Bachmann S4's are hitting the shelves....

[sizemore]

As noted the Bachmann S4's are now hitting the shelves with a pretty decent street price:

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/N-Scale-S1-S2-S4-Locomotives-s/1697.htm

Debating if I should punt the day-job work and pick it up or not. Decisions, decisions!


The S.

[packers#1]

I wonder what the price would be if they offered a DC only version? 
Still might pick one up; anyone know how much longer until the Atlas S2 drops?

[basementcalling]

As noted the Bachmann S2's are now hitting the shelves with a pretty decent street price:

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/N-Scale-S1-S2-S4-Locomotives-s/1697.htm

Debating if I should punt the day-job work and pick it up or not. Decisions, decisions!


The S.

Glad their ship came in. I'll be waiting until people post about operating quality before I pull the string on any of these. I've been burned by Bachmann promises of improved running too many times to ever trust them again without reviews or seeing the engine run in person first.  They do look nicely done though in the pictures.

[wazzou]

The photos look good.  I'll be interested to see the performance also.

[CBQ Fan]

Sure looks like a wide open pilot under the coupler.  I am assuming the couplers are body mount.

[Dave Schneider]

The photos look really nice. I hate to be the one to ask, but are we sure that those are N scale photos? I ask in part because of how nice the model looks. The couplers have to be body mounts, because you can see the coupler box enclosed on all sides by the shell.

Best wishes, Dave

EDIT: BIG difference between the WM photo (HO I am guessing) and the P&LE (N scale). 
Grumpiness aside, the N scale version still looks pretty good.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/ztna9.tft5b/v/vspfiles/photos/BAC-63151-2.jpg?1376127630
http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/ztna9.tft5b/v/vspfiles/photos/BAC-63153-2.jpg?1376127645

[spookshow]

You're right, Dave. I think the only picture that might actually be N scale is the P&LE (based on the handrails and couplers). All the rest are the same HO pictures found on Bachmann's website.

Cheers,
-Mark

[FrankCampagna]

Sure looks like a wide open pilot under the coupler.  I am assuming the couplers are body mount.

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AlUyby_2Dzqu1lCeKCXiLqCbvZx4?fr=yfp-t-900-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&p=alco%20s-2%20locomotive

Prototype came with "wide open pilot".

[mplsjct]

To be fair, Bachmann's model is an S4, Atlas is making the S2, and those HO photos are splendid.

[C855B]

I wonder what the price would be if they offered a DC only version?

No different. Bachmann's DCC decoder is bare-bare-bare bones, and they use the same one in everything, so I'll betcha it costs 'em less than a buck each... which they make up in not having to maintain double inventories.

I saw a finished and painted pre-production S-4 in January, and it was quite impressive. My photos of it, unfortunately, were taken with my old phone and were a blurry mess, and therefore useless. But anyway, I think most of us will be pleased.

[Chris333]

There is a real photo in the latest MR ad.

Don't forget the P&LE scheme is fantasy and based on a Howard Fogg painting, they really looked like this:

[sizemore]

I went and picked it up. It runs really really well OOB. I'd consider this a HUGE  hit over the GE44T. Operationally it runs better than the 44T. The hood and cab lights are both on in either direction but they dim in the direction opposite of travel on DCC. It appears this has flywheels that operate surprisingly well. The detail and painting is amazing. The only flaw that I can find is the window fitment on the cab sides, its not as clean as Kato.

The S.

[Puddington]

I went and picked it up. It runs really really well OOB. I'd consider this a HUGE  hit over the GE44T. Operationally it runs better than the 44T. The hood and cab lights are both on in either direction but they dim in the direction opposite of travel on DCC. It appears this has flywheels that operate surprisingly well. The detail and painting is amazing. The only flaw that I can find is the window fitment on the cab sides, its not as clean as Kato.

The S.

Well; that's great; nice to see an initial good report...well done Bachmann...

[Mark5]

They look awesome. I have not tested any yet.

[wcfn100]

LOL.

Pass.

Jason