Bachmann Spectrum Eureka and Palisades Railroad #4 - The Eureka

The Bachmann Spectrum 1:20.3 scale model of the "Eureka", Dan Markoff's famous back-yard restoration of this great 1875 locomotive.

Let's start with the bad news... Like all first-generation Bachmann Spectrum models, it has serious gear issues. The main drive gear is pressed on the axle and over time starts to slip. ALL of these models suffer from this major problem. If they are running, they soon will not be. As the gear starts to slip the model freewheels and the motor just spins. It can be fixed, NWS makes replacement gears. But it requires a major tear-down to instal the new gear.

The later Bachmann Spectrum's have a keyed axle and gear, but thousands of these early 4-4-0s, Moguls, Shays and others have this near-fatal flaw. Also installation of DCC or sound requires a total rewire of the locomotive.

Other issues include several detail issues. A wood pilot where #4 has a metal pilot. The roof should be silver metal and have rain gutters. The panel below the window should have rounded ends. The cast wood load looks, well, not great.

NOW the good stuff... The paint is AMAZING. Most of the details are great and accurate. AND all of these other issues can be solved if a person has a mind to spend some time and a bit of money.

Our model just spun its gear a short time ago and is yet to be addressed. But we would also like to add DCC and sound so a total tear-down is still to be done. But a replacement pilot from a new Bachmann Mogul has taken the place of the original wood pilot. Woodgrain and weather added. A metal roof and rain gutters made from Evergreen plastic and Bare Metal Foil were added. AND Karyn made a great wood load.

We have been double-heading the loco as it rolls freely with the broken gear and the lights still come on and it looks great. But the plan is to totally tear down and instal a NWS gear and SoundTraxx electronics...