ooof! more than ScaleTrains?! I'm probably going to purchase maybe another dozen coil cars and thought if the Bachmann offering was reasonable - it might be a good substitute for ScaleTrains because the car looked decent and a train of those wouldn't necessarily be bad. But I definitely wouldn't pay that price for them - Make it $25 bucks and I'm in but the ScaleTrain cars are beautiful and I'll gladly spend the $35-40 for them. Bachmann might need to go back to R&D and marketing on this one! Thanks for the review and saving me $50!
Glad to have spent the money so you don't have to ;). Thinking about a half dozen of these coming in at north of $240 just sort of induces nausea. I kind of saw this coming after years of watching some of the British model railroad channels, where likewise the MSRPs for Bachmann items have been kind of extreme. It really does eliminate the rationale for getting what are otherwise pretty sturdy and decent models, at least until (and if) retailers start to discount them further in order to move product.
Interesting review. It is scary how much these things cost. That is probably why most of my stuff came from ebay. I got some brand new nice basic waggons and carriages from Germany not long ago for only 9.99€
Hi Mel, glad you're finding good stuff on eBay. I've found it pretty hit or miss (speaking at least for the US version of eBay). Back in the mid-teens I could find big lots of Micro-Trains cars for essentially a song, now it seems at least for many US models that the pricing advantage of getting either used or new old-stock items has diminished, with a lot of models just being utterly overpriced! I haven't looked at European models much on that site, or whether the secondary model train market in the EU is maybe a bit more rationally priced than in the US.
Nice job being objective, The one main thing not to buy them is the coupler pocket, way too long. I was surprised to see the cost, on my layout I have a large steel mill and can use some more coil cars but will buy others. I am looking for ore cars and the Atlas ones have the same issue with the coupler pocket too long, thoughts??
I have a few of the Atlas ore cars as well so I know what you mean. Regarding the ore car, the pocket on the red caboose models (closest to this prototype) are not quite as long. I'd bet the pockets could be cut down and the couplers replaced with a shorter shank version, or even just converted to truck-mounted couplers. Given N scale couplers are already out of scale, adding further length between cars just disrupts the realism.
@@ChicagoCrossingRR MMR had an article on modifying couplers for more closer coupler position. still am looking for a better ore car for the steel mill.
Hi Eric, Wow is an understatement! Way over priced. Glad I loaded up years back on Red Caboose coil cars with late 60’s and 70’s era roads…. Take care Scott
Seriously - those were excellent models, I have a couple of them and quite frankly they don't look much different than the model shown here in terms of detail and quality. Really is a puzzle how a manufacturer can charge this much for a mid-range model.
Hi Eric and all. Are Bachman made in China too ? May be they protected themself with container shipping costs that went to the roof in recent years ? Oh enjoy Christmas season and don´t forget to buy, buy a lot before end of january with theoretical extra import from China taxes. Total bill could be more astronomical with the new government.
Bachmann, Atlas and ScaleTrains models shown here are all made overseas in China. With that in mind, I'm not sure geopolitics is playing a role in making Bachmann more expensive than ScaleTrains.
The ScaleTrains models are Thrall cars, the Bachmann are models of Evans cars. I have older Evans models from Red Caboose and they're about the same in terms of tooling and build as the Bachmann.
@@davebnsfnscale4433 almost exactly so Dave. They’re both prototype Evans cars, when I looked at my red caboose coil car it was evident these may be different toolings but pretty much same detail level and overall impression. Another indictment of the price point to be sure.
I like all of your videos because I always pick up on different things I had not seen before.
Thanks Bruce, glad you enjoy!
ooof! more than ScaleTrains?! I'm probably going to purchase maybe another dozen coil cars and thought if the Bachmann offering was reasonable - it might be a good substitute for ScaleTrains because the car looked decent and a train of those wouldn't necessarily be bad. But I definitely wouldn't pay that price for them - Make it $25 bucks and I'm in but the ScaleTrain cars are beautiful and I'll gladly spend the $35-40 for them. Bachmann might need to go back to R&D and marketing on this one! Thanks for the review and saving me $50!
I agree. Bachmann pricing is approaching Scale Trains and Rapido for much lower level details
Glad to have spent the money so you don't have to ;). Thinking about a half dozen of these coming in at north of $240 just sort of induces nausea. I kind of saw this coming after years of watching some of the British model railroad channels, where likewise the MSRPs for Bachmann items have been kind of extreme. It really does eliminate the rationale for getting what are otherwise pretty sturdy and decent models, at least until (and if) retailers start to discount them further in order to move product.
Interesting review. It is scary how much these things cost. That is probably why most of my stuff came from ebay. I got some brand new nice basic waggons and carriages from Germany not long ago for only 9.99€
Hi Mel, glad you're finding good stuff on eBay. I've found it pretty hit or miss (speaking at least for the US version of eBay). Back in the mid-teens I could find big lots of Micro-Trains cars for essentially a song, now it seems at least for many US models that the pricing advantage of getting either used or new old-stock items has diminished, with a lot of models just being utterly overpriced! I haven't looked at European models much on that site, or whether the secondary model train market in the EU is maybe a bit more rationally priced than in the US.
Nice job being objective, The one main thing not to buy them is the coupler pocket, way too long. I was surprised to see the cost, on my layout I have a large steel mill and can use some more coil cars but will buy others. I am looking for ore cars and the Atlas ones have the same issue with the coupler pocket too long, thoughts??
I have a few of the Atlas ore cars as well so I know what you mean. Regarding the ore car, the pocket on the red caboose models (closest to this prototype) are not quite as long. I'd bet the pockets could be cut down and the couplers replaced with a shorter shank version, or even just converted to truck-mounted couplers. Given N scale couplers are already out of scale, adding further length between cars just disrupts the realism.
@@ChicagoCrossingRR MMR had an article on modifying couplers for more closer coupler position. still am looking for a better ore car for the steel mill.
So a reason to get one (and only one) might be to add a bit of variety?
As far as value is concerned these models aren't really great, but if you want a particular car on the layout they'll be more than serviceable.
Hi Eric,
Wow is an understatement! Way over priced. Glad I loaded up years back on Red Caboose coil cars with late 60’s and 70’s era roads….
Take care
Scott
Seriously - those were excellent models, I have a couple of them and quite frankly they don't look much different than the model shown here in terms of detail and quality. Really is a puzzle how a manufacturer can charge this much for a mid-range model.
Hi Eric and all.
Are Bachman made in China too ? May be they protected themself with container shipping costs that went to the roof in recent years ?
Oh enjoy Christmas season and don´t forget to buy, buy a lot before end of january with theoretical extra import from China taxes.
Total bill could be more astronomical with the new government.
Bachmann, Atlas and ScaleTrains models shown here are all made overseas in China. With that in mind, I'm not sure geopolitics is playing a role in making Bachmann more expensive than ScaleTrains.
Are the Bachmann cars the same prototype as the cars you compare them to?
The ScaleTrains models are Thrall cars, the Bachmann are models of Evans cars. I have older Evans models from Red Caboose and they're about the same in terms of tooling and build as the Bachmann.
Looks alot like the old Red Caboose models
@@davebnsfnscale4433 almost exactly so Dave. They’re both prototype Evans cars, when I looked at my red caboose coil car it was evident these may be different toolings but pretty much same detail level and overall impression. Another indictment of the price point to be sure.