Williams by Bachmann have announced, in 3 rail O, the re-introduction of the former K-Lines Superstreets under the name E-Z Street. In some on-line retailers they are shown as O E-Z Street. This raises whether Bachmann might do something similar in HO scale, i.e. HO E-Z Street, or even N scale, N E-Z Street. For those who may be unaware, O  E-Z Street consists of road sections with operating 3 rail O gauge track embedded in it. Road vehicles to run on the track are also being made. It is also suitable for trolleys. With Bachmann making in HO a good range of trolleys and having the High Roller vehicles there would seem plenty of scope for HO E-Z Street (with HO 2 rail track of course!. A modified version of the High Rollers as road only vehicles should be easy to make. HO E-Z street would also be useful for the On30 Trolleys. So how about it?

Heres hoping

Hamish

Modern european narrow gauge is modelled, I have seen exhibition layouts of this. However I would not expect to find such modellers here. HO (either HOe on 9mm gauge track or HOm on 12mm gauge track) is more common than O scale ( Oe on 16.5mm gauge track and Om on 22.5mm gauge track).

The overseas modellers who are here either like US prototypes or are, like myself, from Australia and other countries where American style equipment ran on narrow gauge lines. Thus Bachmann On30 models can be used. Some lines in Australia, South America and elsewhere used a combination of US and British or European equipment, offering much scope for the modeller.

There could be some scope for modern modelling from some of these countries, e.g. that South African loco posted by Narrow Minded. I suspect if Bachmann had a suitable model, modern overseas modellers narrow gauge modellers would turn up on this board.

Hamish

Many thanks. I will look forward to it.

Hamish

Apparently (I wasn't there) Williams had a new product brochure at the York show which included the 4-6-0 and some other products. Any chance of this flyer being available for downloading from this site?

Hamish

Bachmann's German branch, Liliput, does make HOe, which is the European terminology for HOn30. Prototypes are mainly Austrian. Of course Liliput does not have an O scale narrow gauge line (or any O scale).  Bachmann USA seems to feel that they have enough different ranges already without introducing another one.

Hamish

Interesting link posted by Narrow Minded, when I first saw it I assumed that it has been  regauged to 2 foot gauge, but no, it was built that way by GE for the South African  Railways 2 foot gauge lines. The class operated for about 20 years, as far as I know without major problems. Some have, as a result of closure of the lines, been sold and regauged to 3 foot 6 inch gauge. They appear to be about the same size as smallish locos made for 3 foot 6 inch and metre gauge by GE and EMD. There is some potential then for an American design narrow gauge diesel that is plausible for 30 inch and 2 foot gauges as well as the broader narrow gauges (3 foot, metre and 3 foot 6 inches). Not to my taste, but then  I remain (mainly) a steam person.

Hamish

In North America narrow gauge diesels, apart from small industrial locos, were rare with the exception of the White Pass and Yukon and the Southern Pacific diesel mentioned by Ivrr 325. These were large 3 foot gauge locos that would dwarf most of the existing Bachmann range.

Overseas it is different. Narrow gauge lines lasted in quite a few countries, some still exist. Diesel and electric locos were introduced for such lines, including on gauges around 30 inches as well as metre gauge. These lines are modelled and some ready to run equipment is made, more in HOe (european term for HOn30)  or HOm ( HO scale on 12mm gauge track representing metre gauge) than in O scale (Oe or Om). Bachmann's German line Liliput has an HOe range which has 3 diesel locomotives, one of them very modern. These are of an Austrian prototype. Popular subjects for European modern narrow gauge include the Swiss electric metre gauge lines and the Austrian 760mm gauge lines.

Hamish.

The odd thing is that if I go into product information through the horizontal bar underneath "Bachmann Trains"  from the Forum pages the Porters do not show up, but if I go into products through the vertical bar on the home page they are there.

Hamish

Ted

Only one bobber caboose is shown in the catalogue as lettered for the Denver and Rio Grande Western (my emphasis), the other is for the Denver and Rio Grande. The Bach-Man has described the lettering for the D&RGW one. perhaps he would be kind enough to also describe the lettering for the D&RG one?

Hamish

Dear Bach Mann

What is the latest information on the arrival of the revised Porters?

Thanks

Hamish

They are included in the 2011 catalogue that can be downloaded from this site. The last information form the Bach Man was for an April arrival. He may have more recent information, perhaps he will confirm?  The product board on this site is not always up to date.

Hamish

Quote from: tac on March 03, 2011, 03:59:54 PM
Sir - you must mean 'Royal Scot'.  Bachmann UK did not make a 'Flying Scotsman'.

tac
www.ovgrs.org

Actually Bachmann did release, in the USA in the  late 1980s, a set called the "Flying Scot". It had a Royal Scot class locomotive. Despite their age they seem to turn up on EBay and in second hand shops quite often.

Hamish

Dear Bach Man

The new catalogue shows no brand new items for ON30, not really a surprise as the toy fair/catalogue announcements are, for ON30, generally confined to train sets and new liveries on existing items. Those ON30 items shown in the catalogue as "new", which means since the last catalogue whether or not previously announced elsewhere, are the previously announced revised Porters, two train sets both using the 2-6-0, and a couple of re-liveries i.e. the 2-6-0 in D&RGW green and black livery  (before any-one asks this appears to be the existing 2-6-0 with a new livery and not upgraded in any way) and a black unlettered flat car. This means that Bachmann have not announced any brand new ON30 item since the NMRA convention in 2009.

As well as the lack of brand new Bachmann items a worrying sign for the future of ON30 is that some retailers seem to be pulling out of ON30. On the other hand a positive note is the introduction by Bachmann of new train sets - train sets attract new modellers to the scale/gauge combination, and I was concerned by the lack of any new train sets last year.

So I ask, does Bachmann remain committed to expanding the ON30 line? If so, when can we expect announcements of brand new items? (I am not asking what they might be.)

Awaiting your answer

Hamish

Many thanks

I am looking forward to it.

Hamish

Dear Bach-Man

Will the 2011 catalogue be available for downloading from this site, as has been the case with those of the last couple of years?
If so, any idea of when?

Yours in anticipation

Hamish