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 Posted - January 18 2013 : 10:51:32 PM
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I'm sure anyone who purchased a Bachmann train set in the late 1980s or early 1990s will recognize this. As one way for them to try and step ahead of the competition at the time (I think Tyco was their biggest rival during the 1980s), Bachmann had a clever means of an instruction manual, done as a comic book; this way kids could also easily get into model railroading, and there's lots for them to get into. This may have also been the debut appearance of their Brawny-esque mascot, the Bach Man!
OK, so the story opens on a stereotypical "perfect" comic family (complete with a pet dog that thinks his own thoughts ala Snoopy and Garfield!), purchasing a Bachmann train set...
See what I mean by the family? The "boxcar full of cookies" reminds me of how they sometimes did that with the model trains on Gumby.
Though the scaling isn't entirely accurate, I think they are supposed to be trying to set up an HO-scale train set here, probably one of Bachmann's "starter" sets that just has the engine, a few freight cars and caboose, and a circle or small oval of track: no other accessories or whatever.
Of course, the family is initially baffled by their attempts to get the trains going, even the father! I do find the boy's "Is that IT?" reaction amusing, as if he feels they were ripped off.
LOL at "No! Rugs are trouble." That's the case when using standard model railroad track, and this was before Bachmann developed roadbed track in 1994 with their own (admittedly crummy) "E-Z Track." I know back then, the only other option for playing with the trains on a floor was the Tycoscene layout board, but then again, this was still the 1980s, and I still prefer running my trains on my 4x8 sheet of plywood, even if I use roadbed track!
Even though Bachmann still offers a curved E-Z track terminal rerailer, their sets now come with a straight terminal rerailer section instead. Also note the track in this looks like it's brass, though I think by the late 1980s all of Bachmann's train sets came with steel track...
LOL at the "All the other cars" sign.
Even though I use a more advanced MRC Tech 4 280 power pack on my train layout with an on/off switch, I still unplug it when my trains are not in use anyway.
Bachmann also still offers many of those accessories mentioned, including many of those Plasticville building kids that have been available since the 1950s! Unfortunately they still also have a few crummy "action/operating" accessories like that "diesel horn in oil tank" thing, which sells for $40. (Come on, a plastic oil tank containing a buzzer that sounds like a 1980s smoke alarm should be only four bucks!)
Hmm, this is giving me an idea for a game. Make your own train set instruction manual comic, but for different manufacturers! (I wonder what one by Tyco would have been like...)
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Posted - January 21 2013 : 11:08:58 AM
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wiley,
Cool post, thanx. I've never seen one of these. The art work and genre is interesting.
Alco Fan
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Posted - January 21 2013 : 12:54:43 PM
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This is the comic that came in my Golden Spike set
Mine did not have the Golden Spike boxcar tho
I don't believe this comic is worth very much these days
Boxcar full of cookies could be a reference to that Rio Grande Cookie Box boxcar 
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Posted - April 29 2013 : 3:22:09 PM
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Done in the days before the gummint decided sharp objects should be kept away from children....like the xacto knife across the tracks.
Dave
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Posted - December 06 2020 : 2:27:05 PM
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A good idea to get children of all ages into the hobby.
And children back in the hobby after decades of absence.
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Posted - December 06 2020 : 3:45:12 PM
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Very interesting archival piece. I never knew about it back in the day.
A very good format for younger people, although in today's world guys
like Eric the Train Fan and Blaxland are half way to being computer
engineers.
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Posted - December 06 2020 : 5:55:58 PM
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| that is a very fun comic book
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Posted - December 07 2020 : 07:09:08 AM
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| neat!
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