Bachmann's 2013 New Products Announcement

[ryeguyisme]

"I'd also see merit in focusing more on surviving NG engines and stock simply because an engine still operating or preserved intact must be familiar to a far greater number of people than something long gone for scrap."

Such as the K-28 and K-36 examples being used on the Durango & Silverton. Add in some of their passenger cars to that [shameless] wish list. I would buy several of each of those in On30 if Bachmann made them available. 

I would love for a K-36 or two, even a K-27 would have gotten me into On30 but I'm still not enthusiastic enough to dive into On30 with the lack of such engines. The fact that Bachmann hasn't at least produced a C-18 or K-27 in On30 yet is mind-boggling.  There were a lot of people talking in great numbers about how Bachmann should produce a K-27 at least and it's like your design team has all the specifications from when you made the engine in 1:20.3 so it shouldn't be all that hard.

I'm hoping it's just you ran into design errors and you're trying to fix them so we have a better product

[Joe Satnik]

Isn't 'baited breath' what you get when you eat sushi?

[SHABBONA_RR]

Shabbona,here in Australia there appears to be very little interest in S guage,is there much interest these days in America? I don't hear much about it. I think it would be an interesting scale to model providing there is rolling stock available  cheers Peter.

Peter:
S has quite a following in the U.S. Old time rolling stock is easy to come by via Bachmann's On30 line. There was probably more of a following in S than there was in 0n30 when you consider that Bachmann had to invent it then develop a market for it. I just keep thinking what I could do with an S scale JUPITOR old time 4-4-0. I'd enclose a photo of a boxcar I temporarily converted with S scale trucks, but I haven't figured out how to enclose a photo.

SHABBONA RR

[SHABBONA_RR]

Shabbona,here in Australia there appears to be very little interest in S guage,is there much interest these days in America? I don't hear much about it. I think it would be an interesting scale to model providing there is rolling stock available  cheers Peter.

Peter:
S has quite a following in the U.S. Old time rolling stock is easy to come by via Bachmann's On30 line. There was probably more of a following in S than there was in 0n30 when you consider that Bachmann had to invent it then develop a market for it. I just keep thinking what I could do with an S scale JUPITOR old time 4-4-0. I'd enclose a photo of a boxcar I temporarily converted with S scale trucks, but I haven't figured out how to enclose a photo.

SHABBONA RR

Peter, Also Mr. Bachmann if he is here.

I have a COLORADO & SOUTHERN 2-6-0 that I bought last summer. It is a beautiful litttle engine, and I considered using it for an Sn42 layout. However, it is a little large for that, but a simple re-gauging would put it right on target as an S scale standard gauge locomotive. Any chance of seeing something like that in an S scale format?

SHABBONA RR

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

but I haven't figured out how to enclose a photo.

SHABBONA RR

You cant upload photos directly to this site. If you use an online photo service like Photobucket (free), you upload your picture to your account, then look for link options. You want to click IMG file to get it copied, then paste it into the text of your post. Its really very simple.

[Mister Lee]

All valid points.

My two cents is that On30 is a fine gauge and scale for people who want a certain level of realism and detail, whose eyesight perhaps isn't the best, but who know they lack the wide-open spaces needed for full-dress O or HO standard gauge or even On3.

I like the idea of big engines myself, but after seeing MMI's impressive K-28s and K-36s, I've been forced to conclude that those engines are too big for many On30 guys' layouts. Even many of the Mexican and Central American 36 inch gauge prototype engines are too large for many of our curves. I'm hopeful about the Unidos de Yucatan's 4-6-0s or a T-12 but I'm not that optimistic (I do like the idea of #74).

The trouble with US-outline narrow gauge rolling stock is that it isn't as varied as the stuff on the broad gauge, and some of the interesting stuff that hasn't been made yet might not appeal to American and European modelers. I might be interested in banana cars and double-truck sugar cane cars like the Cubans were running up to a couple of years ago, but I don't know how many other folks are.

I don't have any magic nostrums. I do know that Bachmann tries harder than the folks who made and marketed the "magic trains." I do hope that Bachmann's On30 line stays profitable and stays in production.

--E. Lee DeGolyer

Yard Master - How can the On30 demographic grow if Bachmann doesn't drive the demand?  Who else is producing On30 trains?  If Bachmann doesn't produce it, where does that leave the On30 community?  You guys started strong and created the "On30 phenomenon" for all intents and purposes.  And then you all but abandon us who converted to On30 and began buying your products.  So where does that leave us now?

When did Bachmann abandon the On30 market...did I miss something. Bachmann has produced many new On30 items over the last few years.There is plenty of product available out there for folks who are just starting out. All of the items that you guys consider old are brand new to the novice. Unfortunately the model railroad industry tends to be "New Product" driven. In other words we are not seeing new modelers just the demand for new items every year from a core group of enthusiasts that is getting smaller. We all need to make an effort to introduce the scale to new potential enthusiasts so that Bachmann can justify the investment in new items.

[ScottyB]

As far as the new products - I'm mostly looking forward to the freight cars. Stock around the internet is wearing pretty thin, and I still need quite a few "full size" boxcars. I hope they start showing up soon. One thing I've learned in this scale is to stock up when it's available. I've waited a bit too long and have missed out on a few products in the past that I've wanted. Kudos to Bachmann to producing more - I am patiently waiting to see them on the virtual shelves!

As far as getting others involved in this scale - it's tough. Fortunately my 6 and 3 year old love my On30 stuff and have never wavered from the desire to work on our On30 layout. We tour a lot of home layouts but my six-year-old maintains that HO is "too small" and the cool steam engines we own in On30 are more fun to run.

Unfortunately, On30 is near invisible at every train show I go to. Trainfest (a great, great show) is coming up in Milwaukee next month, and Bachmann always has a strong presence, with their full On30 line on display. But that's it. There are little to no On30 products to be found at the floor retailers, no layouts, and really no information at the Bachmann booth as to what On30 exactly "is." (I like the phrase O scale trains at HO prices.)

So newcomers to the hobby really have no idea what On30 is. Heck, most seasoned model railroaders I know have never heard of On30 or can tell you what it is. ("It's on HO track? Well, then it's HO...")

To be honest, it makes me want to work extra hard on completing enough of my layout to be worthy of a layout tour, just for a bit of On30 exposure. Bigger than HO trains in a smaller than HO space! Amazing! It's the cure all for most people's lack of both keen eyesight and layout space!

Enough typing, it's cold and rainy, indicating the beginning of layout construction season. To the basement!

Scott

[Mike_PRVR]

Personally, I would love to see the Forneys reissued.