel horn oil tank and wayside steam whistle, of course, were available in the 1990s and still are today. The tri-level car transporter was still made until 1996, and they still made HO bridges until that time (though by default they were only meant for normal track, though with some modification they could be used with E-Z Track if used on a permanent layout.) The dual crossing gate was still conventional track-only in 1996 (and they still had that crummy version with the blinking lights and bell, too), but was then updated into the E-Z Track nickel-silver version in 1997, initially as part of the Silver Series.

The Plasticville line, carded accessories and figures remained unchanged during the 1990s, and still do to this day.

So far it's pretty interesting seeing how the 1990s were a transitional period for Bachmann Trains. Their stuff from that time has a lot more in common with today's Bachmann products than they did in the 1980s!
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rbturner
Big Six

RBT

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 Posted - April 26 2015 :  8:33:04 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add rbturner to Buddylist
I remember when the Spectrum line came out. I got 2 CSX GP-30's. They ran so much better than anything I had up until that time.
Randy
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AMC_Gremlin_GT
Big Boy



GremlinBL2

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 Posted - April 26 2015 :  8:48:06 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Send AMC_Gremlin_GT an AOL message  Send AMC_Gremlin_GT a Yahoo! Message  Add AMC_Gremlin_GT to Buddylist
Most of my (original childhood) HO trains I bought in the 70's, and of that, I doubt I owned even one Bachmann piece. Most of mine were Tyco brown box, AHM, the occasional Lima or strange Euro car. I have all of my original HO stuff still.

So most of my "history" with Bachmann from the 70's, 80's, and 90's is from my CURRENT collecting forays. I have a couple of worn-out and busted Plus loco's, a J and a GS-4, given to me because the axles broke. And not worth fixing most likely. Great shells, but lousy chassis's. I have plenty of diesel and steam Bachmann's from the last 3-4 years, some work well, others are still parts, pieces, or needing repairs. I'm in the train repair biz at the moment part-time, so getting lots of experience doing maintenance on all types.

A couple of my favorite Bachmann accessorries I've acquired in the last 6 years - the Basqule Bridge, the Disaster crossing, the passing caboose with man holding mail pick pole. I think I have the cow crossing now, as well. Maybe not top-of-the-line stuff, but interesting for their action design. I have mucho of the Tri-Level auto racks, as I love automobiles, too, and it fits my time period, AMC cars were delivered on open tri-levels. I have two with Pacers and Gremlins.

Rolling stock, lots of it, of various types. Not many of the new Silver Series, some like the missile launcher, most are the older 70's-80's era cars. Anything unusual I pick up.

I have acquired a taste for steam in the last 3-4 years, and have quite a collection of them now. Only a few are bachmann, and most of those need repairs, as they don't seem to hold up well, at least the ones I've acquired, more by accident in Ebay train lots, than by intentional acquisition. None stand out to me at the moment.

For the most part, my collection has far more Tyco, AHM, Athearn, and Life-Like than Bachmann, by far. But considering that I probably have more than 500 pieces of all HO trains in my collection ( probably far above that, I need to do an inventory ), I still have a fair amount of Bachmann stock. And enjoy the pieces I DO have.
I'd say the ONE Bachmann piece I overdosed on was the Tracksters, the red and blue Jeepsters. I bought an entire box lot of them, about 80+, for $120 some years ago. I have been culling and combining parts on those, some people have gotten some as gifts, I intend to DCC one, and upgrade it with dual brass wheels and contacts to improve their performance. The motors are usually crappy, but a few do run well ( for mini slot car motors ). I do have two modern versions, the upgraded Jeepster, and the yellow Pickup truck.

I agree that Bachmann stepped it up in the '90's and beyond, I do have at least 2 modern diesels with DCC in them, I run at shows, they do well. I can't complain about those at all. Wish Tyco/Mantua had managed to survive on their own, but at least they're still around in name at least. While I can appreciate the modern Bachmann upgrades and improvements, there is something special about the 70's/80's time period trains for me, and I will continue to add those I like to my collection.

Jerry in VA

" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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PGE33
Hudson

CanadianPacificBeaverAvatar

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 Posted - April 26 2015 :  8:57:59 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add PGE33 to Buddylist
Speaking of Spectrum, I'm attempting a repair on the split axle gears of
two doodlebugs.
Not too sure how this will turn out, as there's not a lot of room in the drive truck for
gobs of epoxy.
I'll post pictures later when I get home.

Evan

 Country: Canada  ~  Posts: 505  ~  Member Since: August 09 2014  ~  Last Visit: October 11 2022 Alert Moderator  Go To Top Of Page
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