According to Bachmann’s website, they are coming out with a new big hauler. It features a new tender, and plug and play electronics. https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=255_433_1119&products_id=6947
I heard that rumor a couple of weeks ago… the “evolution” of the Bug Mauler continues!
I wonder which socket Bachmann (no two sockets alike) will choose…
Greg
Hopefully that they will re-release the V&T engine and tender in the older Gold Hill, blue/brown/red/gold fancy coloring.
To borrow a line from Family Guy, it really grinds my gears, no pun intended 
that they use that engine in a ton of their marketing material, (for the crossing gates pictures, and throughout the catalog even to this day) but never re-released it for the Annie. I have been cobbling together my own V&T after the original stripped out its gears from a stolen Annie drive train, modified to look like the correct red/gold wheels to match. Then I made the mistake years ago early on and sent it to Bachmann for service and it showed up with all black wheels! That was a fun back and fourth with Bachmann for three weeks before they sent me my drivetrain back and vowed to never do that again 
Even though that may not be prototypically correct coloring, I still love the coloring of that engine. One of the best, fanciest Bachmann ever released. Hope it is part of the next gen 10 wheeler. Now if they did the 10 wheeler and re-released the coaches as the upgraded Jackson sharps, man I would be one happy dude!
From what I can tell, there is no V&T. However, they might release more roadnames. The current roadnames are: North Pole and Southern, D&RGW bumblebee, D&RGW speed lettering, undecorated, and Pennsylvania.
Bummer…… Maybe I need to petition Bachmann more than I already do
Wish they could offer a different tender like a whaleback or Vanderbilt just to freshen up the line.
Interesting that they are going back and putting dollars in 1:22 scale. With the huge success of the C-19 (from my point of view, no idea how it worked out financially) I am surprised they are not at least re-running that loco. And it’s possible to use the same drive train / electronics to offer some new Fn3 models if they cared to put money in that line.
Vic Smith said:
Wish they could offer a different tender like a whaleback or Vanderbilt just to freshen up the line.
I think they had to re-do the tender to make the electronics and speaker fit. Hope they cut down the size of the rivets!
I think Pete’s guess is probably the best one, slowly standardizing on the socket, and of course a speaker.
Greg