The classic "Bach Man" comic instruction manual!

[wiley209]

I'm sure anyone who purchased a Bachmann train set in the late 1980s or early 1990s will recognize this. As one way for them to try and step ahead of the competition at the time, Bachmann had a clever means of an instruction manual, done as a comic book; this way kids could also easily get into model railroading, and there's lots for them to get into. This may have also been the debut appearance of the Bach Man!



OK, so the story opens on a stereotypical "perfect" comic family (complete with a pet dog that thinks his own thoughts ala Snoopy and Garfield!), purchasing a Bachmann train set...

See what I mean by the "perfect" family? The "boxcar full of cookies" reminds me of how they sometimes did that with the model trains on Gumby.
Though the scaling isn't entirely accurate, I think they are supposed to be trying to set up an HO-scale train set here, probably one of Bachmann's "starter" sets.


Of course, the family is initially baffled by their attempts to get the trains going, even the father! I do find the boy's "Is that IT?" reaction amusing, as if he feels they were ripped off.


LOL at "No! Rugs are trouble." That's the case when using standard model railroad track, and this was before Bachmann developed roadbed track in 1994 with their "E-Z Track." I know back then, the only real option for playing with the trains on a floor was with some kind of layout board on the floor, regardless if it's a piece of plywood set on the floor, the layout mat included with Bachmann's old "Powerhouse" train set of the mid-1980s, or their arch rival Tyco's "TycoScene" layout board.


Bachmann changed the Simplimatic plug design some time in the early 1990s, and still uses that design today. Also back at this time, their train sets would always use a curved terminal rerailrer track, unlike the E-Z Track sets using an oval that come with a straight terminal rerailer. Also note the track in this looks like it's brass, though I think by the late 1980s all of Bachmann's train sets came with steel track...


LOL at the "All the other cars" sign.




Even though I use a more advanced MRC Tech 4 280 power pack on my train layout with an on/off switch, I still unplug it when my trains are not in use anyway.


Many of those accessories and buildings are still available today. Though some of their more interesting operating accessories, like the tri-level auto carrier, log loader/unloader, action depot and action caboose were discontinued once E-Z Track hit the market. (I think Bachmann should have made E-Z Track -compatible versions of the action caboose, etc. Some of those were pretty cool!)



I'm sure many of you will enjoy this trip down memory lane. I myself am into vintage (1970s - 1990s) model railroading products and accessories of the time, including what Bachmann had to offer back then!
Too bad this wasn't updated to reflect the new E-Z Track in 1994, if they did at all. I wonder what a more contemporary take on this would be like?

[the Bach-man]

Dear All,
You'll see "my" new look soon...
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[Desertdweller]

No, it's just the vertical pinstripes in the overalls.

Les

[WoundedBear]

Did this artist have any connection to the old Archie comics? The style is very similar.

Sid

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

Did this artist have any connection to the old Archie comics? The style is very similar.
Sid

The artist may have drawn for the Archie comics line at one time, but the Bob Montana, the original artist, died in the mid seventies. I think the other men originally involved, the creator, and the writer, have passed too. Archie comics are still made today.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

The creator of the comic book is Dan Danglo.  Dan is still at it and googling his name will show his website.

Dan never did any Archie, but did do some Scooby Doo, Felix the cat and others. 

Here is a little info about him:
http://dandtoons.com/#

http://dandtoons.com/about.html

Enjoy,

Loco Bill

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

The creator of the comic book is Dan Danglo.  Dan is still at it and googling his name will show his website.
Dan never did any Archie, but did do some Scooby Doo, Felix the cat and others. 
Here is a little info about him:
http://dandtoons.com/#
http://dandtoons.com/about.html
Enjoy,
Loco Bill

So good to hear I was wrong! Thanks for pulling that out of your "Magic Bag of Tricks" Bill.

[ebtnut]

By pure conincidence, an acquaintence of mine recently told me he had some "old model train magazines" and wanted to know if I wanted them.  I said sure, since one never knows.  Well, they were mostly ten to fifteen year old RMC's and MR's, plus a couple of old Walthers catalogs.  And low and behold, one of the Bachmann comics we've been discussing, in a plastic folder no less.  One of the Walthers catalogs dates to 1972.  It will be a handy reference for looking up old train stuff that few on this board are old enough to remember. 

[Ken G Price]

How the cover artwork ever got pass being censured is amazing to me.

[Desertdweller]

Ken,

I liked those pictures of your railroad!

Les

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

How the cover artwork ever got pass being censured is amazing to me.

Disney does it constantly. And often enough that's its definitely more of an eyebrow raiser .
Ken do you have Train envy? ..

[Ken G Price]

GG1: Since it is a steam engine I have no envy for it, at all. I would have thought the same even if it was a SD40.
Les, thank you very much

[Will3iamLuvzTrainz]

I'm so glad I found this! I'm gonna reply to this so that when I search posts by me/posts I was involved in, this will turn up!

I remember getting these comic books when I got my first and second HO electric train sets in third grade and fourth grade. In third grade I got a train set with a E or F series Santa Fe Warbonnet diesel locomotive, a blue Middletown and New Jersey boxcar, a golden Union Pacific hopper car, and a red Santa Re caboose. I think that was the Thunder Chiefhttps://www.ebay.com/p/Bachmann-Trains-HO-Scale-Digital-Commander-2-Engine-DCC-on-Board-Train-Set-00501/1200523369

The one I got in 4th grade also had a Santa Fe Warbonnet diesel locomotive but a GP38-2 or whatever locomotive, and a like caboose, but this one came with an orange tank car, a yellow Milwakee Road box car, a gray Southern flat bed car, a bluish green or turquoise Rock Island hopper car, and an aqua Santa Fe live stock car. That I think was the Running Thunder train set. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-bachmann-rolling-thunder-6067-1423526611

What I like about the comic is the father of the family. I used to imagine him, and Henry Mitchell (Dennis the Menace) singing in The Carpenters!

[Trainman203]

This is great!