Introduced: 2001
This is Bachmann's first really great steam locomotive model - both in terms of looks and performance. Oh hell, who am I kidding? It's their first great locomotive model of any kind. And, peformance aside, it's all those factory-installed detail parts that help to make it something special (and definitely raising the bar for N scale steam in general). OK, it can't quite match the nigh legendary Kato Mikado in terms of its performance, but it's definitely right up there. Not coincidentally, it was named Model Railroader's "N Scale Locomotive of the Year" for 2001. And don't confuse this model with Bachmann's earlier (1980s) "trainset-style" 2-8-0 Consolidation - they have nothing in common.
The chassis is all-metal, split-frame and fairly hefty for its size. The motor is an open-sided, skew-wound, 5-poler. Six of the eight drivers provide pickup (the third set of drivers from the front being equipped with traction tires). Additionally, pickup is provided by all eight tender wheels (with current being transferred to the locomotive via a pair of stiff wires on the plastic drawbar). Only the center pair of drivers are geared (the other two driver sets being turned solely by the running gear). All gearing is plastic. A PC board with a directional headlight is mounted in the front of the locomotive chassis (there is no back-up light). The pilot coupler is a dummy (non-operational) knuckle. A Rapido-style replacement for the pilot coupler is included in the box, should you want to go that route. The tender coupler is a shell-mounted Rapido. The wheel flanges are low-profile, so no problems on Code-55 track.
Uncoupling the tender from the engine is blessedly simple. Simply twist the tender 90 degrees and the drawbar pops right off.
Pickup is great, no stalls through turnouts. Throttle response is smooth and fine, and slow speed creep is excellent. It runs a little louder than the Kato Mike, but much quieter than, say, the Model Power Pacific. Basically, it's adequately quiet without being jaw-droppingly so. Pulling power is quite impressive for such a small locomotive, and I haven't had any problems with keeping all of the wheels on the rails.
On the down side, converting the tender coupler to a Micro-Trains coupler is not as simple as it should be. First, you have to remove the coupler box from the tender. Then you have to drill a hole in order to screw in a MT-2004 coupler assembly. And frankly, I am never comfortable taking power tools to my locomotives. Hey Bachmann, isn't it about time to put the Rapido couplers out to pasture?
Another caveat - the 2-8-0 mechanism (as delivered from the factory) tends to be a bit "tight". And chances are, it may take a couple of small (simple) adjustments before your 2-8-0 will run properly. When I first got mine it was very herky-jerky at slow speeds. So, I tried out the suggestion from the Model Railroader review below and experimented around with loosening the three screws that hold the bottom cover plate in place. It seems that if the rear-most one (the one that holds the motor in place) is screwed in too tightly, it will cause the entire mechanism to bind. Loosening it a turn or so really frees things up.
These locomotives tend to be billed as "DCC-Ready", but decoder installation isn't as simple as dropping in a PC board replacement or plugging in an NMRA plug. What Bachmann has provided is space inside the engine for a decoder, as well as providing wiring leads for track power, motor and lighting all in the same general vicinity.
To remove the locomotive shell, first free the forward ladders from the shell. Next, free the handgrabs back by the cab from the chassis. Lastly, simply pry the sides of the shell apart back by the cab. The whole thing should lift right off at that point.
Grade: A
Reviewed: 04/02 Model Railroader ("Bachmann's eagerly awaited N scale 2-8-0 has pulled up on the ready track and is just what we'd hoped it would be: a good-running engine with a wealth of detail rivaling high-ticket brass imports. Made in China, the locomotive is marketed in Bachmann's Spectrum line of higher-end products... It matches no prototype exactly but its quite close to the dimensions of an Illinois Central 900-series engine (1910)... This model is soundly engineered and, despite the abundance of parts, is easy to disassemble. Turn the tender 90 degrees sideways to the engine and it separates easily. Detach the rear cab handrails at the bottom. Shove the rear of the shell up and forward, and once its started, pry the cab pilot ladders free of the smokebox. The heart of the design is the metal frame that's split vertically into electrically isolated halves, as most quality N scale diesels are today... The frame holds the gears and drives in alignment and provides a mount for the small five-pole, skewed armature, open-frame motor. The motor plugs into the frame and is secured by a screw... On the motor's drive shaft is a brass worm that engages a pair of plastic spur gears, one above the other, transferring the power down to gears on the axles of the middle pair of drivers. Power to the remaining drivers is via the siderods. This strikes me as a better system than gearing all the axles... making potential siderod bind less likely. The main drivers have plastic traction tires...
"My engine ran well with just a hint of a bind at the slowest speed, and actually ran better after I'd taken it apart and put it back together... I've seen reports that some of these engines did not run well. One simple trick is to loosen the screws on the bottom cover plate a smidge. The engine should pull 21 cars... The driver axles are mounted in bronze bearings that float in slots in the frame, a very nice feature that helps the mechanism keep itself aligned. The locomotive picks up current via all drivers and all the tender wheels. Springy wires to each side of the drawbar rub the split kingpost sides to conduct current from the tender. Bachmann has given some thought to decoder installation and the motor is isolated from the frame. If you take out the weight behind the headlight, there's room for a decoder. The gray and orange motor leads would go to the decoder... The decoder's red and black wires would go to the posts the motor wires are presently connected to... The model comes equipped with a Rapido-style coupler on the tender... The front coupler is a dummy... Squeeze the tabs together behind the pilot to remove the stock coupler. The is the most highly detailed plastic N scale locomotive ever made and is inherently delicate... This is a well-engineered, good-running locomotive that takes N scale steam to new heights of detailing. UP, AT&SF, B&O, B&M, CRI&P, Clinchfield, NYC, NKP, SRR, WM, WP, Undec $135")