BACHMANN LI'L BIG HAULERS®  ELECTRIC TRAIN SETS    

US $279.00 each

SHIPPING OCTOBER 2012

Featuring a compact size and colourful designs, Bachmann’s new  Li’l Big Haulers® are the perfect introduction to Large Scale model railroading. Choose from three different ready-to-run  sets that include a steam locomotive with operating headlight and tender, brightly coloured freight or passenger cars, hook-and-loop couplers on all cars, 4'3" circle of steel alloy track (12 pieces), and power pack and speed controller. There’s also a full selection of separate-sale Li’l Big Haulers® locomotives with tenders, tank engines, hoppers, tankers, coaches, baggage cars, and cabooses. Get started on BIG railroading fun with Li’l Big Haulers.   

FAST FREIGHT SET 90196

NORTH POLE EXPRESS 90198

LI'L BIG HAULERS®  ROLLING STOCK • SHIPPING SEPTEMBER 2012

HOPPER • $39.00 each

SHORT LINE RAILROAD - BLUE WITH SILVER ROOF 98086

SHORT LINE RAILROAD - YELLOW WITH BLACK ROOF 98087

SHORT LINE RAILROAD - GREEN WITH BLACK ROOF 98099

BACHMANN SPECTRUM 1:20.3 SCALE BALDWIN C-19 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE & TENDER

Bachmann have announced a completely new range of additions to their excellent Spectrum Narrow Gauge 1:20.3 range. This video shows the Baldwin C-19 2-8-0 in a number of liveries. These locomotives are not expected to be released in the UK for some time but should be well worth waiting for although the launch price is US$1575.  Liveries and product codes are as follows:

D & RGW™ #345 - Bumble Bee - Short Tender                 Cat.No. 83195

D & RGW™ #346 - Royal Gorge Herald - Long Tender     Cat.No. 83196

RGS #40 - Sunrise Herald - Short Tender                           Cat.No. 83197

Painted, Unlettered - Black - Short Tender                         Cat.No. 83198

Painted Unlettered - Black with Red & White Trim - Long Tender  Cat.No.83199

Product Information 

This ground-breaking Large Scale C-19 2-8-0 model has many advanced features not offered by any other manufacturer of model trains, including:

* powerful precision-balanced can motor connected to an all-metal gearbox and gears with appropriate gear reduction combine to create an eight-wheel drive system with superior performance at realistic speeds
* equalized locomotive suspension system to provide super-smooth operation on uneven track
* electrical pickup from all drive wheels and both tender trucks
* advanced nonproprietary plug-and-play electronic printed circuit board to accommodate the control systems of your choice, including DC power, NMRA/NEM DCC, and/or RC operation
* choose track or battery power pickup, operation according to NMRA or Large Scale railroading practices, and motor power on/off
* choose either DCC or DC operation of the smoke unit, cab lights, realistic firebox flicker and ash pan glow, and classification lights
* two optical sensors, one in each cylinder, give you the option of adjusting the timing and count of steam chuffs
* factory-installed speaker, with wire pigtail, for easy installation of optional aftermarket sound system
* constant lighting of the LED headlight, classification lights, and cab light using soft white LED technology
* Johnson bar is connected to the fully adjustable inside Stephenson valve gear by a scale reach bar for reversing linkage that operates per prototype
* accurately reflects all the details found on the prototype road number modelled

Price: $1575.00

 Two new G Scale Starter Sets from PIKO which offer you everything you need to get started. Available around November 2012.

Piko 37120  DB BR80 Freight Starter Set with Sound & Steam III

Piko 37125  DR BR80 Passenger Starter Set with Sound & Steam III

NEW ITEMS FOR 2012

LGB (now owned by Märklin) have recently published their mini-brochure of new items scheduled to be released in 2012. You can view the details by clicking on this link:      LGB 2012

PIKO also have a brochure giving details of their releases planned for this year. Check out the details at:  PIKO 2012

POLA are not to be left out and you can see details of their planned introductions for 2012 here:  POLA 2012

 NEW BACHMANN BRASS TRACK

In a surprise move (at least to me!) and after many years of allegiance to their own proprietary steel alloy track Bachmann USA have released new G Scale 45mm (1.77 inches) Gauge Brass Track made in China . The geometry appears to be based on on popular existing brands such as LGB, Aristo-craft and USA Trains and whilst clearly based on North American Narrow Gauge track, should be compatible with most Code 332 track systems.

Initial releases include:

One-foot straight - 12 pack
Three-foot straight - 12 pack
Four-foot diameter curve -  12 pack
Five-foot diameter curve - 12 pack
Eight-foot diameter curve - 16 pack      

The dark brown ties (sleepers) are ultra-violet protected against heat and sunshine. Spacing and dimensions seem to be  based on U.S. prototype Narrow Gauge operations at 11 ties per nominal straight section (12 inches or 30.5 cms) and the rails are solid brass complete with ready-inserted screws in the rail joiners similar to Aristo-craft.

This latest Bachmann upgrade after so many years of supplying only steel-alloy track is a major enhancement and to my mind seems to be part of a general movement towards greater accuracy to complement the company's 1:20.3 Spectrum offerings and move away from their historical "toy train" image. It would not surprise me if they announced new Passenger Cars in the more accurate 1:20.3 scale in the not too distant future.

Roaring Out of the West…

THE NEW PLAINSMAN TRAIN SET

 

Bachmann have now released James the Red Engine and four new pieces of rolling stock :

91403   James the Red Engine

98003   Coal Wagon with Eyes

98004   Sodor Fuel Tank 

98005   Tidmouth Milk Tank

98006   Cargo Wagon (Car)

All the above are now available from our G Scale Online store.

THEY SAY THAT THIS STEAM ENGINE IS THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO G SCALE IN A LONG TIME

SOON TO BE RELEASED BY ARISTO-CRAFT

Aristo-craft are in the process of updating their ART-20600 series Consolidation 2-8-0. It's an accurate rendition of the prototype and in theory should have been the first one they made. However, the technology of having the electronics in the tender and the patented gear box and smoke were not available when Aristo-craft began some 20 years ago. The picture above is of a pre-production undecorated model.

 

It's a treasure that will lead us into the next 20 years will make for a new standard of G gauge model railroading. It cost a lot of money to make this product, so of course Aristo-craft are anxious to re-coop the outlay. They hope the market agrees as it's always a guess when they started planning several years ago. However, no train before it's time and Aristo-craft have clearly taken a long while to develop this rendition and really have been at pains to get the  look and performance right before they started mass production.

 

The UK RRP is likely to be around £768.00 but G Scale Online can currently pre-order at an amazing Early Bird price of only £550 so if you are interested email them at gscaleonline@gmail.com to reserve yours.

Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH Insolvency (owners of LGB)

After almost 2 years of bankruptcy, and having failed to sell the company as a going concern, LGB's owners (Märklin Holding GmbH) appear to have reached agreement with it's creditors in late December 2010. Business during the intervening years has been good enough for Märklin to be able to finalise an  insolvency plan that will see it initially repay Euro 33 million. Once the deal is approved by the financial authorities and the city of Goppingen Märklin will be free to resume business under a new management team based on a sound medium-term business plan which assumes continuous average annual growth in turnover of approximately 2.5 percent over the next years approved by independent auditors.

This is good news for many G Scale enthusiasts as LGB have maintained their independence and have already announced a range of new products for 2011.

BACHMANN 2010 NMRA NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENTS

2-4-2 "SOUTHERN" LYN STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 

It's back after a long absence. The only truly British Outline large scale offering in Bachmann's G Scale product range (not counting Thomas the Tank Engine of course). Hopefully this new, improved model will prove more reliable than its predecessor which was not without it's problems.

• ready for decoder installation of your choice

• metal gearbox

• metal bearings

• all-metal wheels

AMERICAN VERSIONS:

Item No. 91197 PAINTED, UNLETTERED – BLACK

Item No. 91198 PAINTED, UNLETTERED – BLACK with RED WINDOWS and WHITE PINSTRIPES

Item No. 91199 PAINTED, UNLETTERED – GREEN & BLACK with WHITE PINSTRIPES

UK VERSION:

Item No. 91196 LYN – SOUTHERN - GREEN,YELLOW,BLACK

ALL MODELS NOW SHIPPING

1:20.3 BALDWIN INDUSTRIAL 2-6-0 MOGUL STEAM LOCOMOTIVE with TENDER

The Moguls are back! It's good to see that Bachmann have re-introduced these popular steam locomotives. Modelled after a standard Baldwin steamer, these locomotives were used for a variety of applications throughout the first half of the 20th century. Ideal for indoor and outdoor railroads, the Industrial 2-6-0 Mogul returns to the Big Haulers™ line-up loaded with many finely detailed prototypical features.

Bachmann's 1:20.3 Baldwin Industrial 2-6-0 Mogul returns with new features such as an improved lead truck for superior trucking and a polarity selection switch for operation according to NMRA standards or Large Scale model railroading practices. Moguls were hard workers used for mining and logging throughout the first half of the 20th century. This smaller locomotive is perfect for pulling our 1:20.3 scale 20′ flat cars, box cars, and ore cars. Put it to work on your indoor or outdoor industrial railroad today!

Features include:

• updated lead truck

• polarity switch for operation according to NMRA standards or Large Scale model railroading practices

• smoke and speed-synchronized sound

• operating front and rear LED lights

• die-cast locomotive chassis, side rods, and valve guides

• metal handrail, grab iron details, and smoke box supports

• metal wheels

• detailed builder’s plate

• all-wheel tender pick-up

• precision can motor

• separate piping detail

• detailed cab interior with working firebox door

MIDWEST QUARRY & MINING CO. #3             Item No. 91552

COLORADO MINING CO. #2                             Item No. 91554

YELLOW PINE LUMBER CO. #19                     Item No. 91556

PAINTED, UNLETTERED - BLACK with WHITE PINSTRIPES Item No. 91559

1:20.3 TWO-TRUCK CLIMAX LOCOMOTIVE (DCC READY)

Another new release from Bachmann in Large Scale. The Class “B” two-truck locomotive, introduced by Climax in 1893, featured a horizontal boiler with slanted cylinders. The new design was an instant success and quickly became Climax’s most popular model, remaining so throughout the company’s history.

• ready for decoder installation of your choice

• choose track or battery power pick-up with operation according to NMRA or Large Scale railroading practices; motor power on/off; and DCC or DC

operation of cab lights, firebox flicker, and ash pan glow with a centre “off ” position

• switch behind the smoke box door with centre “off ” position to choose either DCC or DC operation of the smoke unit

• optical sensors in the locomotive that give you the option of adjusting the timing and count of steam chuffs

• factory-installed speaker, with wire pigtail, in the fuel bunker to allow for easy installation of optional after-market sound systems

• realistic firebox flicker and ash pan glow

• precision-balanced can motor

• prototypically correct operating Johnson bar and inside Stephenson valve gear

• constant lighting of the LED headlight and cab light

• choice of three smokestack styles

• choice of coal or oil fuel loads

Item No. 85093 CLEAR LAKE LUMBER CO. #6

Item No. 85094 ELK RIVER COAL & LUMBER CO. #3

Item No. 85095 CLIMAX #2 (demonstrator)

Item No. 85096 BAYSIDE LUMBER CO. #3

Item No. 85097 PAINTED, UNLETTERED – BLACK with WHITE RUNNING BOARD STRIPING

Item No. 85098 PAINTED, UNLETTERED – BLACK with RED WINDOWS, WHITE PINSTRIPING, & WHITE RUNNING BOARDS

 

1:20.3 BOX CAR with MURPHY ROOF

Performs best on 8' diameter curves or greater

SHIPPING NOW

Expand your Large Scale consist with these box cars now available with an operating door and a Murphy roof design.

The fully operational door opens to reveal plenty of room for whatever freight your railroad is transporting. Featuring the high quality and attention to detail that Spectrum® models are known for, these box cars have all the prototypical details you would expect, including die-cast sprung trucks and metal wheels, truss rods, and grab irons. The perfect complement to any freight line, your favourite locomotive will haul these premium box cars with pride. 

Features include: 

• die-cast sprung trucks                               
• operating sliding door
• metal wheels
• metal truss rods
• removable journal lids
• metal grab irons
• back lumber-loading door
• scale knuckle couplers

FLORENCE & CRIPPLE CREEK                      PAINTED, DATA ONLY - OXIDE RED
 Item No. 88697                                            Item No. 88698

PAINTED, DATA ONLY - OXIDE BROWN Item No. 88699

BACHMANN 1:20.3 CABOOSE RELEASED IN USA

After much anticipation Bachmann Industries is delivering their latest 1:20.3 scale offering. In this case it's a long caboose based on those used by the Denver & Rio Grande Western and Rio Grande Southern narrow gauge railroads. Internal detail is probably the best ever from Bachmann. Awesome - the pictures do not do it justice.! This new caboose is the perfect companion for their K-27 Mikado locomotive.

BACHMANN USA

Have recently added a much wider range of useful large scale parts to their online shop catalogue including  gears, bells, motors and handrails. They may soon expand coverage to the ubiquitous Baldwin 4-6-0 Locomotive. 

Bachmann also intend to add Passenger Cars to their range of plastic kits to enable you to build your own although they do not necessarily work out any cheaper than factory finished Passenger Coaches.                                                       Link to Shop