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Written by Paul D. Race for
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On30 Starter Sets from BIG Train Store™Bachmann is one of the world's largest model railroad manufacturers. When Dept. 56® asked them to make a model train to go with their display villages, Bachmann chose to make real model trains - models of specific real-world locomotives and cars, crafted in realistic proportions. The result was today's On30 trains.
These trains are about 1/48th the size of the real thing (similar to Lionel), but they run on HO gauge track, so they fit almost anywhere. Bachmann's On30 trains soon attracted the interest of model railroaders who appreciated their craftsmanship. The real narrow gauge railroads that Bachmann has chosen to model include logging and coal trains, as well as smaller railroads that reached places the big railroads could not afford to serve. So, while the trains are ideal for display villages such as those by Hawthorne village® and Dept. 56®, the history they embody makes them a great resource for anyone who wants to fit a great deal of model railroading into a fairly small space - without using trains so small that you can barely see the accessories with the "naked eye."
The power supply is adequate to provide power to a track loop several times the size that comes with the train, so that is a good investment, too.
In other words, with a Bachmann On30 starter set, you get a complete train that is a detailed, accurate model of a real-world train that once served customers in North America, along with a quality reliable track plan and power supply - everything you need, not only to get started, but also to run smoothly with little maintenance once you have got started.
Note about Availability and Pricing: Before Bachmann started making On30 trains, only a few handcrafted brass pieces a year were usually available for On30 hobbiests, and the market was very small. The number of people modeling any particular narrow gauge line was even smaller (unless you count Rio Grande, which has a relatively large following). To this day, Bachmann tends to make relatively small runs of most On30 products. For example, they may order one batch of an East Broad Top (EBT) set, then not make another EBT set again until they've also modeled a dozen other lines. So if you see any On30 products for a railroad you want to model, get them now - they may not be available for long, and once they become unavailable, they may remain so for years. If you "click through" to see details on a product, and nothing happens at all, or you are routed to a supplier's home page, please let me know and I will remove the product from the buyer's guide until I can find a replacement or another supplier. For more detailed information about why products seem to come and go and why I have stopped listing prices for certain products, please see my article "About Pricing and Availability."
Note about Suppliers: While we try to help you get the trains and other products you want by recommending suppliers with a good record of customer service, all transactions between you and the supplier you chose to provide your trains are governed by the published policies on the supplier's web site. So please print off any order confirmation screens and save copies of invoices, etc., so you can contact the appropriate supplier should any problems occur. (They almost never do, but you want to be on the safe side.)
Bachmann On30 Starter SetsAll of the Bachmann On30 train sets shown below look great with display village structures, model railroads, and even - in case you wondered - Christmas trees. They are warranteed by Bachmann, who in my experience, provides excellent customer service. To see a bigger photo of any train below, simply click on the photo you want to see "blown up." As always please contact us with any questions about any train, village, or accessory on this site.
Bachmann On30 Spectrum Ohio River & Western Passenger Train Set Bachmann's On30 model of this Ohio River & Western Railway captures the spirit of hundreds of "short-line" railroads that served regions between 1850 and 1940. This set includes a 2-6-0 steam locomotive with operating headlight, coal tender, three lighted passenger cars, 56 inch x 38 inch oval of nickel silver E-Z Track with 12 pieces of curved track, 3 pieces of straight track, and 1 plug-in terminal rerailer, E-Z Mate couplers on all cars, Spectrum power pack, and helpful video with assembly instructions.
Click on a button for more details or to make a purchase.
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Bachmann On30 Spectrum Colorado and Southern Passenger Train Set Green and gold is the color scheme of this handsome Colorado & Southern train set. The Colorado & Southern comes complete with: a lighted 2-6-0 steam locomotive and tender, three lighted passenger cars, 56 inch x 38 inch oval of nickel-silver E-Z Track, magnetically-operated E-Z Mate knuckle couplers on all cars, under-track magnet, Spectrum power pack, and helpful video with assembly instructions. Click on a button for more details or to make a purchase. |
Bachmann On30 Spectrum Denver and Rio Grande Western Passenger Train Set This set includes all the features of the two sets above, but it comes in one of the West's favorite color schemee - Bumblebee Yellow. I'm told that this color was actually adopted in the early 1900s, when the "Wild West" had tamed down a little, but the wilderness through which the D&RGW passed was still breathtaking. This color is retained today on tourist trains that travel where these historic colors once "ruled the west." Click on a button for more details or to make a purchase. |
 Bachmann's On30 model captures the spirit of thousands of "peddler freights" that served local industries all over North America between 1850 and 1960. This set includes a 2-6-0 steam locomotive with operating headlight, coal tender, three freight cars, caboose, 56 inch x 38 inch oval of nickel silver E-Z Track with 12 pieces of curved track, 3 pieces of straight track, and 1 plug-in terminal rerailer, E-Z Mate couplers on all cars, Spectrum power pack, and helpful DVD format video with assembly instructions. Click on the button below to check stock. Click on a button for more details or to make a purchase. |
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For more information or to place your order, click on a "check stock" button." The On30 Christmas Train page offers some versions in holiday colors if you prefer. Note: To extend a "back-and-forth" railroad, you will need to use special track. (Regular HO track, even the EZ track that comes with the trains above, won't work, because of the extra wiring necessary to run the reversing mechanism.) For straight pieces, use Bachmann #44548 track. For curves, use Bachmann # 44549. If you have questions about this, please contact me and I'll try to help you out. |
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Note: Big Indoor Trains (tm), Big Train Store (tm), Trains and Towns(tm), Family Garden Trains(tm) and Big Christmas Trains(tm) are trademarks of Breakthrough Communications (www.btcomm.com). All information, data, text, and illustrations on this web site are
Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 by Paul D. Race.
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