"it's out of print and a bit expensive" Almost every vital train book is like this and that's why model train hobbyists should follow the vintage computing community and scan and upload items like this to the Internet Archive or elsewhere so future generations have access to increasingly harder to find copies.
A thousand times yes! I strongly believe in making more train books accessible to people who need them for research. I'm trying to build out what a lending library of this type might look like. People like the Prelinger Library at the Internet Archive have been doing some fantastic work getting railroad items digitized. I also think there's a new need for, say, a well stocked private Library that's tapped into the US interlibrary loan program so the physical books could be lent out to people for research too. I'd also like to see all train books scanned and OCR indexed so they're searchable, it'd save SO MUCH time.
You are correct. I'd argue they're superior than any Brass USRA 0-8-0 because they are repairable and come already painted w/ sound and DCC. Not to mention their mechanisms were some of the best ever made in HO scale history, full stop.
The Walthers Proto version is the best runner in my collection! I have the Erie model. However, I highly doubt that Walthers would do any steam again, considering they will probably be just as expensive as Broadway Limited is getting
Thanks for making this video. It helped me decide if I wanted to purchase a new 0-6-0. The history you provided of the 0-6-0 prototype and the older Bachmanns was very helpful too. Keep up the good work.
I detailed one of the older can motor 0-6-0s and added tender pickups too it. Picked it up cheap off ebay . Always looked for ones with full valve gear. After added piping/ details and weathering look good.
Hmm, this is certainly a good upgrade from the old tooling. Of course I'm quite happy with my older example, I got it used in a complete trainset for 12 whole dollars. A good 40 minutes spent cleaning it up and now it runs reasonably well!
Great timing on this video and I have no idea how it showed up in my feed. I just saw this engine was available from retailers and was considering getting one. Now that I've seen a review of one rolling down the tracks I'll definitely get it.
So glad it was recommended to you, and that the video let you know whether or not the USRA 0-6-0 was worth it! Don't forget to subscribe, I'm doing more model reviews soon.
The only thing I'd miss from the old bachmann 0-6-0s is that with a few little detail parts from the bachmann parts store and you can easily turn it into a cheap modernized mogul or prarie. They make decent starter set locos too.
I discovered by accident recently, that the cylinder w/valve guides sets for the current 0-6-0's will fit the generation one versions w/ very little tweaking. Those parts are just press-fit to the loco. Retaining the drive rods bolts and spacers will be needed from the old sets though.
I love that New York Central one, if they offered one in the same scheme but with no lettering I would buy that one too and make it a custom for my own named railroad but tbf I'd modify both anyway.
You can use Testor's "Easy Lift Off" to remove the lettering with some of that and a Q-tip, be quick with it and immediately wipe it off and it'll only take the lettering off w/o damaging the paint.
You're not wrong! The 2000s revision is a genuinely solid running model, and has "good bones" for kitbashing. That said, the new one is definitely a finer foundation to superdetail from. This 0-6-0 was many people's first steam locomotive, and it's very important for that.
I had one of them I got in a trainset, absolutely ran the rods off of it, literally. Didn't have a way to lubricate them so they kinda wore out so much they could be easily pulled off, otherwise, it was a pretty good locomotive
Is a good model even for me who is multiple decades beyond beginner & finds model railroading joy in detailing basic models to personal taste via addition of both bought and built details. ☺
Thanks for the comparison! Bachmann also left the boiler bands off of the ALCO 2-6-0. I wonder why they're doing that while still casting other details on? It kind of gives it the same look as early Mantua, Varney and Bowser steam from the 30's through early 50's.
There was a coal hauling shortline in Alabama called the Twin Seams. In its last days, it used a three truck shay. But reference from the GM&O Historical Society will tell you that the Gulf Mobile and Ohio railroad sold one of its USRA 0-6-0 locomotives to the Twin Seams. So this locomotive is OK to use side by side with a shay.
On the road names; I think it's Bachmann being safe for the initial batch. You have the 4 railroads that are local to Bachmann [Pennsy, CNJ, NYC & B&O] plus the ever popular UP. Hopefully, there will be more upcoming in later batches.
I currently have 4 of Bachmann 0-6-0s they all run good! I have the one with the early can motor and not the garage fried pancake drive, The locomotive is a little bit overheated To me it's the perfect starter train set locomotive, I can also tell this got rid of the smoke unit in it
If it will go 88 miles per hour, Doc and Marty will be happy. Seriously, I am looking up the main components of steam engine, specifically fire box and running gear.
I bought the CNJ version for use at our model railroad museum. The only difference between the model and the real loco is the CNJ loco had a small Wooten firebox for burning anthracite coal.
It would be fun to kitbash the Wooten firebox/new cab front on that engine to make it truly unique. It's so exciting to see they restored one to operable condition.
One of the connecting rods towards the front is crooked/loose at 7:50. I had the same issue with mine and decided to send it back. Have you noticed any affects because of it?
I've actually been using it as my primary switcher recently on the ALTA because it runs so well now. No mechanical issues with the crossheads yet, but I plan to replace them with metal parts in time.
Makes me wonder if I can replace parts on my older 0-6-0. I got an older SP 0-6, and that front pilot would be nice. My 0-6 is from a 2016 run, and she's only ran maybe 5 hours in the 2 or 3 years I've had it. Nothing is wrong with it (except for before I removed the smoke generator which leaked), so I want to avoid buying a whole new engine just for a few pieces.
I'd love to see any variant of a wheeling B5, but the unique, inboard bearing, timken tender trucks would be too obscure to be seen even in brass. They may not have been proper usra, these were upgraded usra clones, two of which are preserved today.
Sorry to hear you're having this issue. It's because your TV or video setup is improperly mixed or in the wrong sound mode. (often it's Cinematic vs. standard) It makes the voices and music nearly the same level. I've come across this before in the past, and the music for this episode indeed mixed purposely down farther than usual to hopefully avoid exactly this problem, but it happened on your machine. Try it on a different device and see if it persists.
@@InterurbanEra I do not even have a TV or TV service since TV for whatever reason is instant sensory overload. Have a laptop and a desktop PC by different companies with different sound card companies and the PC has some nice external speakers and the now 7 year old laptop has only its internal speakers and the left speaker is kind of iffy, and the sound situation is same on both computers.
@@InterurbanEra Appreciated. I like Jazz, even have some CDs as prizes from contests back when 106.something in Kansas City was a smooth jazz station; _(hmm wonder if here at laundromat, which is quite noisy but I do smell better with clean clothes, my brain will pull up any artist names? Eric Marienfield, Dave Brody, Candy Dulfer)_ and I like Bachmann's 0-6-0, have 6 or 7 of them, four with front couplers modded in, and other details added. Am glad to see new version _Finally!_ has a proper front coupler, so was really wanting to see what was said here but having the music and speaking happening at the same time in sound levels so close was a thing that didn't work.
@@InterurbanEra Oh, while Bachmann's HO scale 0-6-0 is a topic, one mod done in recent years was to use Kadee's electrical pickup caboose trucks to replace the tender's trucks, and while at it, saw on the tender's truck attachment points to lower the tender a little bit. Can't give a dimension from memory right now, but something in the 2mm range. And it was enough the allow the corners of the Vanderbilt tenders to slip under the cab roof overhang in absurdly sharp curves in the range of 12 to 10 inch radius on the tiny little On30 layout, even with drawbar shortened something like an HO scale foot and a half to two feet.
I’ve got a half dozen Botchmann locomotives that will never see use again due to all having cracked drive gears. A few have unavailable parts! I will never give Botchmann another dime and they have a lot of nerve what they are asking for these toys that will fall apart. Good video though.
Those gears are an issue, and have been for decades. Have a couple B-man locos in both HO and On30 and some 1990s N scale PCC cars which are inoperable for that reason. Have some 40 year old Athearn locos which are doing fine.
James Trains made gears for some, available through Shapeways. Bought some from there for two Doodlebugs. They work perfectly. Also check North West Short Line
Oh my god it’s literally all the same, it’s just a horrible copy of the old 0-6-0. My buddy works for Bachmann and as soon as Bachmann releases the plans and blueprints for them my friend came to my house and showed them to me and said, and I quote: “bro look at this, it’s ridiculous”
"it's out of print and a bit expensive"
Almost every vital train book is like this and that's why model train hobbyists should follow the vintage computing community and scan and upload items like this to the Internet Archive or elsewhere so future generations have access to increasingly harder to find copies.
A thousand times yes! I strongly believe in making more train books accessible to people who need them for research. I'm trying to build out what a lending library of this type might look like. People like the Prelinger Library at the Internet Archive have been doing some fantastic work getting railroad items digitized. I also think there's a new need for, say, a well stocked private Library that's tapped into the US interlibrary loan program so the physical books could be lent out to people for research too. I'd also like to see all train books scanned and OCR indexed so they're searchable, it'd save SO MUCH time.
babe wake up inturban era has posted 2 video in a row
Now we just need Walthers to re-release the Photo 2000 0-8-0s, from what people have told me they were almost as good as brass examples
You are correct. I'd argue they're superior than any Brass USRA 0-8-0 because they are repairable and come already painted w/ sound and DCC. Not to mention their mechanisms were some of the best ever made in HO scale history, full stop.
The Walthers Proto version is the best runner in my collection! I have the Erie model. However, I highly doubt that Walthers would do any steam again, considering they will probably be just as expensive as Broadway Limited is getting
Thanks for making this video. It helped me decide if I wanted to purchase a new 0-6-0. The history you provided of the 0-6-0 prototype and the older Bachmanns was very helpful too. Keep up the good work.
I'm so glad!
I detailed one of the older can motor 0-6-0s and added tender pickups too it. Picked it up cheap off ebay . Always looked for ones with full valve gear. After added piping/ details and weathering look good.
Hmm, this is certainly a good upgrade from the old tooling.
Of course I'm quite happy with my older example, I got it used in a complete trainset for 12 whole dollars.
A good 40 minutes spent cleaning it up and now it runs reasonably well!
Great timing on this video and I have no idea how it showed up in my feed. I just saw this engine was available from retailers and was considering getting one. Now that I've seen a review of one rolling down the tracks I'll definitely get it.
So glad it was recommended to you, and that the video let you know whether or not the USRA 0-6-0 was worth it! Don't forget to subscribe, I'm doing more model reviews soon.
The only thing I'd miss from the old bachmann 0-6-0s is that with a few little detail parts from the bachmann parts store and you can easily turn it into a cheap modernized mogul or prarie. They make decent starter set locos too.
I discovered by accident recently, that the cylinder w/valve guides sets for the current 0-6-0's will fit the generation one versions w/ very little tweaking. Those parts are just press-fit to the loco. Retaining the drive rods bolts and spacers will be needed from the old sets though.
I love that New York Central one, if they offered one in the same scheme but with no lettering I would buy that one too and make it a custom for my own named railroad but tbf I'd modify both anyway.
You can use Testor's "Easy Lift Off" to remove the lettering with some of that and a Q-tip, be quick with it and immediately wipe it off and it'll only take the lettering off w/o damaging the paint.
Side note. The old USRA 0-6-0 model is overhated. Its a good beginner model.
You're not wrong! The 2000s revision is a genuinely solid running model, and has "good bones" for kitbashing. That said, the new one is definitely a finer foundation to superdetail from. This 0-6-0 was many people's first steam locomotive, and it's very important for that.
I had one of them I got in a trainset, absolutely ran the rods off of it, literally. Didn't have a way to lubricate them so they kinda wore out so much they could be easily pulled off, otherwise, it was a pretty good locomotive
@@InterurbanEra I use the older gen 1 versions chassis to build On30 locomotives. Cumberland Shops on etsy makes 3D printed kits for them.
i have one and its amazing
Is a good model even for me who is multiple decades beyond beginner & finds model railroading joy in detailing basic models to personal taste via addition of both bought and built details. ☺
If they made these in DC I would’ve been so much happier about the new ones.
I may have seen this on patreon but I'm gonna like it again because I can
Thanks for the comparison! Bachmann also left the boiler bands off of the ALCO 2-6-0. I wonder why they're doing that while still casting other details on? It kind of gives it the same look as early Mantua, Varney and Bowser steam from the 30's through early 50's.
Nice video keep up the great work😊
Kadee made a kit to upgrade the old 0-6-0's to make the front pilot work
Love the new clear-vision tender!
There was a coal hauling shortline in Alabama called the Twin Seams. In its last days, it used a three truck shay. But reference from the GM&O Historical Society will tell you that the Gulf Mobile and Ohio railroad sold one of its USRA 0-6-0 locomotives to the Twin Seams. So this locomotive is OK to use side by side with a shay.
On the road names;
I think it's Bachmann being safe for the initial batch. You have the 4 railroads that are local to Bachmann [Pennsy, CNJ, NYC & B&O] plus the ever popular UP. Hopefully, there will be more upcoming in later batches.
I think you're exactly right. I just wish they did "conditional pre-orders" of other road names to test the waters for other schemes too.
I currently have 4 of Bachmann 0-6-0s they all run good! I have the one with the early can motor and not the garage fried pancake drive, The locomotive is a little bit overheated To me it's the perfect starter train set locomotive, I can also tell this got rid of the smoke unit in it
My first steam was actually an n scale bachmann usra 0-6-0 in the Santa Fe livery.
If it will go 88 miles per hour, Doc and Marty will be happy. Seriously, I am looking up the main components of steam engine, specifically fire box and running gear.
Very nice, like!
Bachmann Europe does great blackheads in OO scale, so there is more reason for this.
I bought the CNJ version for use at our model railroad museum. The only difference between the model and the real loco is the CNJ loco had a small Wooten firebox for burning anthracite coal.
It would be fun to kitbash the Wooten firebox/new cab front on that engine to make it truly unique. It's so exciting to see they restored one to operable condition.
The new smokebox door is the only upgrade i really need. And while cab detail is fun, im actually completely fine without it. Same with sound.
Hopefully a B&M or MEC one comes out soon. Maybe even a BAR one
Hate to be that guy, but both B&M and BAR never had USRA 0-6-0s. MEC only had 2.
I wish Bachmann would start adding a flickering firebox. For the cost, they can an add a 10 cent led.
I'm watching this after buying the older bachmann SP 0-6-0, kind of thinking a UP 0-6-0 could have been better, on well😂
Oh well*
I like the new version.
I think they should really upgrade their n scale version of the switcher
One of the connecting rods towards the front is crooked/loose at 7:50. I had the same issue with mine and decided to send it back. Have you noticed any affects because of it?
I've actually been using it as my primary switcher recently on the ALTA because it runs so well now. No mechanical issues with the crossheads yet, but I plan to replace them with metal parts in time.
Makes me wonder if I can replace parts on my older 0-6-0. I got an older SP 0-6, and that front pilot would be nice. My 0-6 is from a 2016 run, and she's only ran maybe 5 hours in the 2 or 3 years I've had it. Nothing is wrong with it (except for before I removed the smoke generator which leaked), so I want to avoid buying a whole new engine just for a few pieces.
I imagine it would fit! Give the Bachmann parts department a call on the phone during east coast hours 9-5 and I'm sure you could get one
The book that you mentioned by Eugene I do not have it
Jus to confirm, this new model does have electrical pickup on the tender also ?
Yes! Pickup is now on all wheels in the tender and all 6 drivers too. Wire connects tender/Locomotive.
I'd love to see any variant of a wheeling B5, but the unique, inboard bearing, timken tender trucks would be too obscure to be seen even in brass.
They may not have been proper usra, these were upgraded usra clones, two of which are preserved today.
I am wondering, could the new 0-6-0 shell fit on a 2010s 0-6-0?
Good question! Something tells me they didn't move the mounting screw locations, so it might just work...
Nifty little locomotive
Yea one I get the new switcher, the old one will be used as scrap dressing.
Why is the supposedly background music so close in sound level to the speaking? Video is unwatchable.
Sorry to hear you're having this issue. It's because your TV or video setup is improperly mixed or in the wrong sound mode. (often it's Cinematic vs. standard) It makes the voices and music nearly the same level. I've come across this before in the past, and the music for this episode indeed mixed purposely down farther than usual to hopefully avoid exactly this problem, but it happened on your machine. Try it on a different device and see if it persists.
@@InterurbanEra I do not even have a TV or TV service since TV for whatever reason is instant sensory overload. Have a laptop and a desktop PC by different companies with different sound card companies and the PC has some nice external speakers and the now 7 year old laptop has only its internal speakers and the left speaker is kind of iffy, and the sound situation is same on both computers.
@@scottfw7169 Well, if the Jazz itself competing with the voiceover is too much for you, I won't use it in the future. Sensory overload sucks.
@@InterurbanEra Appreciated. I like Jazz, even have some CDs as prizes from contests back when 106.something in Kansas City was a smooth jazz station; _(hmm wonder if here at laundromat, which is quite noisy but I do smell better with clean clothes, my brain will pull up any artist names? Eric Marienfield, Dave Brody, Candy Dulfer)_ and I like Bachmann's 0-6-0, have 6 or 7 of them, four with front couplers modded in, and other details added. Am glad to see new version _Finally!_ has a proper front coupler, so was really wanting to see what was said here but having the music and speaking happening at the same time in sound levels so close was a thing that didn't work.
@@InterurbanEra Oh, while Bachmann's HO scale 0-6-0 is a topic, one mod done in recent years was to use Kadee's electrical pickup caboose trucks to replace the tender's trucks, and while at it, saw on the tender's truck attachment points to lower the tender a little bit. Can't give a dimension from memory right now, but something in the 2mm range. And it was enough the allow the corners of the Vanderbilt tenders to slip under the cab roof overhang in absurdly sharp curves in the range of 12 to 10 inch radius on the tiny little On30 layout, even with drawbar shortened something like an HO scale foot and a half to two feet.
I’ve got a half dozen Botchmann locomotives that will never see use again due to all having cracked drive gears. A few have unavailable parts! I will never give Botchmann another dime and they have a lot of nerve what they are asking for these toys that will fall apart. Good video though.
Those gears are an issue, and have been for decades. Have a couple B-man locos in both HO and On30 and some 1990s N scale PCC cars which are inoperable for that reason. Have some 40 year old Athearn locos which are doing fine.
James Trains made gears for some, available through Shapeways. Bought some from there for two Doodlebugs. They work perfectly.
Also check North West Short Line
@@kge420 Shapeways is Chapter 7 bankrupt and ceased operation in July. Fortunately NWSL is still alive and kicking.
"small" steam
I mean, technically anything smaller than a USRA Light 2-8-2 is indeed small steam. (At least in the US)
Oh my god it’s literally all the same, it’s just a horrible copy of the old 0-6-0. My buddy works for Bachmann and as soon as Bachmann releases the plans and blueprints for them my friend came to my house and showed them to me and said, and I quote: “bro look at this, it’s ridiculous”
Bachmann's history is known for junk models with cracked gears and poor plastic components. I would never buy their products.
Cool story, nobody asked