Bachmann Locos with Skates

[Joe Zullo]

How many Bachmann locos came with slider electrical  (skates) pickups? I had never heard of any until this morning. A member on another forum says he has a Bachmann Porter with skates. 

[Bucksco]

No Bachmann Large Scale locos have "skates".

[Joe Zullo]

No Bachmann Large Scale locos have "skates".

Several posters on the other forum disagree and provided photos.
Here is one...

[uscgtanker]

My old bachmann 0-4-0 had skates but that was a old model i received one christmas.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

According to my photo archive The Bachmann Coal Creek O-4-0 did come without sliders, the new one I bought did NOT have sliders.   I have a photo of one with sliders but cannot prove it was a stock loco, most 0-4-0's do not have them stock from the manufacturer, so the situation is not certain to me as historian until I have verifiable proof

Be aware that one picture does not always tell the tale.  Just because you see one on the internet does not make it true as being stock.  I have seen an Anniversary 4-6-0 with sliders, on inquiry to the owner I learned that he added sliders himself and that they were not stock.   Memories are not always what the seem to be as I have learned the hard way.  I have seen so many modified or kitbashed Bachmann loco's as I gather together the history of Bachmann large scale, it is hard sometimes to get to the bottom of things especially on the older locos

91041   CCL Co   1   1989   ~ Loco   0-4-0, Coal Creek Lumber   P      L       $90.00    Set 90017 and separately    1989,   1990   1991   1992   1993

these old porters came out in 1989 and were sold separately and as a part of a set 90017.   
EVen though I have seen a 0-4-0 with sliders, I have never personally seen a "guaranteed for sure in a sealed box" stock 91041 with sliders.   I would like to get a photo of one sealed in a box with sliders for the historical records I am keeping.

Maybe Wade Colyer can help with this.  He has every 1:22.5 Bachmann locomotive which he bought new, if Wade has one new in the box with sliders that would most likely be verifiable proof.

Bottom line there are few if any Bachmann Stock locomotives with sliders.
Bill

[Greg Elmassian]

I suggest those interested read this thread and see pictures with proof of skates, where the recesses molded into the gearbox are shown clearly.

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/23713/old-bachmann-porter-pickups?page=1



Greg

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Greg, and all readers,

I have seen pictures like the one Greg posted without sliders installed, and the read the entire thread, which includes a detailed study I have done on the 0-4-0's. The photos show the 0-4-0 without sliders.  I have one I bought new which does NOT have sliders, but does have the  slots where sliders would have gone had they been installed.   I also have seen hundreds of pictures of the 0-4-0 where the slots for sliders are there but no sliders were installed.   Just because the slots for sliders are there does not necessarily mean that sliders were actually installed by the manufacturer on all  production models.  I do have one or two pictures of the 0-4-0 with sliders but it is a rarity.

As a historian I am seeking positive proof of the following questions: 1. that sliders were installed by the factory. 2. during what period were they installed by the factory.  3: That sliders were not installed on some models of this locomotive.  4. When did production start without using sliders.  5.  Why were sliders eventually removed from production runs.

So far I have only positive proof of Question 3:

My personal guess(without a bit of hard proof) is there may have been early production models with sliders and at some point they were produced without any sliders.  Bachmann at some point decided to produce the product without sliders (reason unknown).   Bachmann at some early point decided not to produce locomotives(again reason unknown) with sliders.

From a historical standpoint, I do not and have never stated that the product was never built with sliders.  I do state that I do not have any actual proof that sliders were installed by the factory.  I do state that the locomotive in question was produced without sliders and with a motor block that had provisions for sliders even though they were not installed by the factory.

Joe,  please ask Ken Brunt to contact me as he may have part of the proof I am looking for and I want him to possibly take some additional pictures assuming he is willing.  The photo you provided is one that he took.   Unfortunately I am unable to log into Large Scale central and only see the content or I would ask him myself.   I realize most folks do not really care about the Bachmann  history, or even the level of proof needed to document specific things.  Many would even say why does it matter?  Joe if you post this response on LSC, please post the entire response.  Thanks

If anyone has a new sealed in box early porter with the Bachmann number clearly shown please send me pictures for the historical record.  I would also appreciate any photos of the bottom of 1989 91041 or set 90017 locos with sliders, where you might be the original buyer and still have the box and hopefully the date you bought it. 


Bill

[Loco Bill Canelos]

I just got some help from Wade Colyer on this topic.  Wade is probably one of the best sources for the early history of Bachmann large scale products.  Wade purchased every new 1:22.5 Scale locomotive Bachmann ever made and started in 1989.  His collection is absolutely amazing.  He was friends with a local dealer which was a source of some amazing insights into the early days of Bachmann.   He has been an incredible help with the Bachmann Large scale history I have been trying to record.

Based on his evidence it appears that sliders were included in 0-4-0 in set 90017 which he has in his possession.  I am including a quote of his email to me in response to my inquiry to him about sliders(pickup shoes)
Wade's quote:
"In 1989, the 90017 set was a dealer only set, like the Lionel Service Station Sets from the '50's and '60's. Enclosed is a copy for the dealer flyer. When the store closed I got all the Bachmann paperwork he had. My dealer ordered mine when he got the flyer and mine does have the pick-up shoes. I'd say mine was a first run of the engine and since the shoes were for dead spots on turnouts and Bachmann had no turnouts they were removed on later production runs. I don't have a Coal Creek Lumber without shoes but I'll start looking at train meets. All the other Porters that came out in 1997, 11396, 11397, 11398, 90029 and 90030 had plastic brake shoes where the pickups were. I think the catalog pictures were altered as the wheels show a reflection on the plastic track where the pickup shoes would have been. They did alot of airbrushing of artwork for catalogs.

The first trolley's, 93938 and 93939, didn't have pickup shoes but all the later ones, 93937, 93940, 93941 and 93955  did have them."

I am hopeful of getting more photos from Ken Brunt because the one photo from him seems to show his 0-4-0 as being one of the 91041 models which were offered as a separate item and not the set locomotive. 

Again please if you can help me with this issue contact me and send photos for the record I would appreciate it.  My email is public, just click on my name.

It is great getting new information on such an old product!! 

Bill

[Bucksco]

No "Current production" Bachmann Large Scale locos have skates.....