Bachmann and Ready-to-Run
On30 was popularised by the American division of Bachmann Industries Inc. in the late 1990s, reputedly financed by the Christmas decoration market, as placing a circle of railroad track around the Christmas tree is popular in the States. Since the introduction of a nicely proportioned 2-6-0 Mogul locomotive and some passenger coaches, they have produced a diverse range of narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock. These represent prototypes which operated on both 2ft and 3ft narrow gauge railroads, both in the US and elsewhere in the world. Baldwin, for example, exported many locos to Mexico and Central America, where narrow gauge railroads were widespread and 2ft 6ins gauge was more common. Bachmann have acknowledged this with several of their more unusual locomotives.
In common with many manufacturers these days, Bachmann produces their models in batches, so not all the range they have produced is available at the same time. Examples of the major models produced are illustrated below -click on the thumbnails for a larger image. There have been many variations in livery/lettering, and several of the steam locomotives were supplied with alternative fuel loads to replicate coal, wood and oil firing.
All locos have now been offered with a DCC capability at some point in their production and some have been made available either factory fitted with a sound chip and speaker, or have the internal connections to retro-fit one at additional cost. Their first loco, the 2-6-0 Mogul, is the most recent to be re-launched complete with DCC on-board and a separate sound board which can be added at additional cost. For modellers with the original versions there are several how-to articles showing how to retrofit a DCC chip available to read on the Internet
Of particular interest to On30 modellers has been the release of beautifully detailed geared locomotives, featuring the three main types: the Shay, the Climax and the Heisler (in order, left to right below). This has encouraged the building of layouts with logging and mining as the primary themes.
Larger locomotives have included 2-6-0 and 4-6-0 tender locos, 2-8-0 Consolidations, and inside and outside framed versions of typically American 4-4-0 tender locos.
The Mogul has also been offered in a modified form with the front pony truck removed and slight changes to the cab, as an 0-6-0 Switcher loco. It has a smaller tender than the Mogul, indicative of the lesser mileage such a shunting loco would undertake each day.
There have also been two types of Mallet articulated locos.
Both inside and outside framed 2-4-4T Forneys, as used in Maine, have been produced along with diminutive 0-4-0T and 0-4-2T Porter saddle tank locos.
For fans of internal combustion locos, Bachmann produced a small Davenport 'gas mechanical' and a rail bus, complete with matching trailer, the prototype for which actually existed on a West Virginian standard gauge shortline, the Buffalo Creek & Gauley.
Also prototypically correct is their rail truck, based on the reconstructed Rio Grande Southern 'Galloping Goose' Motor Car No.1. A few years back, but still available in some liveries, they released a larger centre cab Whitcomb diesel loco. This has a heavy diecast metal body and operates beautifully. It has DCC on board and speaker, requiring only the optional plug in card to provide diesel sounds. They also still offer a generic 4-wheel Streetcar. The power block mounted underneath is particularly popular with “kit bashers” who have been placing alternate diesel bodies on them, many nowadays 3D printed.
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The latest loco to be offered by Bachmann is a 2-6-0 so-called 'Trench Engine', representing a 60cm gauge Baldwin loco that was used by the Americans during the First World War. It comes with DCC and sound already fitted. It was initially available in unlettered black, but the alternate U.S.A. grey locos and the green ones lettered for the 'Quartermaster Corps' are still produced and can be found severely discounted from their original MRRP, if you hunt for them and are prepared to import examples from the States. Most recently, the Heisler is advertised for return, with improved gears and new sound capability, but Bachmann does take its time to supply re-runs.
It should be pointed out to narrow gauge modellers considering undertaking an On30 layout that whilst the secondary market can offer most of the locos and rolling stock pre-owned, one must be aware of problems with the gears used on several of the locos, which are prone to splitting. This is not, sadly, unique to On30 models, or to Bachmann, which acknowledged the failures several years ago, and for a time offered those with unserviceable locos free sets of gears with which to repair them. Whilst these have all been handed out, Bachmann’s Spares Department in the States can usually provide the necessary replacement parts, several of which have been improved and now rarely fail, albeit at some expense in postage and import charges. The locos mostly affected are the Shay, the Climax, the Davenport Gas Mechanical, Rail Bus and Rail Truck. In view of this, be careful when investigating the purchase of one of these online, sight unseen. Once repaired the models should run well and be periodically lubricated (carefully and not too enthusiastically), and they should then operate for years without trouble.