Bachmann Spectrum Rugged Ridge Set

[RailMan63]

Hi. I just bought this set on Ebay. I got the #138 2-6-0,a combine, coach,and observation car in the set box for $78.00 + $25.00 shipping. No track,power supple,or video is included int the box.
Everything shown in the pictures looks to be in mint, undamaged condition.
Here is a direct link to the actual auction so you can see the item I bought:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BACHMANN-SPECTRUM-ROARING-RIDGE-RTR-On30-TRAIN-SET-AS-IS-NR/233536048580

I'm wondering if anybody knows how old this set may be,and if this is a newer version of the Bachmann 2-6-0,since the running number on the cab is #138, and I know that there is a very similar locomotive to this one that is numbered #136. Are there any appreciable differences between the 2, or is it only the last number?
Please tell me what you think!
Thanks guys!

[Ton N]

I bought this set in I believe 2008 on Ebay from The Favorite Spot.
It is DC.
The track i gave away and the locomotive has been recycled.
The real Bumble Bee is a C16 2-8-0 Consolidation.
I have one from BLI.

Ton

[RailMan63]

Hi,Ton. Thanks for the set info.
I figured it to be at least 10 - 15 years old. The units appear in immaculate condition ,and the price was right  
I also just picked up a used C&S Bachmann coach for $35.00 earlier today on Ebay. I may remove the C&S lettering,or leave it as is.
I have a brand new,2 oz. bottle of TCP Pullman Green airbrush paint to work with, so I may repaint it to match the combine-which is getting an upgrade to a drover's caboose the Banta Pagosa Cupola Conversion Kit ! I found a way better deal on it,so, since I have the yellow D&RGW combine coming with the set I just bought, I figured to give it a try!
As far as the C-16 bumblebee, I visited it back in the summer of 1990 at the Pioneer Museum in Gunnison, Co. That was before it was repainted in the Bumblebee paint scheme. It was,as I remember it at that time, all black,and silver.  And it sat out in the open without the protection of the overhang that it has today.
Personally, I preferred it in black and silver.

[Ton N]

Be aware that the yellow pigment is very transparent in comparison with other colours.
Maybe you could paint the inside of the car with a  more opaque colour.
When i run the yellow cars in front of my window the sun shines right through.
The same goes for the Bachmann D&RGW yellow reefers.

I have four BLI C16's.
The RGS #40
The D&RGW #271, 278 and the 268 in bumble bee colours.
All of them were converted to how they looked like from pictures in the book; The Narrow Gauge Pictorial, Rio Grand Southern and D&RGW Motive power Vol.1, by Robert L Grandt.
As a footnote, the book is numbered #68 and is signed by the Editor/Author.

Ton

[Ken Clark]

  Ton


  I had just finished, or so  I thought! relettering a D&RGW reefer  to the WP&Y Rly, will need to pull the roof and
paint the inside to reduce the see through effect. Hard to believe with a light behind it how much shines through.

  Thanks for the info

  Ken Clark
   GWN

[RailMan63]

Thanks,Ton They are set to arrive tomorrow via Fedex. I'll test all 3 of them for that problem. It doesn't surprise one little bit.You get that a lot,even with the G Scale passenger cars that I have converted to LED lighting. I usually paint the interior of the roof in all of my  lighted Jackson Sharp passenger cars in gloss black due to this problem. I don't think that would work very well in this case as I assume that you're indicating that this is a problem with the car bodies.
Repainting the interiors of all 3 cars sounds like a real pain. I'm already working with the one combine that I mentioned. If I decide to try fixing this issue, I may mask off the black area with the road names, and then repaint the bodies in Pullman Green with black roofs, leaving the road name intact. I already have one G Scale car (LGB) that a previous owner did that to, and it looks pretty nice.
I'll figure it out one way or the other.
That book you mention sounds quite intriguing and definitely helpful to modelers who are looking to create a train with an authentic appearance.
I am unfamiliar with BLI.
Are your BLI C-16's On30,or other?
I know that Delton made some very nice C-16's in Large Scale, and I've considered purchasing one ,or two, but they would likely have a hard time running on my limited,5ft diameter rails.
Oh well.Maybe some day!

[Ton N]

BLI for the aficionado's, Broadway Limited Imports for others.
They used to make one model in 0n30,  you guessed it , Yes the C16.
Used to make, sound familiar?
Most examples can nowadays be found on Ebay for inflated prices.
I bought mine being patient and jumping on them in time when possible for reasonable prices.

For decals have a look at San Juan Decals.

Ton

[RailMan63]

I found a nice C16 in On30 on Ebay for $409.91, tax included It's fully detailed and ready to roll.
It's made by Korea Brass (just not made out of brass).
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Korea-Brass-On30-Scale-D-RGW-C-16-2-8-0-268-Quantum-Sound-Model-Train/333361128105
Any good?

[Ton N]

That's a BLI model!
Look at the box it says Broadway limited on the logo.
To expensive!
The sound system is, to say it mildly, disappointing.
I put a Tsu1000 into mine.

Ton

[RailMan63]

Thanks! I found another one that was newly listed shortly after my last post here. Slightly used for $268.00 including shipping,and tax. Looks  good, and it is also a Broadway Imports model.I may buy it tomorrow morning. It will go well with these new cars.
Speaking of the new train, the Rugged Ridge set arrived a few hours ago. It's in very good condition,with a little cosmetic damage on the loco and a couple of broken tender steps, which are present and were easily glued back into place.
The cars themselves are near mint, with only a couple of broken couplers. I'd say that the set was still a pretty good deal for what I paid for it versus what I got.
Oh, and the 2-6-0 locomotive runs very sweetly. Too bad it doesn't have a sound system in it.

[RailMan63]

Hi, Ton! I just picked up a BLI Bumblebee #268 on Ebay for $235.00. Condition is like new. It's equipped with Quantum Sound. It cost more than I wanted to spend, but the seller offeredit to me for $30.00 off his original price.
I watched it on Ebay for more than a month ,and, when he finally lowered the price enough for it to be more reasonable, I grabbed it before anyone else did.
Here's a link to the auction so you can have a look ,if you'd like:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Broadway-Limited-ON30-scale-D-RGW-C-16-2-8-0-268-Yellow-Bumble-Bee-Scheme-DCC/264667248874
Let me know what you think!

[RailMan63]

You're also right about the light bleed through the yellow cars. It's pretty bad when I run them behind my Bachmann 4-6-0 that has the MRC Loco Genie DCC system, since I'm running the power supply under nearly full throttle.
It's a lot better when running with either of my non-DCC moguls,since ,unlike the loco with DCC,they can be run with the throttle set for a lot lower power.
I've considered taking the Bumblebee cars apart, and painting the interiors in the Pullman Green,with a black undercoat, but after consideration, it would be a time consuming ,and tedious task, at best.
I'll probably just run those cars behind one of the two moguls , or the new BLI C-16 since I don't have a DCC controller for it yet, and the Pullman green cars behind the 4-6-0.
I also just acquired a PRR observation car on Ebay.
Once it arrives, it will be stripped,sanded lightly, and repainted in the TCP 54-2 Pullman Green paint that I painted my combine with, and probably will do the same with the C&S coach car, although I kind of like the C&S coach car the way it is!
Anyway, thanks for all of your help, and advise on these trains. I'm looking for ward to receiving the "new" C-16 and running it !
Later!

[Ton N]

When running on DCC the lights will always be full on.

Your welcome, from one continent to an other

Ton

[RailMan63]

I've done some research on the #268. She was a freight train. I can't find any online references ,or photos showing her hauling passenger cars.
Every single photo I've found shows her hauling freight.
So, to that end, I am going to replicate the train that she currently has attached to her at the Gunison Pioneer Museum, in Gunnison, Colorado.
Those cars are:
A gray D&RGW flanger.
A red D&RGW/Rio Grande gondola.
A red D&RGW/Rio Grande gondola.
A black D&RGW/Rio Grande stock car.   
And a red D&RGW long caboose. 
Sadly, it's unlikely that she'll never pull another train under her own power.
But we can always hope!               

[Ton N]

She was painted in the Bumble Bee colours in 1949 for the Chicago rail fair and left that way after the show.
Before that occasion the #268 was standard black.

Ton