$229 rrp?!!!!! Thats mental! And despite that, its a pretty rubbish loco - i saw the title of the video and knew we'd all have a little chuckle! Great video as always sam
Bachmann US just jacks up the price of the RRP on its website and in its magazines. If you pay that for a Bachmann model, you've done it wrong.i know of three local hobby shops by me that sell these, and they range between $50 and $90. This is normal and expected to make new customers think they are getting a killer deal, not because anyone thinks this is worth $230 bucks.
Yeah it's the same story with most Bachmann products - though plenty of stores do charge close to the RRP - you can find these over £150 in some shops... crazy ripoff! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrainsIt's a very, very old model. These used to be sold in the $25-$35 range about 15-20 years ago. At that price, it was fair for what you got. The same happened with their modern line of diesels. They were entry level but at very, very fair prices, but then, they started to price them the same than quality models. It's just sad.
Fun fact: the PCC cars that ran in Boston were the only ones to feature a door on the left for Subway use. We are still running these PCC cars on the Mattapan High Speed Line.
@@edwardmiessner6502 Yes most people still call them trolleys. The PCC is a true trolley having the old school trolley Pole. When I was younger I even was referred to the green line LRV cars as a trolley even though they technically have a pantograph.
Shaker Heights line in Cleveland purchased new PCC’s that also had left side center doors. But then they were not used. Used cars added to the fleet did not have the left side center doors.
The tooling for this dates back 40+ years with only a slight change to the chassis. I remember these new at $20. The interesting thing about this for UK modellers is that the chassis is almost a perfect fit to motorize the Hadfields Balloon Tram kit
@@SamsTrains just a thought, take it apart. Do some major detailing on it. Get rid of the silhouettes. Put some window glazing, add some passengers sitting on seats even though the seats will have to be scratch built. Is there a way you could rewire it so the lights come from above. Maybe you could get rid of the doors and put in doors that look realistic, as opposed to molded in there with the rest of the body. You could have a decent looking model. Just a suggestion. Have a blessed day everyone.
Bachmann USA does this "marketing strategy" where the RRP in their own website is ludicrously high but extremely low on the retailers, so that you get the illusion of a bargain deal. Bachmann's PRR GG1 that you have reviewed comes with a $249 for the DC version, but its only around $99 at the retailers.
Yeah that's right - though some retailers do charge close to the RRP - Jadlam in the UK seem to be charging over £150 for one D: Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Let's call the driver "Motorman Marvin" as trolley drivers were more commonly called motormen The body on this thing dates back to the 1980s. It only got a DCC Sound version in 2017 (it did not appear in the 2016 catalog) I have three of the original versions which have bogies that make the model sit a bit too high, pancake motors on the rear truck with split chassis, and all-wheel pickup without any cracks in the axles. The sound played at F2 might be for the PA announcements, F3 is the doors, F5 might be heater, air conditioning, or compressor. I am disappointed there isn't traction motor or clickety-clack noises while the car is moving, something you definitely hear when you're standing near a real trolley. Bachmann has made a keep-alive system for their newer DCC sound models, which was probably a result of this model. I believe this model is meant for a trolley loop in the town of a railway layout, rather than a trolley-centric layout in which you would opt for better cars from Bowser or brass and kitbuilt models.
The second bell is probably an internal bell when a passenger wants to get off the tram. There would have been a pull cord or in later trams a button for requesting a stop
I was thinking the small beep was a fare box accepting fare. But that’s what modern fare box’s do now. Not sure with the 1930’s-40’s boxes would sound like. Sparky thing on the trolley pole is ok. Bachmann in my eyes tried to lure you in with features but they absolutely refuse to correct any running and reliability issues. Nice video however
I remember considering getting a n scale version of this car but when I asked people if I should they told me to avoid these at all costs, I now understand why
I have the N scale petter wilt trolly and it’s actually a very good runner and an affordable DCC “train” of you can find it for about 90 bucks go for it. Unless you’re really looking for an inner urban trolly though I’d say pass on it.
I own a DC powered n scale one and it actually runs very smooth. Paid $50 for it. Obviously just don’t pay for the whole msrp, then i believe you’ll be pretty happy with it
i recall i considered buying one of these at a model train store but when i asked them to test run it a wheel fell off. later on at another show i bought just the shell of the trolley and i plan to fit it onto one of those japanese N scale motor chassis
Couplings - not unrealistic to have couplings but would definitely be unrealistic to have standard gauge railway couplings. Some PCC had simple fitting to attach a towing bar & some PCC had multiple unit couplings with electrical control and braking contacts.
Mate, this is hilarious 😂 How they think they can get away with £200+ for this I have no clue! But that driver though 😂😂😂 Having said that the pantograph spark is awesome, I'm surprised Accura haven't come out with something similar tbh.
@@billfusionenterprise Something like that happened to me as well. I bought 2 wooden railway trains, and I got 2 of one of them. I wanted a diesel powered freight train and a steam powered train. I got 2 diesels. Bummer! Cory Mears
These cars only ever would have operated in the forward direction, as unlike some other trolleys these don't have a cab at both ends. The most backing up they ever would have done is for a hostling move in a yard or shop. Therefore they weren't built in real life with bidirectional lighting. They also didn't typically have whistles, which explains the lack of one. The first bell is an exterior bell, and the second quieter bell was the stop bell (passenger would pull a cord or press a button at their seat to signal they want to get off). The "pantograph" on a trolley is known as a Trolley Pole. Hope this bit of info helps!
I think this is a model that has been in production since forever, maybe 30 years or more, but possibly updated and improved at some point. I believe that it is quite common in the USA for items to be advertised at ridiculous prices just so the traders can pretend to be providing massive discounts. By the way, PCCs can still be found in every day service in Philadelphia, San Francisco and in the suburbs of Boston and I think also in El Paso and San Diego. They are pretty much indestructible and offer levels of comfort that are still beyond many modern designs.
A good review of this model overall Sam, while it may not be the best model out there that LED on the trolley pole is a very nice thing to have, I have seen a lot of British modellers add small blue LEDs to pantographs and third rail shoes on British locomotives and EMUs and when they are running those little flashes of blue light make it look really cool, it may not be a good model but at least it does have quite a cool feature which to be honest would be good to see a lot more on various electric locomotives, EMUs, trams or trolleys.
Funny Story Sam, I actually had one of these, but the motor was so bad it made a buzzing noise. I remember always called it the buzz tram, lol. Cheers Jasper & Willow
Defintely does not deserve that 4.93 score! As someone who owns three of these models and runs the prototypes at a museum they're not too bad. True the $229 MSRP is outrageous but thats why I buy from Trainworld. As far as the functions go they are: F0- lights, F1- bell, F2- stop buzzer, F3- doors open/close, F4- raise/lower trolley pole, F5- motor generator Yes the pole does spark but to do so F4 must be enabled (how's it gonna spark if the pole isn't connected to the overhead?) I see the bachmann model as a play-value, cost-effective version of more expensive brass models and would reccomend them.
0.93 would me more appropriate given the overscale window frames. Are Bachmann trying to emulate Hornby in the overpriced trash models market?!! ,@@peterwebster3076
haha it definitely does deserve it... I was generous if anything... but that's just my point of view... if you enjoy the model that's absolutely fine of course! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I started this just for the reaction of Sam to the Naffness, but got the always amusing bonus of the little catalogue paper as well 😂 If this model is still in that position at the end of the year you are going to have a real problem “punishing” it, as you just said you like it! Lots of fun as always. Best
Hi Sam, I’m a big fan of your reviews, many of them are superb and over the years they have guided me to purchasing many locomotives, many have helped me steer away from not so good offerings, for this one today I have no words! Bachmann have a very dark side that reminds me of the kind of model railway items you would find at a Sunday market, keep up the good work, thanks for sharing.
Not only are PCC Streetcars still around, but you can still use them in normal service; In San Francisco, they operate the F Market & Wharves, including the world-famous Pier 39 - their other route (the E Embarcadero) is still suspended post-Covid, while in Boston they work a self-contained extension of the Red Line, the Mattapan High-Speed(?) Line between Ashmont and Mattapan.
I think the price he paid for it is fair, in my opinion. Anymore I wouldn't pay for it. It's a good model for one it is. Being from Chicago, Illinois, and being a fan of railways in Toronto, Canada. I love anything that has to do with PCC Streetcars. I'm glad you got to review this. Also, could you do more Canadian locomotives, please? Great work, as always. RailYard
I’m pretty sure the original Bachmann PCC dates back to at least the 1970s, back in the era when the name Bachmann was synonymous with cheap plastic toys. They didn’t start getting a reputation for quality in the US until they introduced their Spectrum line in the late 1990s, which I guess was also around the time they started getting into the British market. Over the last 20 years or so, they also started upgrading these older toy… er… models with better motors and mechanisms, and DCC. The old PCC version had a pancake motor that basically had three speeds, stop, warp 10, and burned out. it had shiny metal wheels that were glaringly obvious because of the inside-frame trucks (and no attempt to model the wheel detail or the brake rigging as on your newer version), and a ride height that would be ok if the passengers were all championship pole vaulters. The trolley pole was just plastic, and usually warped pretty badly. No LED to simulate arcing back then. The only change to the body itself is that there was originally only one mounting screw, in the middle. This had to be replaced with the current setup with one at each end to make room for the speaker. You could typically get them for $20 or $30.
You guessed right on the pricing Sam, most of it went on the sound board. You used to be able to pick up the analogue DC version of these for less the £20. Even at that price the frosted windows and driver put it in the Naff category. I can see why the did it, it was the only way to hide those bogies inside the body. You would honestly have thought that going to the expense of putting in the sound decoder they could have splashed out on a sub floor motor bogie like the SPUD.
Brought one of those new for £75. Dcc sound fitted and sparking pano pick up. I used the chassis and all the dcc sound parts to power up a corgi 00 gauge Blackpool tram.
Thankfully I don’t care to model street cars. 😂 Also, that Marklin/Trix HO Scale Flying Scotsman doesn’t look too bad. If you can find one for a decent enough price, I think you should get one.
haha I don't blame you! I'm not sure about that... I thought they did look pretty bad for what they cost - but if I'm right they should come down in price pretty soon! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains The Markin / Trix Flying Scotsman is pitched toward German modellers plus it’s part of a set of releases themed around ‘rail legends’ for the collector market and not everyday modellers. I also understand that German model trains have traditionally been (and still are) much more expensive than the UK market will tolerate but have no problem selling to their intended auidance.
They have been selling these for years. About 20 years ago I was buying these for about £25 to £35 each, and fitted dozons of them to Corgi die cast Blackpool Balloon and Brush Railcars. The PCC car bodies are very light plastic but with the die cast Corgi bodies on, they ran beautifully; very smooth and fairly quiet. The only down sides were wheel cleaning and only one bogie powered! John Harrison. Wallasey
Hi Sam. You've inspired me to get back into the model railway hobby and create my own model railway channel. I may do some reviews, some challenges and customs.
My friend and I worked on a PCC car a few years ago for the Baltimore street car museum......former New Jersey Transit car #26.......took two years to get it painted.
Whato Sam, A quick word on jargon: the thing on top you call a pantograph is actually called a boom. Well it was when I was involved in preserving trolleybuses many years ago.
The other old tram type was a little more awkward to convert, but I used them on plastic kit bogie trams. The best I found was an Underground Ernie 4-wheeler service car. I used these on several Keil Craft plastic 4-wheel British tram kits. These were very smooth and ran very well John Harrison. WALLASEY
Book suggestions for people interested in PCC cars: 'An American Original The PCC Car' by Seymour Kashin & Harre Demoro, 1986, Interurban Press, &, 'PCC From Coast to Coast' by Fred W. Schneider III and Stephen P. Carlson, 1983 by Interurban Press.
Would be genuinely fun to see you take this as inspiration, and 3D Resin Print and Design your own Sam's Trains Tram that would exceed this Bachmann PCC Streetcar in detail, and design.
I picked one of these up at a train show for cheap (about $50 a couple years ago), mostly just for the novelty. I worked with a real one at a museum and the one I bought is in the same paint. The detail is horrible but mine does run well. Sadly there's very few RTR models of streetcars/interurbans/traction, maybe these can inspire people to model this stuff. On another note, Bachmann uses the same boxes for a lot of models, that doesn't excuse lying but that's the reason.
Ahh sounds good - for a $50 novelty it's absolutely fine... it's when some people pay more than 4x that where the problems start. Glad to hear yours runs well too! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Yeah, Bachmann in the USA have become very well known for taking a 30 (or 40, or 50...) year old model, applying a few very incremental upgrades, then sticking a thoroughly modern RRP on the box. They have produced some true gems (like the Siemens Chargers) but those go for even more, if you can believe it, and aren't discounted nearly as much at the retailers. For all that, they too have some annoying quirks with their DCC effects which mean I need to keep the manual in hand for a bit at the start of every session to see what random thing needs to be turned on or off this time.
This model is a miniature of a Saint Louis Car Company "all-electric" PCC trolley not tram. Tomato-tomato. Pullman Standard also made PCCs but were a little more boxier. Brill Company also made a streamline trolley somewhat like a PCC called a Brilliner. PCCs cars were license and if one wanted to build a PCC they had to pay a royalty to the Committe who designed them. Brill refused to pay, hence they were not PCCs. All US PCCs were delivered with "trolley poles" not Panagraph's and ran on over-head wire not catenary. Washington DC's trolley system also used a different electric collection system inside DC, but used trolley poles on most of the system. San Diego did have PCCs in this paint scheme, but they were "air-electric" cars meaning air was used to open/close the doors. Same body shape but no "standee" windows over the normal windows. Bachmann makes great HO train products, but not in the case of these cars. For about 1/2 the price you can get a non-DCC Bowser or at the same price a Bowser PCC.
This was the very first model I bought as a kid, think I got it for 45 dollars, (non DCC version) I was so excited. Still have it even though I run N scale now. As the first model I was able to purchase I will always treasure it.
@@SamsTrains it must’ve been around 2012 or 2013. But I know the models been around a lot longer then that In the US. It’s definitely meant to be a beginners model/toy. I would have loved to have all the sounds and lights that this version comes with as a kid. I don’t think anyone actually buys these at retail price.
Yeah $100 for that is actually, about right, and honestly it sounds like a case of marking the normal price as a 'sale' price. But yeah, while these are fairly basic models, they're not terribly inaccurate for the real thing, the real PCC street cars look quite simple.
It doesn't look too terrible to me, but I don't think I'd fancy running that thing in the dark. The spots of electricity popping on and off scared me a bit, making me think a thunderstorm had broken out in the loft. Imagine you had shrunk yourself down, tripped over the track and got splattered by an oncoming steamy named Erlestoke Manor. Would you find that funny?
1 is bell. 2 is stop request 3 is door open/close for pole up( which activates the spark ) also pole down ( spark deactivate) 5 is the GM ( Generator motor )
I'd say that the "model-world" has insane prices recently. Also its a shame that the US let their once huge, and famous tram system (coverage) basically to go 99% extinct!
Sam,some items,1) AS noted,Tyco& AHM,had those cars in the 1970's,and they also had the LRV Articulated cars,[Boeing-Vertol],that ran in Boston and San Francisco 😳! 2) Boston PCC'S from 3001 on,were equipped for multiple unit service(correction-3002),and also equipped with a left hand door,for subway service in the Tremont subway! 3)There were PCC'S equipped with Pantagraphs,which ran in Pittsburgh,also in subway service[yes,Pittsburgh has a streetcar subway],so also lately,San Diego has Pantagraph equipped PCC'S running on a heritage line! This should fill in gaps in the essays! Thanks for an excellent critique of a old head model! Thank you 😇 😊!
all US PCCS were "Trolley pole" (as this model) and not a pantograph. Pittsburgh got pans on their cars during the changeover to a LRV trolley system. Not sure if Boston ever used pans on PCCs. I would bet a paycheck though they never used a Panagraph PCC in revenue service if at all.
You can get a much superior Bowser PCC trolley for considerably less. The detail on this is about the same as the Tyco/AHM/Bachmann trolleys that were around when I was a kid, complete with the silhouettes on the windows. At least the slow speed is more realistic than the older models, which tended to be ridiculously speedy, though great for staging trolley/auto "accidents" on my childhood layout.
To answer your question, the single arms are not pantographs. Those generally have 4 spring-loaded arms with elbows and one or two pick-up bars across their top.
Your comment is hilarious or in other words extremely amusing.....lol..... Does it have hairy arms and legs? Does it have housemaid's elbows? Any tattoos on those arms? Let's get something straight here. What you are calling "arms" are trolley poles. The pole has a shoe with a carbon insert. The shoe runs along the underside of the copper trolley wire to receive the 600 volts of electricity to power the trolley car. In the old days, bronze trolley wheels were used. But trolley shoes are easier on the wire. And just for your information, there seems to be some confusion on what to call the operator of a trolley car. The person is NOT a driver !! You don't "drive" a rail vehicle in North America. In the UK, maybe. The proper name here is motorman. And now since so many women are operating rail vehicles, the term operator is used. And by the way, electric trains and subway trains don't have engineers. There is no engine. They are motorman or operator. It galls me when I hear clueless people talking about things that they know nothing about. And let's get to that "sparking" trolley pole. That is an electrical arc, not a spark.
Current Transportation authorities that use PCCs today are SEPTA for route 15 (not this very second, but they are returning) and in San Francisco with heritage routes.
The driver should be called “Albert the Scrap (or many Steam Tram) Hunter” . He goes around at night, hunting non-electric trams and using their parts to make a hunting team. He battles with the Scrap-Man, his childhood rival and equal in insanity. By day a simple driver, but anything but, when the night falls…
13:23 Grumpy McGrumpface- either he's unhappy with the model of tram he's driving, that his existence is flat and 2D, or he can't get out of the tram (and has been forced to hold on). In all seriousness, my grandfather was actually a tram conductor in Sydney, becoming a bus conductor when the trams went, and then a bus driver, which my father also does. Interesting fact, Australian bus models are generally in 1:76, probably as most Australian buses were based on British chassis (Leyland, AEC, Albion etc) well into the 70s, and so Australian models can make use of British toolings, which are in 1:76/OO.
Wow , a tram review. 🤤 Now , the finish of the body look good in my opinion , but one bogey drive , plastic/fixed trolleypole, no windows , no couplings surely doesn't worth $200. I have similar sized trams with functional metalic pantographs , diecast chassis , working tram couplings , 2 bogey drive , windows (partial interior because of the motor it couldn't have full interior) that I paid less than equivalent of $100. Ah , and they came with a trailer as well. PS: all of my H0/OO trams are analogue not digital , but this PCC is still not worth $200 consider the lack of details.
I've been interested in electric traction for over 60 years, Sam. And I've built an HO streetcar layout. But I must say that you were too generous in your ratings. 🙂 However, I can understand your point of view (seeing it as a novelty). And I very much appreciate you doing a review of this very important prototype from North American transit. It was key in saving the operations of many streetcar systems in the US, even though ultimately after WWII only a few survived. By the way, that current collection device is called a trolley pole. You can see examples of restored PCCs running today in San Fransico. Cheers from Wisconsin!
@@SamsTrains No videos on my channel, Sam. But a YT search will bring up the streetcars in San Francisco. They have quite a collection of preserved trolleys.
“They say that every year, the Streetcar of the Damned rides again, its driver staring hauntedly ahead as his tram rattles the dark shades of forsaken souls on to their fate beyond the pale…”
I like what @user-de1 said in their reply to "Faresplease" some tinkering in an effort to improve the model would be a fun project. First off get some coreless motors to greatly open the interior for detailing, Add seating and a good mix of passengers. Glazing with some window opening chamfering and proper led lighting above and at the ends with shielding and some brass doors.
hey sam! ive seen that in a lot of your latest videos some of the engines you reviwed were (from your ratings)... "Interestingly bad" so for a change, i would propose (if you want too, obviously) you review a Frateschi train set or locomotive, they arent the most detail locomotives, but the mechanism is jaw dropping for a train set that comes with 3 wagons/coaches, loco and track loop. And all of those sets usually cost around 100-120 usd. but if you only want the loco, its usually just 50usd. (sorry if my english is kinda bad, south american viewer here lol) Love your vids!!! hope you consider to one day review some frateschi stuff
As a road transport enthusiast, I do like to ride trams when I can. I have to agree with everything you say. The body is terrible. Plasticy. The sound, as you say is fairly realistic. the same with the lights. Trams don't usually pull carriages, Although, some can pull up to two cars, however, as far as I know, we don't have any of those in this country.
Not a bad unit at the cheapest price. It's the thing you could have running in the background of a town scene . I take it off your hands and donate to charity 😊
I model UK outline OO/HO Trams, and most of them have this chassis or the smaller by otherwise similar "Bogie Brill". I just use the analogue version of the chassis under British plastic kits. That, really, is all the things are fit for. If this was, say, a BoBo. locomotive, it wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. One thing I have found is that cornering on the stupidly small tramway corners (9inch radius!) is better if the powered bogie is at the back end, so it's pushing.
I appreciate your candid reviews. I'm confident I will never purchase any locomotive by Bachmann, and this is the final nail in the coffin for me. At the price they're asking, this thing is shameful.
I live near San Francisco and I can guarantee we have a lot of these streetcars in the city. Sam, now you need to try a San Francisco Cable Car from Bachmann.
That loco has been around for decades. In the 1980s we used to buy these for less than $10 just for the motor bogies. I live in California, by the way.
I actually got a red version of this model about 2 months ago, for the price I paid it actually wasn't so bad. It was my first DCC sounding electric locomotive. Sure the rrp is way overpriced but then again, isn't that the same for all locomotives. Also the sound works perfectly fine for me, with my model every time you stopped it you would hear a bell ring, and the pantagraph would make a electric sound every 15 seconds.
I liked that the pole flashed/ arked, when I get round to designing my own trams that's something I'll be adding, not so much inspiration from the rest of it though. ... have you ever tried the bachmann Hong Kong trams? I got one second hand in a 'Birkenhead corporation tramways' livery and its amazing, especially for what I paid. Smooth running, full detailed interior, directional running lights... there worth getting if you come across one. :)
As someone who has to go with a tram every day I have to say the sounds are spot on for this thing, otherwise it's a pile of garbage. Altho the trams we use here in Serbia are KT4 - YU and not those. Still similar sounding I guess.
hey sam the little bell you heard was the passenger stop signal. I grew up in these you would pull a cord that ran the length of the street car that signalled the driver to stop at next stop.
Hey Sam, it would be great if, for your reviews from next year you added a “after I’ve fixed it” section to the review so we can know how good it could go if some tlc was put into it. Ie for this one I feel if you worked on the mechanism and improved the pickups then it might have gone better. This isn’t something that reflects in the score (unless you added another category like “fixability”) but just so we know that even if it’s naff out the box it could be made to run well.
I have had one of these and run it on an analog layout. Most of the effects automatically work when on analog. I bought it a few years ago in San Diego for half the current MRP.
I'm not a fan of model trains, but watching some reviews feels like stepping into a whole different reality - especially in regards to electronics. Stuff like sound features shouldn't be treated as a big expense - all the hardware responsible for it likely amounts to a few dollars of difference. This stuff is extremely cheap, so manufacturers probably do it to make price brackets and upcharge for the "premium sound experience". Which kind of adds insult to injury to the already eye-watering price here lol
You're absolutely right - the mark ups on cheap model train technology marketed as complicated and expensive pieces of equipment are crazy! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
A thought came into me Sam in regards to 3d printing. The Hornby E2s are no longer in stock, and I thought, why not design and make an E2 and compare it with the Hornby one?
$229 rrp?!!!!! Thats mental! And despite that, its a pretty rubbish loco - i saw the title of the video and knew we'd all have a little chuckle! Great video as always sam
Bachmann US just jacks up the price of the RRP on its website and in its magazines. If you pay that for a Bachmann model, you've done it wrong.i know of three local hobby shops by me that sell these, and they range between $50 and $90. This is normal and expected to make new customers think they are getting a killer deal, not because anyone thinks this is worth $230 bucks.
keep an eye out, got one for about half
Yeah it's the same story with most Bachmann products - though plenty of stores do charge close to the RRP - you can find these over £150 in some shops... crazy ripoff!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Love when someone thinks that is a base for their used price, not knowing the sale price is allot less
@@SamsTrainsIt's a very, very old model. These used to be sold in the $25-$35 range about 15-20 years ago. At that price, it was fair for what you got. The same happened with their modern line of diesels. They were entry level but at very, very fair prices, but then, they started to price them the same than quality models. It's just sad.
Fun fact: the PCC cars that ran in Boston were the only ones to feature a door on the left for Subway use. We are still running these PCC cars on the Mattapan High Speed Line.
I went to boston for the sole purpose of riding this line lol
Back when I lived in Boston we called them trolleys. Do you guys still call them that?
@@edwardmiessner6502 Yes most people still call them trolleys. The PCC is a true trolley having the old school trolley Pole. When I was younger I even was referred to the green line LRV cars as a trolley even though they technically have a
pantograph.
Shaker Heights line in Cleveland purchased new PCC’s that also had left side center doors. But then they were not used. Used cars added to the fleet did not have the left side center doors.
The tooling for this dates back 40+ years with only a slight change to the chassis. I remember these new at $20. The interesting thing about this for UK modellers is that the chassis is almost a perfect fit to motorize the Hadfields Balloon Tram kit
haha yeah you can totally tell - and interesting, it sure is a very compact chassis!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains just a thought, take it apart. Do some major detailing on it. Get rid of the silhouettes. Put some window glazing, add some passengers sitting on seats even though the seats will have to be scratch built. Is there a way you could rewire it so the lights come from above. Maybe you could get rid of the doors and put in doors that look realistic, as opposed to molded in there with the rest of the body. You could have a decent looking model. Just a suggestion. Have a blessed day everyone.
@@user-de1hg8cf6b At that point, might as well do a scratch build
Bachmann USA does this "marketing strategy" where the RRP in their own website is ludicrously high but extremely low on the retailers, so that you get the illusion of a bargain deal.
Bachmann's PRR GG1 that you have reviewed comes with a $249 for the DC version, but its only around $99 at the retailers.
Yeah that's right - though some retailers do charge close to the RRP - Jadlam in the UK seem to be charging over £150 for one D:
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I was lucky enough to meet Sam at the NEC on Sunday. A lovely guy and very happy to chat about our hobby. Keep up the good work Sam
Ahh it was a pleasure to meet you Kevin, hope you had a fantastic time at Warley!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Sam, you really need to scan and copy that little Bachman driver and hide him in locos when you do a running session! Like where’s wally? 😂
Good idea actually 😊
Let's call the driver "Motorman Marvin" as trolley drivers were more commonly called motormen
The body on this thing dates back to the 1980s. It only got a DCC Sound version in 2017 (it did not appear in the 2016 catalog)
I have three of the original versions which have bogies that make the model sit a bit too high, pancake motors on the rear truck with split chassis, and all-wheel pickup without any cracks in the axles.
The sound played at F2 might be for the PA announcements, F3 is the doors, F5 might be heater, air conditioning, or compressor. I am disappointed there isn't traction motor or clickety-clack noises while the car is moving, something you definitely hear when you're standing near a real trolley.
Bachmann has made a keep-alive system for their newer DCC sound models, which was probably a result of this model.
I believe this model is meant for a trolley loop in the town of a railway layout, rather than a trolley-centric layout in which you would opt for better cars from Bowser or brass and kitbuilt models.
hahaha that sounds fine by me - Motorman Marvin it is! Thanks a lot for the extra info, much appreciated!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains And for an interurban or rural trolley centric like yours a modern LRV (Light Rail Vehicle) might be more appropriate.
The second bell is probably an internal bell when a passenger wants to get off the tram. There would have been a pull cord or in later trams a button for requesting a stop
Ahh that's a very good thought - yes I bet you're right!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I was thinking the small beep was a fare box accepting fare. But that’s what modern fare box’s do now. Not sure with the 1930’s-40’s boxes would sound like. Sparky thing on the trolley pole is ok. Bachmann in my eyes tried to lure you in with features but they absolutely refuse to correct any running and reliability issues. Nice video however
So like a bus
I remember considering getting a n scale version of this car but when I asked people if I should they told me to avoid these at all costs, I now understand why
I have the N scale petter wilt trolly and it’s actually a very good runner and an affordable DCC “train” of you can find it for about 90 bucks go for it. Unless you’re really looking for an inner urban trolly though I’d say pass on it.
I own a DC powered n scale one and it actually runs very smooth. Paid $50 for it. Obviously just don’t pay for the whole msrp, then i believe you’ll be pretty happy with it
Ooh in N scale - is it similar in N scale??
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
i recall i considered buying one of these at a model train store but when i asked them to test run it a wheel fell off. later on at another show i bought just the shell of the trolley and i plan to fit it onto one of those japanese N scale motor chassis
Couplings - not unrealistic to have couplings but would definitely be unrealistic to have standard gauge railway couplings. Some PCC had simple fitting to attach a towing bar & some PCC had multiple unit couplings with electrical control and braking contacts.
Duly noted Scott, thanks for the info!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Mate, this is hilarious 😂 How they think they can get away with £200+ for this I have no clue! But that driver though 😂😂😂 Having said that the pantograph spark is awesome, I'm surprised Accura haven't come out with something similar tbh.
I got one for about half that though
hahaha I know - bonkers isn't it! The driver is so awful... yet the sparking pole is one of the best things I've seen!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains just hope to get the right, one of my orders had a switch, they replaced the normal one with a last generation one, no sound, no DCC
@@billfusionenterprise Something like that happened to me as well. I bought 2 wooden railway trains, and I got 2 of one of them. I wanted a diesel powered freight train and a steam powered train. I got 2 diesels. Bummer! Cory Mears
These cars only ever would have operated in the forward direction, as unlike some other trolleys these don't have a cab at both ends. The most backing up they ever would have done is for a hostling move in a yard or shop. Therefore they weren't built in real life with bidirectional lighting. They also didn't typically have whistles, which explains the lack of one. The first bell is an exterior bell, and the second quieter bell was the stop bell (passenger would pull a cord or press a button at their seat to signal they want to get off). The "pantograph" on a trolley is known as a Trolley Pole. Hope this bit of info helps!
That style of pantograph is known a trolley pole, it has a groove in the top to hold onto the wire, trolleybuses also have them, hence the name.
I think this is a model that has been in production since forever, maybe 30 years or more, but possibly updated and improved at some point. I believe that it is quite common in the USA for items to be advertised at ridiculous prices just so the traders can pretend to be providing massive discounts.
By the way, PCCs can still be found in every day service in Philadelphia, San Francisco and in the suburbs of Boston and I think also in El Paso and San Diego. They are pretty much indestructible and offer levels of comfort that are still beyond many modern designs.
A good review of this model overall Sam, while it may not be the best model out there that LED on the trolley pole is a very nice thing to have, I have seen a lot of British modellers add small blue LEDs to pantographs and third rail shoes on British locomotives and EMUs and when they are running those little flashes of blue light make it look really cool, it may not be a good model but at least it does have quite a cool feature which to be honest would be good to see a lot more on various electric locomotives, EMUs, trams or trolleys.
Thanks David - I agree - the sound and pole lighting is fantastic... but the rest just absolutely sucks!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Funny Story Sam, I actually had one of these, but the motor was so bad it made a buzzing noise. I remember always called it the buzz tram, lol.
Cheers Jasper & Willow
haha that sounds about right - I'm guessing that was an older version??
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I've got an old version with the split chassis ringfield motor, the motor is geared down with umpteen cogs and it quite...rather... very loud!
Defintely does not deserve that 4.93 score! As someone who owns three of these models and runs the prototypes at a museum they're not too bad. True the $229 MSRP is outrageous but thats why I buy from Trainworld. As far as the functions go they are: F0- lights, F1- bell, F2- stop buzzer, F3- doors open/close, F4- raise/lower trolley pole, F5- motor generator
Yes the pole does spark but to do so F4 must be enabled (how's it gonna spark if the pole isn't connected to the overhead?) I see the bachmann model as a play-value, cost-effective version of more expensive brass models and would reccomend them.
It should be called the snot boxcar
Come on, mate... That detail is pitiful. And the driver and passengers drawn on is just inexcusable. This looks like a $15-20 toy for young children.
0.93 would me more appropriate given the overscale window frames. Are Bachmann trying to emulate Hornby in the overpriced trash models market?!! ,@@peterwebster3076
haha it definitely does deserve it... I was generous if anything... but that's just my point of view... if you enjoy the model that's absolutely fine of course!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Saw you at Warley on Sunday but didn't want to interrupt the filming - was a pleasure to see you there!!
I started this just for the reaction of Sam to the Naffness, but got the always amusing bonus of the little catalogue paper as well 😂
If this model is still in that position at the end of the year you are going to have a real problem “punishing” it, as you just said you like it!
Lots of fun as always.
Best
Hi Sam, I’m a big fan of your reviews, many of them are superb and over the years they have guided me to purchasing many locomotives, many have helped me steer away from not so good offerings, for this one today I have no words! Bachmann have a very dark side that reminds me of the kind of model railway items you would find at a Sunday market, keep up the good work, thanks for sharing.
25:43 the led flashed on the fishing rod when you re-railed it.
I feel another Sam's production coming, a remake of A Streetcar Named Desire called A Streetcar Named Disappointment.
Not only are PCC Streetcars still around, but you can still use them in normal service; In San Francisco, they operate the F Market & Wharves, including the world-famous Pier 39 - their other route (the E Embarcadero) is still suspended post-Covid, while in Boston they work a self-contained extension of the Red Line, the Mattapan High-Speed(?) Line between Ashmont and Mattapan.
I think the price he paid for it is fair, in my opinion. Anymore I wouldn't pay for it. It's a good model for one it is. Being from Chicago, Illinois, and being a fan of railways in Toronto, Canada. I love anything that has to do with PCC Streetcars. I'm glad you got to review this. Also, could you do more Canadian locomotives, please? Great work, as always. RailYard
I’m pretty sure the original Bachmann PCC dates back to at least the 1970s, back in the era when the name Bachmann was synonymous with cheap plastic toys. They didn’t start getting a reputation for quality in the US until they introduced their Spectrum line in the late 1990s, which I guess was also around the time they started getting into the British market. Over the last 20 years or so, they also started upgrading these older toy… er… models with better motors and mechanisms, and DCC. The old PCC version had a pancake motor that basically had three speeds, stop, warp 10, and burned out. it had shiny metal wheels that were glaringly obvious because of the inside-frame trucks (and no attempt to model the wheel detail or the brake rigging as on your newer version), and a ride height that would be ok if the passengers were all championship pole vaulters. The trolley pole was just plastic, and usually warped pretty badly. No LED to simulate arcing back then. The only change to the body itself is that there was originally only one mounting screw, in the middle. This had to be replaced with the current setup with one at each end to make room for the speaker. You could typically get them for $20 or $30.
You guessed right on the pricing Sam, most of it went on the sound board. You used to be able to pick up the analogue DC version of these for less the £20. Even at that price the frosted windows and driver put it in the Naff category. I can see why the did it, it was the only way to hide those bogies inside the body. You would honestly have thought that going to the expense of putting in the sound decoder they could have splashed out on a sub floor motor bogie like the SPUD.
Brought one of those new for £75. Dcc sound fitted and sparking pano pick up. I used the chassis and all the dcc sound parts to power up a corgi 00 gauge Blackpool tram.
You are merciful and wise. The phrases “plastic tat” and “pants” must have been mentioned off camera!
That printed cardboard insert, of passengers and driver, reminds me of a Corgi juniors toy bus I had as a kid.
Thankfully I don’t care to model street cars. 😂 Also, that Marklin/Trix HO Scale Flying Scotsman doesn’t look too bad. If you can find one for a decent enough price, I think you should get one.
haha I don't blame you! I'm not sure about that... I thought they did look pretty bad for what they cost - but if I'm right they should come down in price pretty soon!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains The Markin / Trix Flying Scotsman is pitched toward German modellers plus it’s part of a set of releases themed around ‘rail legends’ for the collector market and not everyday modellers. I also understand that German model trains have traditionally been (and still are) much more expensive than the UK market will tolerate but have no problem selling to their intended auidance.
They have been selling these for years. About 20 years ago I was buying these for about £25 to £35 each, and fitted dozons of them to Corgi die cast Blackpool Balloon and Brush Railcars.
The PCC car bodies are very light plastic but with the die cast Corgi bodies on, they ran beautifully; very smooth and fairly quiet.
The only down sides were wheel cleaning and only one bogie powered!
John Harrison. Wallasey
Hahaha Sam! If I had that tram I'd remove the creepy driver up front and replace him with a picture of you... instantly increases the value... LOL!
Hi Sam. You've inspired me to get back into the model railway hobby and create my own model railway channel.
I may do some reviews, some challenges and customs.
My friend and I worked on a PCC car a few years ago for the Baltimore street car museum......former New Jersey Transit car #26.......took two years to get it painted.
Whato Sam,
A quick word on jargon: the thing on top you call a pantograph is actually called a boom. Well it was when I was involved in preserving trolleybuses many years ago.
The other old tram type was a little more awkward to convert, but I used them on plastic kit bogie trams.
The best I found was an Underground Ernie 4-wheeler service car.
I used these on several Keil Craft plastic 4-wheel British tram kits. These were very smooth and ran very well
John Harrison. WALLASEY
Thanks you Sam. I haven’t laughed this much in a very long time. When you showed the driver started laughing out loud literally
Book suggestions for people interested in PCC cars: 'An American Original The PCC Car' by Seymour Kashin & Harre Demoro, 1986, Interurban Press, &, 'PCC From Coast to Coast' by Fred W. Schneider III and Stephen P. Carlson, 1983 by Interurban Press.
A streetcar nobody desires
That led in the pantograph would make a good one minute wonder video
J G Brill was a manufacturer in the US of tramcars. Many British cars ran on Brill-designed trucks (truck is the word for the underframe).
Would be genuinely fun to see you take this as inspiration, and 3D Resin Print and Design your own Sam's Trains Tram that would exceed this Bachmann PCC Streetcar in detail, and design.
I picked one of these up at a train show for cheap (about $50 a couple years ago), mostly just for the novelty. I worked with a real one at a museum and the one I bought is in the same paint. The detail is horrible but mine does run well. Sadly there's very few RTR models of streetcars/interurbans/traction, maybe these can inspire people to model this stuff.
On another note, Bachmann uses the same boxes for a lot of models, that doesn't excuse lying but that's the reason.
Ahh sounds good - for a $50 novelty it's absolutely fine... it's when some people pay more than 4x that where the problems start. Glad to hear yours runs well too!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Yeah, Bachmann in the USA have become very well known for taking a 30 (or 40, or 50...) year old model, applying a few very incremental upgrades, then sticking a thoroughly modern RRP on the box.
They have produced some true gems (like the Siemens Chargers) but those go for even more, if you can believe it, and aren't discounted nearly as much at the retailers. For all that, they too have some annoying quirks with their DCC effects which mean I need to keep the manual in hand for a bit at the start of every session to see what random thing needs to be turned on or off this time.
This model is a miniature of a Saint Louis Car Company "all-electric" PCC trolley not tram. Tomato-tomato. Pullman Standard also made PCCs but were a little more boxier. Brill Company also made a streamline trolley somewhat like a PCC called a Brilliner. PCCs cars were license and if one wanted to build a PCC they had to pay a royalty to the Committe who designed them. Brill refused to pay, hence they were not PCCs.
All US PCCs were delivered with "trolley poles" not Panagraph's and ran on over-head wire not catenary. Washington DC's trolley system also used a different electric collection system inside DC, but used trolley poles on most of the system.
San Diego did have PCCs in this paint scheme, but they were "air-electric" cars meaning air was used to open/close the doors. Same body shape but no "standee" windows over the normal windows.
Bachmann makes great HO train products, but not in the case of these cars. For about 1/2 the price you can get a non-DCC Bowser or at the same price a Bowser PCC.
Bachmann's San Francisco streetcar is really nice. I've had mine for many years, with no issues.
Is it?? Better than this one then?
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
For $ 229 It should have opening doors and a block of passengers getting down and up.
hahaha I agree!!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
This was the very first model I bought as a kid, think I got it for 45 dollars, (non DCC version) I was so excited. Still have it even though I run N scale now. As the first model I was able to purchase I will always treasure it.
Ahh interesting - what year would this have been then? Interested to know how long this was around for!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains it must’ve been around 2012 or 2013. But I know the models been around a lot longer then that In the US. It’s definitely meant to be a beginners model/toy. I would have loved to have all the sounds and lights that this version comes with as a kid. I don’t think anyone actually buys these at retail price.
Yeah $100 for that is actually, about right, and honestly it sounds like a case of marking the normal price as a 'sale' price. But yeah, while these are fairly basic models, they're not terribly inaccurate for the real thing, the real PCC street cars look quite simple.
It doesn't look too terrible to me, but I don't think I'd fancy running that thing in the dark. The spots of electricity popping on and off scared me a bit, making me think a thunderstorm had broken out in the loft. Imagine you had shrunk yourself down, tripped over the track and got splattered by an oncoming steamy named Erlestoke Manor. Would you find that funny?
“Maybe this will be decent.”
Famous last words lol… This is gonna be a great review. Best part of my day!
Thanks, Sam,
Trevor
1 is bell. 2 is stop request 3 is door open/close for pole up( which activates the spark ) also pole down ( spark deactivate) 5 is the GM ( Generator motor )
The first model train I ever owned was a variant of one of these. I got it for a much better price and absolutely loved it.
You're the second person to say that - I guess they do make a good beginner loco, especially at a fairer price!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I'd say that the "model-world" has insane prices recently.
Also its a shame that the US let their once huge, and famous tram system (coverage) basically to go 99% extinct!
Livery is San Diego. Yes, I think this is a very old casting (including the white windows with silhouettes) from the 1980s with a new chassis.
Sam,some items,1) AS noted,Tyco& AHM,had those cars in the 1970's,and they also had the LRV Articulated cars,[Boeing-Vertol],that ran in Boston and San Francisco 😳! 2) Boston PCC'S from 3001 on,were equipped for multiple unit service(correction-3002),and also equipped with a left hand door,for subway service in the Tremont subway! 3)There were PCC'S equipped with Pantagraphs,which ran in Pittsburgh,also in subway service[yes,Pittsburgh has a streetcar subway],so also lately,San Diego has Pantagraph equipped PCC'S running on a heritage line! This should fill in gaps in the essays! Thanks for an excellent critique of a old head model! Thank you 😇 😊!
all US PCCS were "Trolley pole" (as this model) and not a pantograph. Pittsburgh got pans on their cars during the changeover to a LRV trolley system. Not sure if Boston ever used pans on PCCs. I would bet a paycheck though they never used a Panagraph PCC in revenue service if at all.
You can get a much superior Bowser PCC trolley for considerably less. The detail on this is about the same as the Tyco/AHM/Bachmann trolleys that were around when I was a kid, complete with the silhouettes on the windows. At least the slow speed is more realistic than the older models, which tended to be ridiculously speedy, though great for staging trolley/auto "accidents" on my childhood layout.
To answer your question, the single arms are not pantographs. Those generally have 4 spring-loaded arms with elbows and one or two pick-up bars across their top.
Your comment is hilarious or in other words extremely amusing.....lol..... Does it have hairy arms and legs? Does it have housemaid's elbows? Any tattoos on those arms? Let's get something straight here. What you are calling "arms" are trolley poles. The pole has a shoe with a carbon insert. The shoe runs along the underside of the copper trolley wire to receive the 600 volts of electricity to power the trolley car. In the old days, bronze trolley wheels were used. But trolley shoes are easier on the wire.
And just for your information, there seems to be some confusion on what to call the operator of a trolley car. The person is NOT a driver !! You don't "drive" a rail vehicle in North America. In the UK, maybe. The proper name here is motorman. And now since so many women are operating rail vehicles, the term operator is used. And by the way, electric trains and subway trains don't have engineers. There is no engine. They are motorman or operator. It galls me when I hear clueless people talking about things that they know nothing about.
And let's get to that "sparking" trolley pole. That is an electrical arc, not a spark.
Current Transportation authorities that use PCCs today are SEPTA for route 15 (not this very second, but they are returning) and in San Francisco with heritage routes.
I love how one bogie is lower the other so the whole think leans forward
I had a feeling that crazed caterpillar was going to come out. Seems appropriate for this vid.
The driver should be called “Albert the Scrap (or many Steam Tram) Hunter” . He goes around at night, hunting non-electric trams and using their parts to make a hunting team. He battles with the Scrap-Man, his childhood rival and equal in insanity. By day a simple driver, but anything but, when the night falls…
The passengers remind me of my tinplate models from the 1950s. The powered underframe would be useful for building a 4mm Glasgow tram.
Perhaps these were designed to be inserted in a Christmas cracker along with a party hat and joke and then discarded at the end of Christmas dinner😂😂
Sam’s unhinged rants about the catalogs always have me rolling on the floor laughing
13:23 Grumpy McGrumpface- either he's unhappy with the model of tram he's driving, that his existence is flat and 2D, or he can't get out of the tram (and has been forced to hold on). In all seriousness, my grandfather was actually a tram conductor in Sydney, becoming a bus conductor when the trams went, and then a bus driver, which my father also does. Interesting fact, Australian bus models are generally in 1:76, probably as most Australian buses were based on British chassis (Leyland, AEC, Albion etc) well into the 70s, and so Australian models can make use of British toolings, which are in 1:76/OO.
Wow , a tram review. 🤤 Now , the finish of the body look good in my opinion , but one bogey drive , plastic/fixed trolleypole, no windows , no couplings surely doesn't worth $200. I have similar sized trams with functional metalic pantographs , diecast chassis , working tram couplings , 2 bogey drive , windows (partial interior because of the motor it couldn't have full interior) that I paid less than equivalent of $100. Ah , and they came with a trailer as well. PS: all of my H0/OO trams are analogue not digital , but this PCC is still not worth $200 consider the lack of details.
I've been interested in electric traction for over 60 years, Sam. And I've built an HO streetcar layout. But I must say that you were too generous in your ratings. 🙂 However, I can understand your point of view (seeing it as a novelty). And I very much appreciate you doing a review of this very important prototype from North American transit. It was key in saving the operations of many streetcar systems in the US, even though ultimately after WWII only a few survived. By the way, that current collection device is called a trolley pole. You can see examples of restored PCCs running today in San Fransico. Cheers from Wisconsin!
That sounds awesome Andrew - are there any videos of that on your channel? haha maybe I was a little generous!!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains No videos on my channel, Sam. But a YT search will bring up the streetcars in San Francisco. They have quite a collection of preserved trolleys.
“They say that every year, the Streetcar of the Damned rides again, its driver staring hauntedly ahead as his tram rattles the dark shades of forsaken souls on to their fate beyond the pale…”
If i remember right, the second sound is a stop request effect. and yeah, the body tooling is decades old.
Caterpillar train: I'm the worst pile of plastic masquerading as a train
Streetcar : Hold my beer
I like what @user-de1 said in their reply to "Faresplease" some tinkering in an effort to improve the model would be a fun project. First off get some coreless motors to greatly open the interior for detailing, Add seating and a good mix of passengers. Glazing with some window opening chamfering and proper led lighting above and at the ends with shielding and some brass doors.
hey sam! ive seen that in a lot of your latest videos some of the engines you reviwed were (from your ratings)... "Interestingly bad"
so for a change, i would propose (if you want too, obviously) you review a Frateschi train set or locomotive, they arent the most detail locomotives, but the mechanism is jaw dropping for a train set that comes with 3 wagons/coaches, loco and track loop. And all of those sets usually cost around 100-120 usd.
but if you only want the loco, its usually just 50usd.
(sorry if my english is kinda bad, south american viewer here lol) Love your vids!!! hope you consider to one day review some frateschi stuff
Pretty neat flashing on that DALEK plunger thingy. Other than that, well, £30.00 perhaps. No more. All the best.
As a road transport enthusiast, I do like to ride trams when I can. I have to agree with everything you say. The body is terrible. Plasticy. The sound, as you say is fairly realistic. the same with the lights. Trams don't usually pull carriages, Although, some can pull up to two cars, however, as far as I know, we don't have any of those in this country.
Not a bad unit at the cheapest price. It's the thing you could have running in the background of a town scene . I take it off your hands and donate to charity 😊
I model UK outline OO/HO Trams, and most of them have this chassis or the smaller by otherwise similar "Bogie Brill". I just use the analogue version of the chassis under British plastic kits. That, really, is all the things are fit for. If this was, say, a BoBo. locomotive, it wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. One thing I have found is that cornering on the stupidly small tramway corners (9inch radius!) is better if the powered bogie is at the back end, so it's pushing.
It's not a pantograph, it's a trolley pole.
And it doesn't have directional lighting because it's not double ended.
The type of current collector on the roof of that trolley is called a TROLLEY POLE.
I appreciate your candid reviews. I'm confident I will never purchase any locomotive by Bachmann, and this is the final nail in the coffin for me. At the price they're asking, this thing is shameful.
Surely the driver is called Rocky? His surname is even written on the side - Balboa.
I live near San Francisco and I can guarantee we have a lot of these streetcars in the city. Sam, now you need to try a San Francisco Cable Car from Bachmann.
That loco has been around for decades. In the 1980s we used to buy these for less than $10 just for the motor bogies. I live in California, by the way.
sam that look like what the shadow figure on the paranormal get around in with just seeing the black figures at the windows
I actually got a red version of this model about 2 months ago, for the price I paid it actually wasn't so bad. It was my first DCC sounding electric locomotive. Sure the rrp is way overpriced but then again, isn't that the same for all locomotives. Also the sound works perfectly fine for me, with my model every time you stopped it you would hear a bell ring, and the pantagraph would make a electric sound every 15 seconds.
I liked that the pole flashed/ arked, when I get round to designing my own trams that's something I'll be adding, not so much inspiration from the rest of it though. ... have you ever tried the bachmann Hong Kong trams? I got one second hand in a 'Birkenhead corporation tramways' livery and its amazing, especially for what I paid. Smooth running, full detailed interior, directional running lights... there worth getting if you come across one. :)
As someone who has to go with a tram every day I have to say the sounds are spot on for this thing, otherwise it's a pile of garbage. Altho the trams we use here in Serbia are KT4 - YU and not those. Still similar sounding I guess.
hey sam the little bell you heard was the passenger stop signal. I grew up in these you would pull a cord that ran the length of the street car that signalled the driver to stop at next stop.
The driver looks a bit like Blakey from On The Buses lol Great review as always Sam
Hey Sam, it would be great if, for your reviews from next year you added a “after I’ve fixed it” section to the review so we can know how good it could go if some tlc was put into it. Ie for this one I feel if you worked on the mechanism and improved the pickups then it might have gone better. This isn’t something that reflects in the score (unless you added another category like “fixability”) but just so we know that even if it’s naff out the box it could be made to run well.
I feel like Naffty would be a good name for the driver :)
The motor man looks like Kryton from the TV show Red Dwarf.
best part of that video was the "arc" under the bookcase... i could watch that all day long
I have had one of these and run it on an analog layout. Most of the effects automatically work when on analog. I bought it a few years ago in San Diego for half the current MRP.
35:19 That flash in the shadows as it makes the curve beneath your shelving...
36:17 Rubbish? Awe, poor Captain Slowin Twodee driver. 🤪
All joking aside that spark effect is seriously good.
Awesome video today Sam really nice modle and nice features
I'm not a fan of model trains, but watching some reviews feels like stepping into a whole different reality - especially in regards to electronics. Stuff like sound features shouldn't be treated as a big expense - all the hardware responsible for it likely amounts to a few dollars of difference. This stuff is extremely cheap, so manufacturers probably do it to make price brackets and upcharge for the "premium sound experience". Which kind of adds insult to injury to the already eye-watering price here lol
You're absolutely right - the mark ups on cheap model train technology marketed as complicated and expensive pieces of equipment are crazy!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
A thought came into me Sam in regards to 3d printing. The Hornby E2s are no longer in stock, and I thought, why not design and make an E2 and compare it with the Hornby one?
Sam u need to add the spark to simulate 3rd rail to a dmu would be amazeing to see that