N SCALE 'J' CLASS 4-8-4 NORFOLK & WESTERN WITH TENDER #611 AND AUXILIARY

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This is a brand new Loco I have never opened even to test. There is a small tear in the box. From Spookshow...Bachmann released another completely redesigned version of this locomotive in 2006. And as mentioned previously, it has (thankfully) very little in common with any of the earlier versions -Features include:- DCC ready (sort of) - Die-cast boiler, underframe, and tender frame - Precision motor - Separately applied detail parts and laser-cut exterior detailing - Die-cast finescale driver spokes - Dummy knuckle couplers, front and rearThe split-frame chassis is all-metal and very heavy. The locomotive shell is also metal, making this one of the heaviest (non-brass) steamers ever made. The motor is a 3-pole "can". Left-rail pickup is provided by three of the four left-side drivers (the third-from-the-front set of drivers being equipped with traction tires). Additionally, all twelve tender wheels collect current (both left and right rail). The right-side drivers are all electrically neutral, as are the pilot and trailing trucks. A PC board mounted to the back of the locomotive chassis provides directional lighting control (with long wires running up to the actual bulb mounted in the front of the chassis). Wires run between the locomotive and tender, which are connected to a harness that plugs into a PC board inside the tender (IE, to completely disconnect the locomotive from the tender, you have to first remove the tender shell and unplug the wiring harness). A back-up light is provided in the tender. The center drivers are geared (with the outer drivers being turned solely by the cranks). All gearing is plastic. A dummy (non-operating) coupler is mounted to the tender chassis. A similar coupler can be mounted in the pilot, or simply left off (with a part designed to cover up the hole in its place). Wheel flanges are low-profile, so no problems on Code-55 track.As for performance... Well, I never thought I'd find myself saying this, but with this version Bachmann (yes, Bachmann ) might just have released one of the greatest steam locomotive ever to grace N scale. The looks are stellar, the detailing is superb, and the performance is excellent. Pickup is perfect. The locomotive is smooth, quiet, and responsive at all throttle levels, and it pulls like nobody's business. Mine can easily haul 15 freight cars up a 2% grade without slipping. I had no problems with wheels derailing, and it navigated narrow (9.75") radius turns without any difficulty.The only nit I can find to pick is with the slow speed creep. The starting speed is just a tad higher than we're used to nowadays, so definitely not as creepy as, say, Kato's 2-8-2. This is probably due to the fact that this locomotive employs a three-pole (rather than a five-pole) motor. Anyway, I don't suppose you'd be spending a lot of time trying to perform delicate yard switching with it, so it's a minor quibble at best. All in all, this is certainly the best locomotive release from Bachmann since their 2001 2-8-0 Consolidation.Bachmann calls this model "DCC Ready", and although it kinda, sorta is, it doesn't quite meet my definition of DCC Readiness. What Bachmann has done is supplied seven contacts on the PC board in the tender where you can solder on decoder wires (2 for track, 2 for motor and 3 for lights). However, what they didn't do is just go ahead and put an NMRA DCC plug in there to make a simple plug'n'play install possible. So, yes, it is a relatively painless install, but definitely not a simple drop-in job (and hence, not considered DCC Ready by this encyclopedia). The good news is that they provided space for a speaker in the tender, so I went ahead and installed a steam sound decoder in mine. Very cool indeed!To remove the locomotive shell on the early versions, remove the screw holding the drawbar to the back of the locomotive. Next, remove the screw up on the front of the chassis. The shell should lift up and off at that point.To remove the locomotive shell o... read more

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