"New" Bachmann Centerflows

[cjm413]

The Bettendorf trucks are wrong, but they could be considered to be a stand-in for any cars built with plain bearing journal boxes rather than roller bearings.




Until a better early ACF 5250 is available, I don't see the Bachmann model with the screwed up sides to be any worse than the Atlas or Model Power models with the screwed up ends (aside from the idiotic price Bachmann wants for these)

[cjm413]

Did this last night before many of the other replies and then forgot to hit send.  Not sure anyone cares but here are the "Bingo's" or close-to-bingo's for  the respective cars.

I don't know what possible market Bachmann is shooting for with an uber expensive, uber-cheaply-built model.   Anyone that "doesn't care" probably also isn't willing to pay whatever this thing would normally street at .....$30? $35?   

CNW
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3971138

CSX
???

GN
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3158342

ACFX
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1411005

ATSF (Bachmann Scheme)
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3197558

***************************************************

ATSF (Post Conditionaire Scheme, Modified to 3-bay Grain Hauler)
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1628794

So this last photo is the definite "silver lining" in the potentially wasted 15 minutes of my life.   Looks like ATSF "re-conditionaired"  their cars into a grain-hauling three-bay variety and a more typical paint scheme.   So, something to consider if anyone is looking for a project for the older cars or when these go into the clearance bin.

The ACFX car in the link is a post 1971 car like the current Atlas Trainman car.   The Bachmann/Model Power/Atlas(Roco) models are better suited for the early production cars.

The ATSF Conditionaire cars were built with 3 bays, Bachmann just happened to follow the flawed "a Centerflow is a Centerflow" logic (or lack thereof) by decorating their 5250 in this paint scheme.

ATSF did have some early 5250's (albeit with trough hatches and gravity outlets, IIRC) that I recall were delivered in gray paint that would be too "boring" for the average Bachmann customer.

[davefoxx]

Are we going back to the '70s and '80s when this was expected in N scale?  Did they forget that we are in the 2nd decade of the 21st Century?

@peteski,

To help further your point, Bachmann needs to be reminded that, technically, we're now in the third decade of the 21^st century.

DFF

[Missaberoad]

I guess nobody so far found the unpainted black plastic brake wheel as funny as I did.  Shades of the '70s N scale. 

As a freight car fan the brake wheel is the least offensive part of that "model" i can't see any useful parts or redeeming qualities.

And for 34 us dollars its a bit insulting. Its an entry level product that should be priced accordingly...

[Mark5]

Ridiculous list prices has been Bachmann's "SOP" for decades. 

If you really want want one of these I am sure you could pick some up older releases at a meet (or Ebay) for a few bucks (you'd have to body mount them yourself).

I have an old release in a box - one of a long list of junkers on my rainy day "fixer upper" list. If anyone wants it, I'd gladly part with it for half of the current list! 

[Cajonpassfan]

Dang. Buy a sheet of plywood or one of these? 

Have you bought a sheet of plywood lately?
Otto

[Chris333]

Have you bought a sheet of plywood lately?
Otto

Have you seen the MSRP on any Bachmann item lately?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Have you seen the MSRP on any Bachmann item lately?

Don't tell me Bachmann's actually to blame for the climbing costs of layout construction too!  lol

[thomasjmdavis]

Don't tell me Bachmann's actually to blame for the climbing costs of layout construction too!  lol

Absolutely.  Home center employees are all demanding huge raises so they can afford those $300 $295 train sets for their kids that come with 1970 era tooled 0-6-0 and 5 4 freight cars, a circle of track, and a fairly questionable power pack.
https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=258_269_270&products_id=1810

[Rivet Miscounter]

The ACFX car in the link is a post 1971 car like the current Atlas Trainman car.   The Bachmann/Model Power/Atlas(Roco) models are better suited for the early production cars.

The ATSF Conditionaire cars were built with 3 bays, Bachmann just happened to follow the flawed "a Centerflow is a Centerflow" logic (or lack thereof) by decorating their 5250 in this paint scheme.

Thanks, never really paid attention to the Conditionaire cars so I appreciate the correction.  I really need to go back and study the 4-bays more...seems I've forgotten a lot of what (little) I did know.  I remember studying the 5701/5800 cars when Atlas came out with them and that's about the extent of my efforts.   In simplistic terms are those ATSF cars just 5250's with only three bays?  (so, could you re-configure bays on the 5250, add grain troughs, and be close?) 

I'm asking mainly from a Z-scale perspective.  Not sure what the AZL 4-Bay model is supposed to represent...it's pretty much the only "plastic hopper" in Z so I wasn't going to lose sleep over it at this point.    I assumed it was the 5250.   EDM did a longer ACF hopper kit in Z but again I've not investigated much there either.

[Cajonpassfan]

Have you seen the MSRP on any Bachmann item lately?

Yes, insane. And so is plywood.
I can live without Bachmann.