NEW HO THOMAS & FRIENDS ROLLING STOCK IS HERE!

[Thomasfan39]

Dear Bachmann, when you say Rosie is shipping by December 2016 is that just guessing or is that true?

[sean1994rail]

Dear Bachmann, when you say Rosie is shipping by December 2016 is that just guessing or is that true?

Rosie is now most likely due for 2017, after or around the same time as Oliver, Rheneas and the slate wagons.

[WilsonProductions2]

Rosie may get released 2 year's after her announcement, just like Oliver. I hope she doesn't, but never know with new products, that are to be released, in the model railway world!

[Rickenbacker 325]

I do have a question about the TT #5. It seems to me that the roof is now a dark gray rather than light. Is this just on the prototype model or the production model? I have 2 standard salt wagons and wanted to get the one with the face along with the brown one.

[WilsonProductions2]

I have found a video on YouTube, of a guy unboxing the four new wagons: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_F_THXqNhKU/. Worth a watch, if you are interested in how the wagons come in their blister packs and too see exactly what they look like!

Also, the wagons do look exactly same to the images that Bachmann released of them not-so-long-ago. So yes, Rickenbacker 325, Troublesome Truck #5 does have a dark grey / black roof, compared to the previously released Salt Wagon.

[Chaz]

Well, both of my Troublesome Truck 5's finally arrived, as promised, here are my thoughts on it:


Troublesome Truck #5 is superior in two different areas from Bachmann.  One of them is that it is I think that this is the best product that got announced in HO this year (not including narrow gauge).  I believe this is the case because everything else that got announced this year in HO (including Rosie) relied more heavily on kid-friendly liveries/decals to attract sales to parents and kids.  While I can understand this approach that Mattel would want Bachmann to take, it's nice seeing Bachmann attempting something that's appealing to both old and young fans with Troublesome Truck #5, and I'll explain why in a bit.


The second area in which it's superior is in comparison to the other troublesome trucks.  Troublesome trucks #1 and #2 were based off of the promotional art from the early 2000's which looked decent for the most part albeit looking a little generic.  


Troublesome truck #3 despite having the best face out of all the trucks, had a questionable livery choice.  


And then there's Troublesome truck #4... which for a design choice as a whole, left a lot to be desired.


Compared to previous trucks, and everything else that got announced an HO this year, Troublesome Truck #5 is far superior.  It's a piece of rolling stock that doesn't need to rely on kid-friendly decals or a colorful liveries to attract sales to parents and kids.  Instead, it's a classic piece of rolling stock that fans have been wanting back in the range for sometime while also being appealing to the younger generation with the addition of an expressive facial expression.  It also has a really accurate face that resembles one from the classic series, which actually makes me even more surprised that Mattel actually went ahead and approved this.  The pupils on the eyes do look a little large, but really though, it's nothing particularly bad.  On the whole, it's the package.  


I even remember suggesting troublesome truck #5 to be in this exact design last year before the announcements, so it's great seeing Bachmann follow through with this!


As Rickenbacker 325 pointed this out earlier, (thank you by the way), but the real difference between this and the regular salt wagon is the roof is a different color.  It's not something I mind personally nor does it stand out horribly.


Some might argue that troublesome truck #5 is redundant since apart from that it's the exact same as the salt wagon we had earlier.  While I can understand that to some extent, I personally think what they did here was pretty well done.  If anything, I think this is what Bachmann should have done with the cattle Wagon for Troublesome truck #3.  It's simple, yet effective.  If we ever get a Troublesome Truck #6, I would like to see them do something similar with a different piece of rolling stock, but that itself is a discussion for another time.


If you are a classic series fan, or want something for your kids/grandkids Bachmann Thomas collection, or even just a fan of collecting troublesome trucks in general, this is definitely worth picking up.  


Thank you Bachmann for another home run hit with Troublesome truck #5, looking forward to sharing my thoughts on Oliver as soon as he arrives!  

[WilsonProductions2]

^ Thank you for posting the pictures, Chaz . I love your layout and of course, ...Troublesome Truck #5! He is 100% the best Troublesome Truck that Bachmann have released, so far. I can't believe my Troublesome Truck #5 has been put on backorder! I want him now more ever, after seeing those images!

The colour of Troublesome Truck #5 is exactly the same as the original Salt Wagon released, despite the roof colours on the two, but is forgivable and it makes them both stand out, in their own way. I wish I had two or three of the original Salt Wagon, then a couple of Troublesome Truck #5's, would make a cracking train (Or maybe a fishy train! Get it? Because they carry fish! ) of Salt Wagon's.

One observation I have made about the Troublesome Truck 3's you own Chaz, is that your's are brown, when they were dark green. Did you re-paint your Troublesome Truck #3's, or did you remove the faces and put them on the original Cattle Wagon, which is brown and now discontinued?

[sean1994rail]

In Addition Chaz, Troublesome Truck 3 is also good for using a Van tooling (Cattle Van in this case) instead of all troublesome trucks being open wagons. Troublesome Truck 4 was only good because of its CGI style classic sad face.

[Chaz]

Thanks for the response guys!  To answer your earlier question Jacob, I popped the face off the Bachmann troublesome truck #3 and put it on the original cattle wagon.

Any particular reason though, sean1994rail, that you felt the need to quote my whole post with all those images I posted..?

[WilsonProductions2]

^ That's alright mate. I thought you might have done that. A Brown Troublesome Truck Cattle Wagon is probably better than a Dark Green one! Bachmann should have painted Toublesome Truck #3 brown, rather than dark green, as what you've done, shows it looks better.

I would always be scared about removing the faces. Either I could damage the wagon or the face. Neither I want to damage! Bachmann Thomas & Friends' products are to expensive to damage.

EXTRA BIT, I'VE ADDED:
Also Chaz, what I have just noticed from your images, after viewing them again, I noticed in the second to last image you posted, you have your Troublesome Trucks in a siding, but I've noticed Troublesome Truck #4 is missing. Do not have Troublesome Truck #4?

Also Chaz, have you removed the face off one of your Troublesome Truck #5 and put it one of your original Salt Wagon's? Looking at the image you posted, the Salt Wagon at the front is clearly Troublesome Truck #5. In the background, looking at the second Salt Wagon, it looks like the roof is light grey (The same colour roof that the original Salt Wagon has, but Troublesome Truck #5 has a dark grey roof). Have you done this, or is my eyesight going crazy, with my old age?!

Also, your images are making me want to either replace, or keep both of Bachmann's and Hornby's Troublesome Trucks #1 and #2. They look so much better to Hornby's Troublesome Trucks (Excluding the Series 1 Troublesome Trucks).

[Chaz]

I never got troublesome truck #4, I was honestly a little indifferent to it when it first came out, in regards to both the face and the green six ton wagon too.

I never removed the faces off of both of my troublesome truck #5s yet, but that might be something I'll do for fun later.  Might just be the lighting in the photo.

Bachmann troublesome trucks 1 and 2 are pretty decent, besides the fact they are based off the promotional art.  Clearly though they are still doing well as people are still buying them to this very day.  I wouldn't be surprised if the same happened with troublesome truck #5 too.

[WilsonProductions2]

^ I think it worth having at least one Troublesome Truck #4, Chaz. I have one of them and it's not my favourite one and you would probably say the same too. However, it's a Troublesome Truck and you can never have too many of them!

How troublesome are your new Troublesome Truck #5's?! Have they caused you a lot grief yet, or haven't they started their troublesome games yet?! I will know then what to prepare for, when mine turns, up it turns up and doesn't run away out of it's package in the hands of the postman!

It was my eyesight going crazy, then! I feel so foolish now that I thought you have swapped the face off one of Troublesome Truck #5 face's, to one of your original Salt Wagon's!

Well, Troublesome Trucks #1 and #2 are what you mainly see, when you see the Troublesome Truck's on the TV series. On the TV series, you mainly see light grey coloured 7 Plank Open Wagon's, which are exactly what Bachmann's Troublesome Truck #1 and #2 are. I admit the face's on both Troublesome Truck #1 and #2 are not what you see in the TV series, but they are the closest Bachmann produce, compared to Troublesome Truck #3, #4 and #5!

When you say promotional art, do you mean the cartoon style / drawing style of the engine's and logoed pictures, similar to the art design on the cardboard inserts that came inside the Bachmann blister pack from 2002 - 2007? You known this sort of thing: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81bxt4BLcWL._SY355_.jpg ? Forget that the product is the Deluxe Thomas with Annie & Clarabel Train Set, but I mean the Thomas & Friends' box design and the artwork? Is it that sort thing you are referring too?

ANOTHER EXTRA BIT, I'VE ADDED:
Agreed, out the five Troublesome Trucks that Bachmann have produced so far, Troublesome Trucks #1, #2 and #5 will certainly be the best seller's! Let's see what Troublesome Truck #6 will be, that hopefully Bachman will bring out in 2017 or 2018. I have always wanted a Troublesome Truck Salt Wagon and now we have this, so I am hoping Troublesome Truck #6 will be a Troublesome Truck Tanker. This would be my all time favourite Troublesome Truck, but for now, Troublesome Truck #5 has only just been released, so we all have this to get our paw's on and enjoy, not to worry about future Troublesome Trucks that Bachmann may or not release!

[Chaz]

Don't worry about the photo, most likely a lighting issue since I took the photos with my phone.  Probably not the best quality out there. 

But yes that's what I was referring to for the troublesome trucks promotional art for the early 2000's it was basically used for stuff like books, cards, magazines, etc.  It was the same method they used for the other products that first came out in 2002.



Basically just to give you an idea.

[WilsonProductions2]

^ Thank you Chaz.

Ah yes, I can see by looking at that photo where Bachmann and Hornby got the face's for their Troublesome Truck #1 and #2 wagons. They pretty much exactly the same as that. I must say though, Bachmann made a better job with, with the choice of wagon they would use and the face!

[Captain Crutch]

I'm really hoping TT #6 is a Tanker car. It's the only kind of wagon that isn't made by Bachmann that is a troublesome truck in the series. Although I must agree that TT #s 1,2, and 5 are the most superior models of the trucks so far.