Two questions I'dlike to ask the Bach man.

[florynow]

I've alluded to these before but never directly asked.

1.  Why isn't the Baldwin Consolidation offered with sound any more? 
2.  Are both 4-6-0's with DCC/sound still being manufactured?

PF

[the Bach-man]

Paul,
We've addressed this before...
We decided to move the 2-8-0, a Spectrum model, to the Standard Line to provide model railroaders a high quality loco at an affordable price.  This was done with absolutely no changes to the former Model of the Year.  If you wish to add sound, it is well worth the effort.
The ten wheelers are not in the catalog this year.  We make more models in more scales than anyone, and we can't make everything every year. I'm sure they'l
l return at some point.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[railtwister]

Mr. Bachmann,

Could this be a hint that the 2-8-0 may receive the "Sound Value" decoder (similar to the current Alco 2-6-0's) in the future?

Bill in FL

[richg]

Bottom line, a company cannot please everyone all the time.
Bachmann sells a lot more variety of products than most of us are aware of, not only in the USA. We only see stuff made for sale  on this side of the Pond.

Do a search for bachmann trains uk eu.

Ok, some here will not do that so click on the below link and get a Bachmann product education.

http://tinyurl.com/7azdgxs

Rich

[jettrainfan]

And they're making high quality items too, not rushing them out.

[blwfish]

Wow, I am impressed at the volume of UK stuff that we never see here in the US. Today's Bachmann never stops impressing me. (And especially since I remember the Bachmann stuff from 35 years ago.)

I completely understand that there's a limit and that things can come and go. Speaking as a consumer I would like to know what's in the plan - I tend to treat Bachmann like old blue box Athearn, readily available all the time. I think it's fair to say that it should NOT be treated in the same way as, say, the brass limited run, order-in-advance way of doing business. In that segment, it's made clear up front: one time run, get your order in now or forever hold your peace. But it can be hard to tell where on the, uhm, spectrum (sorry) a particular Bachmann model sits. I got the hint on the 4-6-0's when they started disappearing from stock mid-last-year, but that was deduction and guesswork that I'd really prefer not to do.

Now I completely understand that Bachmann does not want its competitors to be able to react, but I hope that there's some median ground between the brass model and the "oops they're not in this year's catalog and OMG they're all gone" retroactive "notification." 

[Bucksco]

Unlike limited run brass locomotives Bachmann products can be rerun when Bachmann deems it appropriate.

[Pacific Northern]

I've alluded to these before but never directly asked.

1.  Why isn't the Baldwin Consolidation offered with sound any more? 
2.  Are both 4-6-0's with DCC/sound still being manufactured?

PF

I noticed the scarcity of the 4-6-0's several months ago and searched a number of the on-line train stores and a few of each.

These engines are the backbone of my steam roster and my personal favourite.

Glad I did as here in Canada they are extremely scarce.

[rogertra]

I agree, not have a sound option on the 2-8-0s was not a sound business decision.

It need to be reviewed.