Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0


It will not operate reliably on curves of less than 18". Their 2-6-0 can be coaxed around tighter curves, but not a whole lot tighter.
 
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Glad to help.
The 15" rad. is in the spur to my mill pond/unloading site. I had no plans to use the 2-8-0 on it.....but I too was curious (said the dead cat). The mill yard loco is an 0-6-0 plus an occasional geared loco which all do fine.

I just got the 2-8-0 and it was all set up to go after programing it a couple days back. Just had to clean 10-12 feet of dirty track the get there.:D The Bman 2-8-0 is a good looking unit and (thus far) a good runner out of the box.....but most importantly it was cheep. The poorly presented ad on the bay scared most folks off, I guess. Under 60 bucks seemed good to me for a brand new Bman unit.....I recognized the Bman box .... the seller didn't list the manufacture. The only thing to whine about is the connection between the tender & loco. It binds on the short setting and un-weights the fwd truck on the tender.....that is easy enough to fix.
As with all Bman products, the long term reliability is suspect.
 
I have had one for years. Bought it when they first came out and it has been an excellent performing locomotive. It does well on grades and is also an excellent slow speed performer. Here are two consolidations. Number 184 is an old PFM brass unit, and number 189 in the rear is the Bachmann. All I did to it was add some lettering and slapped on a little weathering. As for working on a tight radius, I beleive it would. My main line radius is a 32 inch minimum, but some of my industrial track has some prety tight turns, and at slow speed, it has no trouble at all negotiating the tight radius. I operate DC and would like to find a couple more of them, but everything I have seen on the market is now DCC which I am not willing to pay for. I'm cheap too.

IMAG0098_BURST002.jpg
 
Montanan, I'm trying to get all my curves to 18"r on the new layout. 15"r was fine for my geared steamers. Hopefully I can get 18"r. You are correct virtually all Bmann locos are made with DCC which is ok with me, but I understand those not willing to switch. I'm wondering if the older DC versions were built differently than todays offerings thus allowing tighter radii? Jim
 
HOexplorer said:
Montanan, I'm trying to get all my curves to 18"r on the new layout. 15"r was fine for my geared steamers. Hopefully I can get 18"r. You are correct virtually all Bmann locos are made with DCC which is ok with me, but I understand those not willing to switch. I'm wondering if the older DC versions were built differently than todays offerings thus allowing tighter radii? Jim
Click to expand...

I doubt that they have changed anything. There is plenty of room in the tender for a decoder and even a speaker in the Consolidation. It is such a great running little locomotive, I doubt they changed anything but the electronics.
 
HOexplorer,

I have no idea what layout plan you have, or the space you have available. But the larger the curves, the happier you will be, and not be limited to certain locos. If you can get up to 22" curves that would be much better, and you will have less problems with locos derailing. Even if you have to use less track. Remember less is more. Sacrifice one industry siding, for a broader mainline curve.
 
Michael, Thank you for your input. Please look to the "Building the Pinnacle Creek Mining & Timber Co." sticky at the top of this page. It gives the whole story about my 10'x11' layout room and why 18"r is my goal. Cheers, Jim:)
 
We think much alike. I have been looking a Bachmann 2-8-0's on line as well. Two things are a bit different. One I have a bit more space, maybe 15x12, second I have the goal of two sets of rolling stock, one of which is steam. I love the Rivarossi Heisler, and know nothing about the Bachmann Shea. I have a couple of O-4-0 switchers I can use and a nifty IHC 2-6-0 that really suprised me with it's quality and suitability. I've been thinking about the Bman 2-8-0 and an Atlantic or a 4-4-0 of some type. Anything bigger than a small 2-8-0 would be out of place. Mainline curves min 22. inches. I'm about 80% of the way down the back woods rabbit hole you are, with just a little more "formality" in my road.
 
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How about a poor mans review of the Bachmann 2-8-0. The consol has always been a favorite of mine. My favorite loco in the "old days" of Model Railroading was a United U.P. 2-8-0. I had so much fun getting out of the way of long freight and passenger trains while peddling the local business's. I would like a review, visual and operationally, money is dear I want one but I want my money to spend right.
 
JimT, Believe it or not I've not hooked up power on the PCM&T Co. Southern Division yet! I would do the review if I had. Anyone else? Anyway, I noticed I mentioned 18"r in this thread and with a bit of adjusting have made the curves a minimum of 22"r. So basically I still don't have the 18"r question answered at least by me. Jim
 
Actually, I'm surprised that the Bachmann 2-8-0 didn't make it around the 15"r curve. OK, I know that the ideal layout utilizes the widest possible curve for the space available. My layout's minimum radius is 24", and that is superelevated, the tightest section is an industrial lead off a #6 curved switch that comes out to 20". Prototype railroads served many industries, especially in industrialized urban areas, where curvature was extreme. Some crews utilized tractors fitted with couplers to switch these industries such as in Baltimore and Jersey City, while other locations uses specifically designed locomotives such as PRR's class A4 0-4-0 to switch tight curved locations. Other power was specifically prohibited from usage in serving these locations.

The other side is that in some cases, it was amazing what would fit around tight prototype curves. I recall seeing a video, of a B&O local freight, powered by a 2-8-2, normally considered a road fright loco. It served this rural industry on a really sharp curve, I felt sure that it would spread the rails, but the secret was that the inside driving wheels were blind - that is flangeless. In a more modern setting, back in the '90s we started using SD40-2s and SD50s on local assignments on Conrail, that serviced industries which were restricted to SW type power during the PRR/PC era. It became amazing to see some of the places a 6 axle fit into, and even more amazing that it remained on the rail.

Joe
 
I bet the Bachmann unit doesen't have any blind drivers. I am willing to strain the budget to get one. I was at my LHS today looked at a couple there, $169.99 I guess I missed the sign, suckers enter here. To bad really, the guy is very nice. There wasn't a 40 wood deck flat car, road or no road in the place either, I could go on. I'm not sure how much he could teach me either. Oh and no Woodland Scenics railroad crewmen either, just an empty rack. Sad really sad.

I try to buy something every time I'm in but its difficult.
 
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