bachmann products made during 1980's & 1990's

[tracy1947]

bachmann products produced during late 1980's to early 1990's and sold by many department stores and hobby stores.  are they worth anything today?.  are they same as today bachmann products?.

[bobwrgt]

It all depends on the specific model and CONDITION. Spectrum engines are the best.
You can check Ebay completed items for true current market value on specific items.

Bob

[simkon]

Bachmann locos from that time period do not run nearly as well as the current models, and therefore are not worth as much to potential buyers. They are all different that today's products, one loco from the early 90's that may be closest to today's standards of all the Bachmann locos from the period you mentioned would be a Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0, I must stress that if it is not a Spectrum, but the standard line version then it is of much lower quality than today's locos.

[tracy1947]

what about those 1980's to 1990's rolling stocks (all new). it should be no different as compare to present.  right?.

[simkon]

Nope they are somewhat inferior, because they have horn-hook aka xf2 couplers and not knuckle couplers which is the modern day standard and all of Bachmann present rolling stock is also offered with metal wheels which are free rolling, while plastic wheels are often out of round or otherwise imperfect or are more prone to issues. They also require a little work to convert to Kadee's while the #148's will drop right in to the newer coupler pockets.

[RAM]

The cars also had truck mounted couplers.

[jward]

as i recall, the spectrum locomotives from the late 1980s were of similar design to those we have to-day. there have been improvements to be sure, but overall they haven't changed much. these would be excellent candidates for upgrading to dcc.

the other locomotives, the ones that came in the trainsets, were pretty poor. i stayed away from them at the time, and wouldn't buy them now. especially since even the cheapest bachmann locomotives to-day run almost as well as the spectrums. the same goes with the cars, you could spend alot of time and money upgrading them into decent runners, but even so they probably won't be as good as the silver series cars of to-day, most of which are versions of the older cars updated to current standards.

as for their value, most serious model railroaders i know wouldn't buy them. you see them everywhere at train shows and they aren't selling that well. the stuff we have now is just so much better that most people don't bother with the headaches and just buy new.

[tracy1947]

but then the price before were very cheap.  like caboose.  one sell for one dollar.  now it is about $16.00 each for new version.   

what about the former diesel locomotives.  if those were inferiors.  why not display it as dummy locomotive.  before one cost less than $10.00 and it can be operational and moving.  while the new one without engine (dummy) cost you how much?.  expensive.  right?.  also.  i would put those former cheap box cars around it.  otherwise.  some trains and box cars are not running either.

[tracy1947]

one more thing i forgot to ask.  is it bachmann close down business before and reopen it right now?. if that is right.   when they close down and when they reopen it?.  thanks.
i think right now.  everything is made in china.  i mean bachmann stuffs.

[simkon]

but then the price before were very cheap.  like caboose.  one sell for one dollar.  now it is about $16.00 each for new version.   
what about the former diesel locomotives.  if those were inferiors.  why not display it as dummy locomotive.  before one cost less than $10.00 and it can be operational and moving.  while the new one without engine (dummy) cost you how much?.  expensive.  right?.  also.  i would put those former cheap box cars around it.  otherwise.  some trains and box cars are not running either.

Actually you are forgetting to account for inflation, everything is pretty much the same price it was back in the 1980's and early 1990's if you adjust for inflation. Also, I was looking at a Walthers catalog from 1988 and as it turns out the Bachmann standard line locos were more expensive then they are modern day, so prices have gone down not up. The reason why you wouldn't display the older Bachmann diesel locos id because they did not have the greatest detail, luckily modern day they have excellent detail. Additionally, Bachmann does not make dummy or non-powered units, so they can't be expensive if they don't exist. As far as cabooses and freight cars go, you could get Silver Series ones for as low as $5 each by utilizing a Hobby Lobby coupon or waiting for sales especially online. You never could get Bachmann cabooses and freight cars brand new for $1, in fact the 1988 Walthers catalog has them starting at $5. Bachmann never closed down they have been producing a wide variety of model railroad products since 1968 and has never shut down.

as i recall, the spectrum locomotives from the late 1980s were of similar design to those we have to-day. there have been improvements to be sure, but overall they haven't changed much. these would be excellent candidates for upgrading to dcc.

The very first Spectrum loco if I recall correctly was the GE 44 Ton Diesel at that was first offered winter of 1988. The only other Spectrum locos made in the 1980's were the Pennsylvania Railroad K-4 Pacific, the EMD GP30, and the General Electric Dash 8-40C. I do not think any of these were "DCC Ready," when offered in the late 80's but DCC could be added if so desired.
In short be grateful for Bachmann's current offering of excellent products at excellent prices.

[tracy1947]

i mean to say replacing 1980's/90's  bachmann diesel locomotive (New) as dummy for your other expensive name brand loco.  as i understand before,  the athearn dummy loco cost $10.00 while the cheap working and running bachmann loco cost $10.00 too.  why not use bachmann loco instead of athearn dummy loco?.  beside the bachmann can move around your train yard.

[simkon]

A lower end Bachmann loco was not $10 back in 1988, I recall them being at least $60 in the Walthers catalog when I perusing it.

[tracy1947]

no.  you are talking about the expensive bachmann spectrum one.  the bachmann have produced cheaper loco and box car and sell them thru department stores and hobby stores.  box car maximum price is price at $4.00.  and you can easily buy them at $1.99 each.  locomotive were selling at $9.99 each at brooklyn new york.  they were then F9, GP40, GP38-2, and U-36B. other cheap competitors were the lifelike and model power.

[simkon]

The standard line locos were around $25 in the 1982 catalog. The Spectrum locos in 1989 were selling for much more than $60 (at least the list price was much more). At any rate the standard line diesel locos from the 1980's are not worth more than $5 or so modern day. If you have Walthers catalogs from then you can look up the prices.

[tracy1947]

you mean to say standard line loco at $5.00 only.  is that new or used.  i am talking about all new. never run before and preserve. 

when did bachmann start producing the current line of products?.  i knew spectrum were produced sometime in the 90's. 

sorry for asking so many questions.  i was off from this hobby for more than 17 years.
i got more than 100 trains set.  with each set composed around 10 box car.  and all were never use.  i remember i only use four sets for running and enjoying.  and i have a train yard and these four sets setting for 17 years.  all roof covered with dirts just like covered with snow.