Large Scale Central

Old Bachmann Porter pickups

Problem Solving
#21

Joe Zullo said:

Scott W. said:

That’s interesting. He’s wrong though. My Bachmann Porter in its original Big Hauler box from 1993 has skates exactly as Ken Brunt said his does. Please. Let’s not argue over this.

Scott,

No argument. I’m convinced. I posted your Porter photo here and on the Bachmann forum for their edification. Thanks for taking the time to clear this up. I’m anxious to see how they explain it over in Bachmann land! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

They seem to be trying to weasel their way out of it. “Who you gonna believe, me, or your lying eyes?” said Bachmann.

#22

It’s been a long day and at this point MAYBE I could possibly give less of a s–t if people at the Bachmann forum haven’t been around long enough to remember the early Porter had sliding pickups or not but…I doubt that I could. I jumped on the problem solving forum to solve my problem not to teach large scale model history.

SO, anyway, after dinner I sat down with tools, my large magnifying lamp and the aforementioned fictitious Bachmann Porter and this is what I discovered. After removing the top half of the engine it became apparent that the pickup that was sticking must’ve fallen out once and the former owner may have shoved it back in to place indelicately and bent the part of the contact that is supposed to point downwards which holds the spring in place and it wouldn’t allow the ‘foot’ on that side to move freely up and down. I then lubed gears and axle points and drive rods and it is now running quieter and the wheels are no ‘wobblier’ than most early large scale engines were. Solved.

You all may now continue to debate whether my Bachmann Porter with original packaging really exists or not or if space aliens stole the original model and replaced it with a mutant imitation.

#23

Joe Zullo said:

I’m anxious to see how they explain it over in Bachmann land! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Probably by saying that it’s been out of production for 20 years. The early 90’s was around the time I bought that train set.

#24

Joe, if you care to continue your discussion with the self proclaimed Bachmann historian I have uploaded a photo of the label end of the package my Porter came in in my photo album under my profile. I’m sure he’ll respond that it is photoshopped or that someone went to the incredible trouble to put a imitation Bachmann Porter in the original box but…I don’t care.

Scott

#25

I see someone (not posted here) has appointed themselves as a historian and is not accepting the picture.

Joe’s picture shows skates, but you cannot see how they are attached, I will give him that.

However, Ken’s picture shows the molding in the gearbox to hold the skates, that’s indisputable in my mind.

I posted that picture over there, let’s see what the “experts” say now. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Anyway, I sure learned something from this… who’d a thought?

Greg

#26

Scott, Greg, et al,

Who’d a thought is right! It piqued my interest because it is like the missing link. Something nobody really knew about.

Scott, I’m glad you got your Porter running well. You brought up a very interesting piece of little known history with your skated Porter. I for one am glad you did. Thanks.

#27

I’m surprised this is such a revelation to so many folks as I had see them before. It seems like people being surprised that Henry Ford made automobiles in black before offering them in colors. We had an unlettered one donated to the NC Arboretum for their garden train layout and I have photos of that one too with closeups of the skate pickup. If anyone wants to have those photos then message me and I’ll figure out how to send them to you.

Scott

#28

Scott W. said:

I’m surprised this is such a revelation to so many folks as I had see them before. It seems like people being surprised that Henry Ford made automobiles in black before offering them in colors. We had an unlettered one donated to the NC Arboretum for their garden train layout and I have photos of that one too with closeups of the skate pickup. If anyone wants to have those photos then message me and I’ll figure out how to send them to you.

Scott

PM sent

BTW, Henry Ford made cars in colors before he went to just black. He went to black only when he went to a timed production line because black lacquer dried the fastest!

#29

Joe,

I sent 3 photos of my Porter and its box to you and 2 photos of the Arboretum’s unlettered Porter which is missing one of its ‘skates’. On the closeup of that one you can clearly read “BACHMANN” & “CHINA”. Do with them what you’d like.

Scott

#30

Scott,

I forwarded your photos to the Bachmann people, but they adamantly maintain that “it never existed”. They also continue to remove some of yours and my posts because they disagree with their stated position. I say let them live in their fantasy world, because of you and Ken we now know better!

#31

That historian you hooked me up with, Joe, stated that there’s a few new people at B’mann now, that weren’t there that many years ago, and since there’s none being produced now, they probably have no idea what was done 20-30 years ago. I guess they think we made all this stuff up…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#32

Ken,

What you say is true, but when they are confronted with the physical truth, how stupid is it to deny it ever was produced? Thanks to you and Scott for your input in this. It certainly opened my eyes, and I hope others learned from it too.

#33

The “Yardmaster” over there just deleted my last post this morning and locked the thread. What an attitude! *He just unlocked it again.

Here is my last post (I copied it since I knew he would delete it)…

Re: Bachmann Locos with Skates
« Reply #9 on: Today at 05:49:37 AM »

Quote from: Yardmaster on May 11, 2015, 08:20:44 AM
No “Current production” Bachmann Large Scale locos have skates…

No “Current production” Bachmann Large Scale locos have skates…
Yes, OK, you have stated that and at the present time it is true, but you ignore the evidence that at some time the Porter did have skates. Why do you stubbornly ignore the facts? You also remove posts that disagree with your position. I do not think that is furthering anyones knowledge on this subject.

#34

You tell’em Joe, though I doubt it’ll do any good…i just find the whole thing hilarious…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

According to my last email with that Historian, he’s gotten quite a few responses from people with that particular Porter with skates on them.

#35

Ken,

Bill Canelos does not work for Bachmann. He is the unofficial historian and does it just to document Bachmann large scale for the masses. I am very disappointed in the Yardmaster who is a Bachmann employee. He is very closed minded and not knowledgeable about his company’s history, and seems he could care less. So much for him. We now know better.

#36

The Bachmann forum, like the other famous Manufacturers Forum, does not hesitate to delete posts and members who disagree with them or their favorite sons.

I’ve run up against a few self-proclaimed experts, and all I can say if you proclaim yourself an expert, you should be ready to back it up with facts, and when presented with new facts, you accept them.

Otherwise, you are a “has been expert”… i.e. you may have been an expert once, but your knowledge has pretty much expired. You must stay current to be an expert.

I often experience this situation on the subjects of batteries and DCC, where the “expert” proffers information based on the state of the art 10 years ago.

Greg

#37

For what its worth. I have a very old Bachmann 0-4-0 and it does not have skates. I had no idea till now there was apparently at least one set with skates and maybe more.

Bill over on the Bachmann Forum does a real good job of trying to keep track of history. Its a rather hard job as there are a lot of strange things that have been produced but were never part of the cataloged items.

Also some items produced for Bachmann Europe or Bachmann Asia on the surface look the same but have a few differences. 20 or more years later some of these show up in the US.

So I tend to give folks a little break when something new shows up.

Stan

#38

Stan,

I realize Bill Canelos is doing the history thing out of the goodness of his heart. I applaud him for that. It’s the company man, Yardmaster, that gets my goat. Rather than at least concede that these locos exist and are Bachmann, he seems to insist that they never were even after being shown the locos. Then he deletes posts that disagree with him and locks the thread. After I sent him a strong PM he unlocked the thread, but deleted my last post. I never knew these missing links existed, but now I know differently. I do not respect a guy like that.

#39

Joe

You and I likely would run a manufacturers forum a little differently but I understand its purpose. I seriously doubt that Jack or most others at Bachmann would have any idea about such an early locomotive. I have found that most manufacturers are concerned with the present and future and have little interest for things more then 20 years old.

And I have also found that sometimes conversations on very old product can confuse the general model railroader who does not dwell as deeply into this as may of those on this forum do.

In reading Jacks posts, he never provided any insight for the old models. Jack simply indicated that no current locomotives have skates which I think is accurate. And likely based on the information he has I seriously doubt he has ever seen one that does.

I find the information that apparently at least one model did fascinating. I wonder why at the time it was dropped from the general production items.

I doubt anyone really knows.

Stan

#40

Withholding information because people could get confused, is, well, a lame excuse.

A historian who rejects history? Does not sound right.

The bottom line is the Bachmann forum is there to help Bachmann… can you blame them? It’s their forum.

Just do not expect them to be objective, although this seems a stupid point to lock threads on and delete posts from.

Greg