American HO steam question

[NZRedBaron]

I hope I don't sound confrontational, but..... do American companies even make steam locomotives anymore, for the budget/'just getting into the hobby' end of the market?

 

I've looked around as many different manufacturers as I could find, and it's just an endless sea of EMD carbodies and 'Geeps', that or modern diesels; and when I specifically look for steam, it seems to be nothing other than 'Wild West' 4-4-0's, USRA switchers, and the UP 'Big Boy', with almost no variety, and all going at 'silly money' prices to boot.

[long island jack]

Bachmann do cheaper steam engines, not sure how go they are

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=258_276

[pH]

5 hours ago, long island jack said:

Bachmann do cheaper steam engines, not sure how go they are

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=258_276

In general, Bachmann USA products are not as well thought of as those of Bachmann UK. However, their diesels are perfectly functional - I’ve no experience of their steam models.

[F-UnitMad]

I think the Bachmann 'Spectrum' models are regarded as better than ordinary Bachmann? Not sure, as it's not my sphere of interest really.

The trouble partly, as I understand it, is that US Steam locos tended to be very specific to each Railroad, even if built by a company such as Alco or Baldwin, so 'generic' models aren't that successful on the market. We are assured that the 'Transition' steam-to-diesel Era is still the most popular with modellers, yet as this was mostly the 1940s/50s in the USA, that is getting close to being beyond living memory these days. With the apparent dearth of steam loco models, perhaps the real 'most popular' Era is now 1st generation diesel/1960s, which has the space-saving benefit of shorter 40ft rolling stock, although space saving is, I suspect, more of a concern in the UK rather than the USA. That era though, like the BR 'green diesel' era, was basically still the old steam railway, with all the traditional operating practices & procedures - some of which are very appealling in modelling terms - just using diesels instead.

[PaulRhB]

1 hour ago, pH said:

In general, Bachmann USA products are not as well thought of as those of Bachmann UK. However, their diesels are perfectly functional - I’ve no experience of their steam models.

The more basic Bachmann steam have been redone in recent years and sold with budget sound too. As long as you get the newer stock, usually in Red boxes they are decent running models. Then there’s the more specific spectrum range which is a fair bit more. 
 

I’ve got three of the re-engineered 4-4-0’s and they are really nice. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[298]

 

Bachmann Baldwin 4-6-0 (52" driver), probably the best detailed of the locos I've had, DCC sound fitted in the tender but lacking a rear headlight. 

 

 

Bachmann Alco "Sound value" 2-6-0, bit more basic but still a nice model. I've actually had more luck tuning the decoder in this than the 4-6-0. 

 

Newer locos obviously tend to be better (such as the later 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 above), I did have a 2-8-0 that was less so as was their GS4 Daylight, the worst I've owned being the 0-6-0 tender loco.

[298]

Post Athearn/Roundhouse merger 2-6-0 ( I think branded as the latter), Sound fitted (MRC?), not very nice at all really and they didn't really gain from being upgraded to more modern standards unlike some Bachmann steam locos. There is also a 2-8-0 chassis that looks better.

 

 

Nice Bachmann C&NW 4-6-0 (large drivers), test fit with a cheap Bachmann Vanderbilt tender. I think the UP tender is from the 0-6-0 behind it. 

 

 

[PaulRhB]

The earlier spectrum ones also randomly got mazak rot. My 2-8-0 disintegrated but the decapods and shays were fine. 
Sound value locos are actually pretty good starter locos. 

[Patrick SPF]

Budget 2-6-0 a nice little engine

 

Early Spectrum 2-8-0 converted to oil firing

[dave1905]

The Athearn/Roundhouse 2-8-0 and 4-4-0 engines in the green box are excellent runners, as they have all wheel pick up on both the tender and engine drivers.  Here is one I modified to be a camelback: