Discontinuance of steam engines?

[trainman203]

I was looking at the online store on the Bachmann website and noticed a number of things not there anymore. I wonder if they've been discontinued.

1. Under the consolidation, no new items are shown.
2. Only three road names are shown for the 10-wheeler, which makes me think they are slowly selling them out. Fortunately, the Texas and Pacific one is still there.
3. The USRA pacific is no longer shown. I'm glad I got one while they were around.
4. The USRA mikado is still there, but the Southern Railway one and the New York, central one are no longer shown.
5.  And, the mogul is not there at all.

All of this makes me wonder if Bachmann is slowly getting out of the steam engine business, other than the 0-6-0 and variations, which seem to be in most of the steam engine train sets.


Sent from my iPhone

[Bachmann Industries, Inc.]

Trainman,

We have no intention of discontinuing steam locomotives. Some models run their course and we give them a rest and then bring them back again after a few years. Examples are the Decapod and K-4. New models will be out this year (Hudson and retooled 0-6-0).

Thanks!

[trainman203]

That's good to know.  Thanks.

[Searsport]

There is some mystery here. The Bachmann online shop has no page for the USRA Light Pacific, the ALCo Modern 2-6-0, and whilst it has a page for the Baldwin 2-8-0 it is blank.

On the USRA Light Pacific, I checked my memory and found an email from Bachmann dated 15 March 2022 and titled "The 2022 Bachmann Catalog is Here!". There is a link "Click Here to View and Download", which I did, and I got a PDF catalogue which says 2022 on the cover, and on page 47 there are three DCC Ready USRA Pacifics, with "NEW" beside them, for the ATSF, ACL and B&O. I have been waiting for "Bachmann 52902 HO USRA Light 4-6-2 Pacific - Standard DC Atlantic Coast Line #1528" ever since, and it still shows as a pre-order item at Trainworld. Is it cancelled?

I wonder if Bachmann Europe has its own relationship with the factory in China. The Bachmann Europe website shows 103 US HO steam locos, including:
52802   USRA Light Pacific 4-6-2 - NYC #4552 HO Arrived £306.90
52804   USRA Light Pacific 4-6-2 - Grand Trunk Western #5629 HO Arrived    £306.90

On the Baldwin 2-8-0, whilst the page in the Bachmann US online shop is blank, the Bachmann Europe website shows:

51317   Baldwin 2-8-0 Consolidation Rock Island #2123 HO Arrived £191.40
51318   Baldwin 2-8-0 Consolidation Norfolk & Western #718 HO Arrived £199.25
57901   Baldwin 2-8-0 - Southern Consolidation #630 HO Arrived £283.80
57902   Baldwin 2-8-0 Pennsylvania Consolidation#7748 (DCC Sound Val HO Arrived £283.80
57903   Baldwin 2-8-0 - NYC Consolidation #1137 HO Arrived £302.50
57904   Baldwin 2-8-0 - UP Consolidation #730 HO Arrived £291.95
57905   Baldwin 2-8-0 Santa Fe #2508 Consolidation(DCC Sound Value) HO Arrived £283.80
57907   Baldwin 2-8-0 - Boston & Maine #2394 HO Awaiting £302.50
57908   Baldwin 2-8-0 - Lackawanna #369 HO Awaiting    £302.50
57909   Baldwin 2-8-0 - Pennsylvania #7746 HO Awaiting £302.50
57910   Baldwin 2-8-0 - Santa Fe #2525 HO Awaiting £302.50

And for the ALCo Modern 2-6-0 there are:

51708   ALCO 2-6-0 Steam Locomotive New York Central® #1907 HO Arrived £130.00
57811   Alco 2-6-0 - New York Central HO Awaiting £279.75
57812   Alco 2-6-0 - Pennsylvania Railroad HO Awaiting £279.75
57813   Alco 2-6-0 – ATSF HO Awaiting £279.75
57814   Alco 2-6-0 - L&N HO Awaiting £279.75
57815   Alco 2-6-0 - Union Pacific HO Awaiting £279.75

For the Baldwin 4-6-0 there are:

51401   Baldwin 4-6-0 Pennsylvania #7080 (DCC Sound Value) HO Arrived £307.00
51404   Baldwin 4-6-0 C&O #377 (DCC Sound Value) HO Arrived £306.90
52201   Baldwin 4-6-0 - New York Central #1238    HO Arrived £238.75
52202   Baldwin 4-6-0 - Baltimore & Ohio #1357 HO Arrived £229.90
52203   Baldwin 4-6-0 - Canadian Pacific #847 HO Arrived £238.75
52204   Baldwin 4-6-0 - Maryland & Pennsylvania #27 HO Arrived £238.75
52205   Baldwin 4-6-0 - Texas Pacific #316 HO Arrived £238.75

For the USRA Light Mikado Bachmann Europe list 9 road names, not the 6 listed on the US website, the extra ones being:

54305   USRA Light 2-8-2 - Maine Central #617 HO Arrived £306.90
54306   USRA Light 2-8-2 - Union Pacific #2492 w/Medium Tender HO Arrived £314.50
54403   USRA Light 2-8-2 Southern #4501 Long Tender(DCC Ready) HO Arrived £253.00

Unfortunately Bachmann Europe do not have a web shop, apparently part of a policy to protect their retailer network. They do have a "Find A Retailer" button, but for Bachmann USA stuff it lists any retailer who ever ordered a Bachmann USA item and many are small shops now out of business. However, Bachmann Europe say that those retailers still in business can order any item shown as "arrived" for a customer, as "arrived" means in stock at Bachmann Europe.

Finally, I am not sure why Bachmann US would ever let a steam loco which is in steam at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum go out of stock at Bachmann. Surely there must be a constant stream of new customers, i.e. everyone who visits the TVR?

[jward]

I was looking at the online store on the Bachmann website and noticed a number of things not there anymore. I wonder if they've been discontinued.

1. Under the consolidation, no new items are shown.
2. Only three road names are shown for the 10-wheeler, which makes me think they are slowly selling them out. Fortunately, the Texas and Pacific one is still there.
3. The USRA pacific is no longer shown. I'm glad I got one while they were around.
4. The USRA mikado is still there, but the Southern Railway one and the New York, central one are no longer shown.
5.  And, the mogul is not there at all.

All of this makes me wonder if Bachmann is slowly getting out of the steam engine business, other than the 0-6-0 and variations, which seem to be in most of the steam engine train sets.


Sent from my iPhone

This isn't only steam engines. The Bachmann GP30, F7 and F(s no longer appear in the Estore, and the RS3 page is blank. I would hope these will be rerun in the future, as The GP30 and F units ride on a chassis shared with a model currently available. I also notice the GP7 and GP9 are missing.

[Bachmann Industries, Inc.]

Guys,

It is that time of year.  We deactivate items that are being dropped form the catalog.  New items will appear as we create new listings.

Thanks