The Entire Spectrum

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How does Bachmann's Spectrum line compare with other manufacturers' steam locomotives? What might be the operational life of a Spectrum steam locomotive? How about a Paragon2?

We own three Spectrum locomotives, all steam, so I have nothing to which I can compare them. However, our old Gilbert American Flyer steam locomotives appear to be of much higher quality.

I am virtually committed to buying a Paragon2 Hudson the second one becomes available. But before I commit, I want to assure myself that it's of good value. So far, almost all to which I have been exposed extol BLI steam locomotives.


Happy New Year,

ST

 

[Selector]

I have to say I don't feel enthused in my limited experience, now approaching three weeks. I purchased a J Class 4-8-4 with straight DC that I had converted to DCC. It is a poor runner, hesitating at time upon start-out, and it sometimes binds and won't move while the decoder emits chuff sounds. If I push it to get it going it will continue, and it smooths out at speed. It's a nice looking model, but I can't say I am happy with it. All my other engines worked well out of the box, with this one being by far the most problematic.

I don't know what to do with it. It has no visible defects, no rubbing rods, nothing in the inner works that looks out of place. All I can think of is that the drivers may be sufficiently out of quarter that is gets stuck in a number of positions. The drivers are all slightly under gauge, so stalling on a curve is not what is happening.

-Crandell

 

[hamltnblue]

Bachmann Engines typically need a good hour of break-in run time to smooth out. After that they are usually as good as any. My shay stuttered some and was a bit noisy for about 20 minutes. Now smooth as a baby's bottom.
Also make sure the track is clean if the stuttering continues. Use a good track eraser.
Good Luck

 

[SpaceMouse]

Both my Spectrum Steamers are excelent.

 

[GWT&P]

I have a Spectrum Heavy Mountain that runs great as well.

 

[UP2CSX]

The Spectrums are great values for steam locomotives. They do need some run in time but they are good low speed runners and good haulers without traction tires. I have a pair of Paragon E-7's that are also nice engines with good sound and good runners. I haven't bought any Paragon steam engines but Crandell's complaints are not the first I've read about BLI steamers in general. There seem to be many more quality control problems with their steamers than their diesels.

 

[Selector]

Jim, it seems I wasn't very clear above. I should have identified that it was a Bachmann Spectrum J, not a BLI one. My BLI steamers are all excellent models. I'll definitely buy some of their Paragon 2 models when they come out. Sorry for the confusion.

-Crandell

 

[UP2CSX]

Ahh, OK, although I have still read what seems to be more than a fair share of complaints about small quality control issues with BLI steam engines. It seems that the Paragon series have less issues. I don't know if the separate sound and motor control play a part or what.

 

[lmackattack]

I have had 2 spectrums a Ge 44 tonner and a heavy Mountain.

the 44 tonner was one of the old ones released 15 years ago. It smoked the motor after about 5 hrs total run time. i was not very impressed but it did run good wile I had it.

the Mountain is only a few months old. It is very nice with regards to the details. It starts very smooth, has great slow speed control and over all runs good but it does have some flaws. 1st the loco power pick up is horrible with the way they made it work. you have 8 little tabs that touch the back of the drivers. just one derail thry a switch and that whole side of the engine may have bent tabs. It is heavy in weight and can pull about 38 cars but It does not like to pull the weight. I can tell this by watching the speed of the engine slow as it transitions from flat to an incline. I also have a scale speedometer at the club to check MPH. It falls back about 1/4 of its speed on a grade. I installed a Soundtraxx decoder in it and if its running 40MPH on the flat it will do 30-32MPH on the climb this is prototipical except the sound decoder still chuffs along at 40MPH. This may sound like me being picky but try doubleheading it when it does not want to do its share of the work on the hills. I have given up speedmatching it. as it will never be right on the flat or grades. the other thing I dont like is that it has a rubberband "belt" from the motor gear to the driver gearbox.

over all I give the engine a good review on the costs and details but the engine performance is limited. I would like to find a replacement motor for it.

IMO a Blueline is a better mfg with spectrum below it

again this is just my .02!!!!!


Trent

 

[kbkchooch]

I've got 2 of the Spectrum 2-8-0's and one of the I1 Decapods. All three run great!
Now older Bachmann Steam, I've got some of that too! Without saying anything bad, let me ask you this. Why do you think Bowser makes repower kits for them??

 

[jtudor]

I got a spectrum 2-8-0 for Christmas, and it runs smooth as silk right out of the box. I am very pleased with it. My better half got a real great deal on it too from Train world.
I also got a GS-4 4-8-4 for Christmas, and found that it will quickly find any track problems I have. That may turn out to be a bonus in the long run.

 

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Of the three Spectrum steam locomotives I own, two were defective. The first one I bought, some eight years ago, has seen limited use. It still runs, but it emits a grinding whine.

I have American Flyer locomotives that are fifty years old that still run as if they were new. Is BLI the route to pursue for that type of quality?

Isn't a central tenet of model railroading that kids will be able to play with their toys with their kids???


Happy New Year,

ST

 

[UP2CSX]

Isn't a central tenet of model railroading that kids will be able to play with their toys with their kids???
Happy New Year,

ST

Sure, back in the old American Flyer/Lionel days. First, those train sets were really expensive. I was able to find the Lionel catalog that had the set my dad got me when I was 6 years old, in 1951. It cost $69.95, which doesn't sound like much today but is the equivalent of about $553 in inflation adjusted dollars. If you were willing to spend $553 for a train set now, you'd get a lot better quality product. Back then, you paid list price for everything. No discounts, no internet, and basically no competition. If you wanted junk, you paid the equivalent of $150 for a Marx set. Lionel and AF were about the only game in town.

There was also the idea that children would always want a trains set and fathers would want to hand down equipment to their sons. Scale modeling was in its infancy and hardly anyone thought that trains would ever get better detailed than they were in 1951. Just the fact that it had a whistle in the station and could make smoke was considered to be state of the art and what else would anyone possibly want in 2008? Both Lionel and AF made trains they knew would be used mostly by kids so they were made as bulletproof as possible. They were mostly diecast metal and you could throw them against the wall and not break off any detail because there wasn't any that wasn't cast in. The idea of video games and slot car tracks was non-existant then so what else would young boys play with but trains?

I don't know what proportion of trains sets are still bought for kids but I suspect a fair proportion are by adult males wanting to relive a piece of their childhood. Most will set up a Christmas layout and that's it but other will progress to doing a scale layout. This is where we hit the Spectrum/P2K/BLI/Atlas Gold/Athearn Genesis models. There is tremendous competition between these companies to produce ever more detailed locomotives with DCC and sound systems and beat the other guy on price. All of these locomotives are made in China because it's the only way to stay in the price game. Most of these locomotives are well made but they get tested for about five minutes before they get shipped out. The 1951 Lionel catalog showed women running each engine up and down a test track and proudly stated that "each Lionel engine is hand tested for two hours". Any idea what that kind of QC might cost today? Now, they hope the assembly is right and that the customer is happy but, if not, they'll just ship out another one. The customer has become the QC tester.

So, it's not 1951 and the Lionel and AF we knew are dead and buried with a time where almost everything was done differently than what's done now. Some may argue that's why we're in the mess we're in but it really doesn't matter. We are stuck in 2008 and 1951 is but a distant memory.

 

[jbaakko]

Awesome thread guys! I'm tempted by the Spectrum model of SP 4449.

 

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UP2CSX,

Excellent analysis!!! Thanks so much for your contribution. I do agree that economics does influence consumer demand -and expectations-...reasonable and otherwise!


Happy New Year,

ST