Mikado detail

[Bucksco]

In response to a previous thread here are a few detail photos of the forthcoming Mikado. This is a production sample so it has some mileage on it. Detail wise it is right up there with our previous releases in steam. It will be arriving in the near future. Enjoy!

[ebtnut]

Looks very nice.  However, most of the USRA Mikes had a fabricated trailing truck (Hodges, I believe) rather than the Delta style cast truck.  Which will the final version have?

[Bucksco]

This is a final version.

[davidone]

Looks very nice, will it have sound? May have to get a few.

Dave

[jonathan]

I am looking forward to it as well.

Yes, some will have sound, depending on the roadname you want.

Already planning the detailing project.  As ebtnut pointed out, it will need a hodges trailing truck.  I hadn't noticed that before.  Also, one may want to shave off the molded on piping, and install wire pipes, that sort of thing.  Should be a great project.  Been anticipating this one for quite a while.

Thanks Yardmaster!

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

Oh, I forgot to ask... Is the loco belt drive like a spectrum, or a gear drive like the 2-8-4? I tried blowing up the photos, but I couldn't see between the boiler and drivers.

Regards,

Jonathan

[electrical whiz kid]

Yardmaster;
This is a question I've had for a long time.   A lot of steamers I have seen seem to have a blue-ish sheen to them.  I have tried mixing Enchantment Blue with Engine Black, and have a close match-but it lacks that "oily" look the prototype had.  What approach would you recommend here?  BTW; this looks really good on factory machinery, like overhead shafts, sheaves, etc.  Most factories I have been in tend to take pretty good care of their equipment.
Rich C
SGT C.

[rogertra]

I am looking forward to it as well.

Also, one may want to shave off the molded on piping, and install wire pipes, that sort of thing. 

Regards,

Jonathan

Seeing cast sand pipes and other piping and the seeminglack of the plate between tender and engine is a disappointment when comparing this engine to what we came to expect with the Spectrum range.

A step backwards I'm afraid.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Irbricksceo]

I am looking forward to it as well.

Also, one may want to shave off the molded on piping, and install wire pipes, that sort of thing. 

Regards,

Jonathan

Seeing cast sand pipes and other piping and the seeminglack of the plate between tender and engine is a disappointment when comparing this engine to what we came to expect with the Spectrum range.

A step backwards I'm afraid.

Cheers

Roger T.

I'd have to agree with you there. Compared to the 2-8-0,2-8-2(SY), and 2-10-0 that I have, this is lacking a lot of detail. Technically my 2-8-0's are the standard version but they retained the spectrum detail.  Even the 2-8-4 that I have has separate sand pipes I think... Makes me wonder why they went even FARTHER back. Oh well.

[Bucksco]

This is a Standard line loco - not a Spectrum item.
Bachmann has never gone "Backwards" - this product is a definite leap forward in our standard line of product. This locomotive features DCC/Sound, a very robust drive train and a very high level of detail - at standard line pricing. Sure we could have put a full Tsunami in it and added the small number of pipes that are integrated into the boiler and labeled it Spectrum but that would have driven the retail price up as well. We make no apologies for the way this locomotive is designed and executed. It is the result of experience, research and retail trends. A good model railroader knows that molded on detail can be washed and dry brushed to look very realistic. Molding some of this detail on makes it much easier to service the model as well - having disassembled numerous Spectrum locomotives I can attest to the fact that it is virtually impossible to get one apart and back together without damaging the piping. Took apart a 2 truck Climax recently and it took a few hours to get it back together due to the amount of piping detail.
This model is a great runner, sounds excellent and has plenty of detail. Sorry to those who are not pleased with the model but as stated earlier we are pleased with the results and are expecting it to do quite well amongst beginners and experienced model railroaders.

[Irbricksceo]

Do not Mistake my Meaning, it is a nice locomotive, had I any money I'd buy one, though by backwards I was mainly referring to the fact that the 2-8-4 carries more detail. I think the commentary mainly stems from the apparent discontinuation of the spectrum line as the number of models in it continues to drop with no additions in years. Spectrum level detail Was always preferred. I'm sure Bachmann did the market reasearch, and if they found that they would gain more from standard models,  then I do not hold it against them. Bachmann is, First and Foremost, a company.

As someone with next to no skill adding detail, My experience working on locomotives is limited to maintenance and repairs, so I'd be unlikely to be able to add separate detail. I've found that, yes, spectrum Locomotives are hard to take apart (never managed to get the 2-10-0 apart) but that isn't a huge deterrent, for ME, again, I cannot speak for the market.

All that said, again, maybe this is just me, but I'd take detail level over the soundvalue that comes in both spectrum and standard line models. The sound is nice and all (I have one, the 2-10-0) but one thing irks me, I cannot for the life of me get the chuff rate to sinc up, and STAY synced across speeds, loads and grades. This, for me, bugs me a lot.

[BillD53A]

I like it.  Just might find it neccesary to buy a few.

[austrian]

I am very happy with the decision to bring a mike in the standard range as instead in the Spectrum one.
The sound value version will cost me in Austria 289 € (app. 325 USD). With rising labour cost the additional detail of a Spectrum one would bring the price in heights I am not willing to climb. As the locos are shipped from China to the US and than to my hobby shop in Germany and than to Austria the more additional detail the more likely that I will receive a damaged one. When collecting OO gauge British models a lot of the hobby magazines and modellers on the forums asked for more and more details and the manufacturers delivered. Than the prices went through the sky and most of the locos I ordered had detail parts broken when they arrived. I am happy that there are no corners cut regarding performance as I like to play with my trains and therefore the locos should run well.
I really like the Bachmann range as I think it is great value for money and the sound value decoders have a lot of programming options and offer great motor control.
My only quibble with the Bachmann range of mikes is that by murphy`s law the road that I want (Rock Island) is not offered as sound value and that the motive power department of the Santa Fe did not have the foresight to order some of these locos so that Bachmann could bring it.

[jonathan]

I am very happy it's a standard line.  I love to tinker. In fact I've already ordered some detail parts for it. I usually wait til I've purchased the model, but I want to be ready when the time comes.

Keeping the price down is very wise. Otherwise I would have to go get a brass mikado.

Regards,

Jonathan

[austrian]

Dear Bachmann, could you please post a foto of the loco on a 20" radius? I would like to see how this loco looks on smaller curves.

Thomas