Bachmann Ryan Thread

[TrainFan97]

I decided to make a thread dedicated to the upcoming recently-announced Ryan for HO Scale.

It's good that with both Ryan and Daisy on the horizon, we can have the Harwick duo in HO Scale. Ryan will be the largest steam engine in the HO Scale range in quite some time. He also has a unique livery that makes him stand out from the other models Bachmann has made. He's one of those CGI characters that's actually likeable. I do plan on picking him up once he's available. Daisy for sure I'll be picking up once she's available.

You now have the perfect place to discuss Ryan.

[Armada Starscream]

I am really glad for Bachmann Ryan too! He is one of my favorite CGI characters, along with Paxton, who I am glad also has a HO/OO model!

Ryan means a lot to me. For one personal thing, he is a beautiful dark purple, which is my favorite color. Mainly, however, is that he is named after Ryan Hagan from SiF, and he is a clear nod to the Thomas fans. He showed that at that point, the writing team knew about the fans and even LISTNED to them. A real shame that those days have once again passed by.

Hence why I appreciate Bachmann's desire to listen and work with the fans. Thank you Bachmann!

[JLK2707]

Yeah. I will just be getting more than one of Ryan. I will be using the other bachmann Ryan model for the white tank engine which was just shown as a background cameo in big world! Big adventures!.

[TrainFan97]

It's pretty sad knowing that Mattel actually did listen at one point, up until The Great Race when they started showing their true colors. Season 20 was the best season of the CGI series. Season 21 was going alright up until the episode "A Shed for Edward" which confirmed our worst fears. We'd still be getting interesting episodes if only Big World Big Adventures never happened, but then the original show got canned in favor of an already infamous reboot that's DOA. The problem is that Mattel just refused to stop fixing what wasn't broken. Big World Big Adventures only ruined the franchise, and again, it was just Mattel fixing what wasn't broken. The reason for the decline in toy sales is because ever since Mattel's takeover, toy quality has been getting worse and worse. They just can't make quality toys.

We can only hope the original show does get revived if the infamous reboot does flop, and it most likely will. Our beloved franchise is becoming like Teen Titans Go.

Ryan's debut was in Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, which was the last special that was actually decent. We had episodes of Ryan and Daisy on the Harwick branch line, and even a few Railway Series adaptations. Boy, those were the good old days... They will be missed.

At least Bachmann cares, which is why we're getting both Ryan and Daisy for HO Scale for your Harwick branch line.

[clrp5150]

I had no idea ryan was named after an actual fan. That is so dang cool. I'm still not sure if I'm gonna get him yet though

[Armada Starscream]

I had no idea ryan was named after an actual fan. That is so dang cool. I'm still not sure if I'm gonna get him 6et though

Not just any fan: One of the major voices in the Thomas Fandom as a whole. To me it was them saying to the fans "You are out there, and we see you."

[Toad139]

Not just any fan: One of the major voices in the Thomas Fandom as a whole. To me it was them saying to the fans "You are out there, and we see you."

Mattel obviously does not care about what the fans think of the show or Thomas' roots considering the new reboot series. Ryan Hagan and SiF have had insider connections at Mattel for quite a while, which is why he got a character named after him. It's not as though Mattel just did it out of the kindness of their heart to show how much they love the fans.

[Armada Starscream]

Still, it was nice while it lasted.

[TrainFan97]

Now Mattel has gotten greedier and greedier. Axing the original show altogether for an infamous cartoon reboot that nobody but braindead children would like. It's not Thomas at all.

Thomas the Tank Engine was loved for how unique it was, and how there was nothing else like it on TV, especially to the American and Japanese audiences. Not to mention all the realism that used to be there. It was a show that really stood out. Now, Mattel is trying to copy Teen Titans Go using this beloved franchise.

[ScrumptiouslySouthern]

What do you guys think Bachmann will do with Ryan's finer details? The pipework and fittings on his boiler and on top of his tanks are pretty intricate compared to other characters like Percy or Thomas, and it would look insanely cheap if it was all just molded. But on the other hand, Bachmann rarely has any large separately applied details on these models. I'm stumped

[Kemptown Branch]

I think they look thick enough that they could be sturdy when separately molded, but it will be interesting to see what they do.

[Chaz]

I intentionally saved my thoughts on Ryan for a little later solely because there is a lot I have to say about this model.  A character I, truth be told, didn't think much of at the time of his introduction and wasn't quite the level of excited I was for him when he first got announced.  Over time though, this model really won me over.   There aren't too many characters who weren't written by Awdry I am a huge fan of, let alone ones introduced in the CGI series which I guess makes Ryan all the more special.  Now though, I think it's time to take a look at the model and see how he holds up.


The Bachmann model of Ryan won me over due to the constant exposure.  All that promoting from Trainworld really paid off!  That being said, the best feature about Ryan by a long shot are his details.  The separately fitted handrails, the rivet details on the bufferbeam and the rear windows, the separately fitted lampirons and lamps on both ends of the model... they truly went all out on this model.



Bachmann has been known for their accuracy for some of their recent models, especially the narrow gauge engines, Ryan however, is probably more detailed than they are and that is because of how the CGI render is designed.  Most of these details you could argue Bachmann didn't need to add since most of these are small and not as many people will notice.  However, I feel like they were a necessity since all these details used in good taste and more importantly show how far Bachmann has come.


Look at the difference between Ryan and Thomas.  Thomas himself is one of the worst models in the range, second only to Percy, which again shows how much can change in two decades.  Right down to those details, the appropriate size and proportions of the character, and especially the face, Ryan is easily one of the best models in the range.  It is absolutely no contest.


Another feature I do want to talk about separately is the face.  The face itself is spot on to his depiction in the CGI series, but there's something really unique about Ryan in particular.  Normally, Bachmann goes for a more toothy like grin for their characters, Ryan has a much more subtle grin which is something they haven't done since their Henry model back in 2005.  So not only are the details a feature that makes Ryan stand out, but the face as well. 


And lastly, I want to talk about how the chassis was done.  Again the level of detail Bachmann applied to Ryan is really shown here as well.  I love the brass crank pins that were applied and the way how his trailing truck pivots while running is also well done too.  It allows Ryan to perform on curves much better and I'm glad Bachmann kept that consistent detail.


There's just one thing I wish they had done differently and that's giving Ryan an open cab.  My friend Kelson and I added a decoder in Ryan and found that there could have been more room for an open cab in the model rather than just leaving space for the windows.  A bit of a shame since I feel this could have worked like how they had done for Rosie.  Not a dealbreaker by any means, but if Bachmann went as far as adding every detail of the render possible I wish they had gone the full mile.  Oh well, a 95 is still an A in my book.


Overall, and this goes without saying, Ryan is aesthetically one of the best models in the range, hands down.  Bachmann have done a terrific job replicating Ryan and despite some of my concerns about Ryan's pricing I feel that with the level of detail present on the model, I'd say it's almost worth the purchase depending on where you shop.


In terms of running and performance, one thing I will say right off the bat is that Ryan is an incredibly light model, this is because Ryan himself is a rather small and thin locomotive which is accurate to that of his design in the television series.


Despite this, Ryan managed to run extremely well with a reasonable load of 9-10 wagons on steep gradients at the club layout and probably could have added a few more if wanted.  Most Bachmann Thomas engines struggle with 10 wagons on gradients alone, especially Thomas, Percy, and Emily.  The fact Ryan did so well on his own without additional weights included speaks high volume.


When taken at slow and fast speeds, Ryan ran very smoothly despite being such a light model.  We had a lot of fun watching Ryan travel through the different locations at the club layout and found that even while shunting in smaller yards he was able to continue to run at a smooth pace. 


Even when we stopped Ryan at times for photo opportunities at different parts of the layout, he very rarely required a push/nudge from hands to get going again which again is pretty rare for most Thomas models these days. 


Overall, Ryan is a definite winner in the range.  Question is do I recommend the model?  Well the only points of concern are the lack of weight on the model and open cab, but everything else including all the details present, smooth running and surprising amount of hauling power I say Ryan is definitely worth adding to your collection.  Again, I would be very careful of where you purchase Ryan as some shops do have him for sale at high prices.  Shops like Trainworld or even a local hobby shop (where you don't have to worry about shipping) are the best places I would recommend to get Ryan. 


Regardless, I'm very happy with the Ryan model and I am really happy that both  he and Daisy are now available in the range and fans can now run the Harwick duo together.  Thank you Bachmann for producing Ryan in such high quality, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts on the narrow gauge box vans and brake vans next!  Here's hoping we get an update on Sir Handel and the new narrow gauge wagons from Trainworld!


As for who the next HO scale engine should be, I think we are long, long overdue a model introduction of the "Master of the Railway" himself!  Bachmann will be our "hero" if they can make this happen!

[JacobSK]

Another outstanding review, Chaz! Phenomenal photos, too. My own model of Ryan will hopefully arrive next week, and man, has your review got me pumped for his arrival! He ticks all the boxes in more ways than one, and as you stated, he'll go quite nicely with Daisy, now that they've both been released.

Bachmann certainly have a long way in the 20 years since they produced Thomas and Percy. Put Ryan and Daisy next to them (as you've done with Ryan and Thomas), and the difference is astonishing!

I actually think the last model to feature the closed mouth smiling face was Edward back in 2008. Henry, Edward (ain't that ironic?) and Ryan are the three exceptions to the usual toothy grin that Bachmann favors. Salty's face looks like he's laughing rather than smiling, but you can still see his teeth.

(Side note: speaking of Salty, his reissue should hopefully be around the corner in the not too distant future)

All in all, looks like Ryan is a true winner! I'll admit, I always liked him, especially how he was portrayed in Season 20 as the perfect foil to Daisy. He was a "people pleaser" type, who learned the hard way not to be manipulated by Daisy (or anyone) and he also felt sorry for Judy and Jerome and helped put the OG Breakdown Train back into service. I'm glad he exists as a Bachmann model, and now I'm foaming at the mouth for his delivery!

[TerencetheTractor525]

Yet another enjoyable assessment on one of Bachmann's latest arrivals! Just like N Scale Toby, it is great that Ryan has arrived, and it is certainly a beautiful model, as well as popular seller. The scenery of the club layout really brings the model to life too. The only slight criticism that I have with the model, as stated in the post, is that the cab is not fully open. It would have been nice to fit an HO crew inside of Ryan, just as you could with the HO Rosie, or most tender engines, especially with the upcoming figure packs. Nevertheless, the pros outweigh any cons by a longshot, and it goes without saying that Bachmann has done a stunning job.

[TrainFan97]

The only gripe with Ryan is that his cab is not fully open, so you can't put crew inside. Other than that, he is one of the most detailed models in HO Scale. Now we have both Ryan and Daisy in HO Scale, which completes the Harwick duo.

With Ryan now available, and Beau already shown fully painted, Bachmann can turn their full attention to Rebecca. For the next Trainworld stream, I hope someone will ask Doug Blaine if progress has been made on Sir Handel and Rebecca, and where those models are now in terms of progress. For the next new tooling in HO Scale, the engine with the highest demand is Hiro, especially after Rebecca's announcement, since Bachmann is back to doing tender engines. Rebecca will be the most expensive model in the HO Scale range, but a high price like that won't stop people from buying Hiro. Given that Hiro is even in the infamous reboot, Mattel would certainly approve a character like him. Being one of the most popular characters to originate from the CGI series, Hiro needs to be the next new tooling for HO Scale. Even a recolor can be made using Hiro's tooling; being his patchwork livery.