Bachmann 2026 catalog overview

Considering what Bachmann had posted for their mid-year announcements, I was pretty curious to know what the 2026 catalog was going to offer. Not expecting anything too different per-say, but maybe a few things here and there that would wow me or make me want to invest into it (especially now that I have 22 radius on my own personal layout.) 

So what does Bachmann's 2026 catalog have in store for us? 

The catalog starts off celebrating America's 250th anniversary with the limited edition Freedom Train and a few other American trains and items as well. 

I still find the circumstances surrounding this set a bit funny. Lionel was the first and last people to release a 4449 Freedom Train set when they did HO scale, and now here along comes Bachmann releasing a 4449 Freedom Train set as Lionel is just getting back into the HO market. 

In all seriousness I would recommend you guys pick this set up. I don't know what the prices are on Freedom Train sets in HO scale let alone the cars and the trains themselves, but it wouldn't hurt to get the newer ones before they shoot up in value. 

The U.S Saving Bond cars are an interesting addition to the catalog. 

While the 4-4-0 American Christmas Steam engine isn't new, the photo for it is. The train looks really good, and I'd highly recommend those looking for a train set around the tree or village to get it, alongside the old time cars and cabooses which also now have photos as opposed to renders. 

It's no Department 56 Village train set, but it sure as heck close to it...

N-scale got some new Christmas cars. 

The Grand Canyon Railway set is one that I was happy to see for two reasons. 

1: I'm a big fan of the 2-8-0 steam engine. 

2: The train cars look really good. I know white and orange might not be the best looking colors for a train car, but I think it works here. 

I know I mentioned the light-rail vehicles in the mid-year update, but I have to mention them again here as we both have a first look at how two of the light rails will look, and I do find Bachmann's decision to make these pretty interesting. 

I'll admit their not my cup of tea, but I think these would work well for anyone who's modeling a more modern city as these things kind of replaced trollies in a way. 

Still hoping the inclusion of Strasburg for one of the 1900's cars means we're on the road to getting a Strasburg steam engine from Bachmann.  

One thing we are getting from Bachmann that took me by surprise is a workhorse series, AKA: weathered cars. 

While I get the argument that weathering cars is something anyone can do with a little paint and time to watch Youtube tutorials, I don't see any harm in Bachmann putting their name in the hat of pre-weathered cars, especially if they can sell them at a cheaper price then others. 

In N-scale, 19th century 4-4-0's are being offered, and I really dig the selection that Bachmann is giving us.

I really hope the N-scale GG1 is a sign that Bachmann is going to release an HO scale GG1 soon. 

I also wouldn't mind Bachmann bringing the Truss bridges up a scale to HO, as I do think they look nice. 

The one thing about this catalog that does disappoint me is the lack of new stuff for On30. 

Yes Bachmann, I know N and HO are your bread and butter, but I'd still like to see you at least release or even re-release an On30 Christmas train set. After all, you guys did make this line with Department 56 and Lemax village pieces in mind...

And no Bradford Exchange I will not order one of your train sets for 3 easy instalments of $69.99. 

I will give Bachmann some credit for continuing to do more modern G-scale diesels thought. 

They also did release a covered bridge kit and a station kit for G-scale. 

In the scenic department are tunnel portals, retraining walls, rocks, and even plaster cloth. 

As I've stated before, I really don't have an issue with train manufactures or anyone else out there releasing stuff to help out both new and old model railroaders create a layout. You kind of want your hobby to be a bit accessible to everybody. 

Final thoughts: 

At bare bones minimum I'd like Bachmann to really keep up the momentum they've been on. Looking back at the older catalogs from Bachmann into the newer ones it shows that Bachmann is still willing to release train sets for Christmas and Thomas the Tank Engine, but also offer trains that's that would look great running on a proto-typical layout. 

I also do think the modern day trains in G scale approach could help them win over the G-scale audience a bit, as I know Bachmann's G-scale line up hasn't always well received, not helped by the fact their track apparently isn't good for taking outside. 

MTH 2009 catalog (Volume 1 and 2) overview

I know model train catalog season is upon us, with Lionel, Bachmann, and other model train manufactures getting ready to release their 2026 catalogs, but in the meantime why don't we go down memory lane and see what MTH was up to with their 2009 volume 1 and 2 catalog. 

Volume 1: 

The rail king (aka traditional O gauge) section started off promising with a 4-6-4 royal Hudson being offered, with the promise of passenger cars as well. 

The good news: MTH did do the 2-8-8-8-2 triplex in traditional O gauge. The bad? It still needs a bigger curve then 31. Honestly I'm just impressed that MTH even tried this to begin with. For those who don't know, the Triplex is a pretty long steam engine. The fact that MTH was able to at least shrink it down to fit a 42 curve is impressive and great for those who don't have room for the o gauge version which takes a 72 radius curve. 

I can't help but fall in love with MTH's Southern Pacific Rail king. It looks great, and the passenger cars it and it's Freedom Train scheme come with look amazing. 

Therapist: Rolling Rock switcher isn't real, it can't hurt you. 

The milky way, snickers, and 3 musketeers hopper cars are much appreciated. With the exception of Lionel it just doesn't seem like we're getting as many candy based cars as we used too, and I'm sorry but even if it is just an advertisement to convince us to buy those sweets and treats that will rot our teeth's out, I'd love to see them make somewhat of a comeback. 

The 3 car fright sets are pretty nice. Sure, most of them are for companies like rolling rock and 7-up, but I do like the idea of a 3 car pack with a box car, gondola, and tank car. 

Love the Harley Davis streamline cars by the way MTH. 

O scale has it's decent selection of steam trains as well. The 4-8-2 Mohawk being one of them. 

The Yellowstone 2-8-8-4 is a favorite of mine in the "big steam engines" category and MTH really did it justice here. 

The Russian Decapod is anther favorite steam engine of mine. In spite of how short the engine is, it takes a 72 radius curve. 

MTH offered a twin stack fright set for Union Pacific and Florida East Coast, and I'm sorry but if they really were selling those sets for $699 back then, that is an absolute steal. 

Our friends over at Lionel would sell this same set for at least $1000. 

I have a soft spot for the wooden passenger cars in general, and was glad to see MTH offering them in this catalog, alongside one that's for Strasburg Railroad. Either I'm looking in the wrong places, or Strasburg just isn't that represented in the world of model trains. 

Rounding out volume 1 is some buildings for scenery, and though it's not much, I do appreciate what MTH offered. I also do really love the operating transfer dock. 

Volume 2: 

One thing I will highlight about the railking section of MTH's volume 2 catalog were some of the sets they were offering. Some of these sets look really nice and are something I wish Lionel would offer as traditional O gauge sets (though I know the price for them would be expensive. 

I also wanted to point out that MTH had made the George H.W Bush train for their railking line as well. I mentioned way back in my MTH HO scale catalog that I thought it was nice that MTH made a funeral train for that scale as they had done so for O. 

One final set from MTH to mention was the Areotrain set. I don't really have anything to add outside of "this is nice" and "I wish someone would make this in traditional O gauge". Forgive me for yet anther petty shot at Lionel in this blog, but it would be nice if they toned down the "Halloween and Disney" trains a bit to give us train sets like we see in this catalog. 

European trains showing up in these catalogs is a running theme I don't mind. The 2-3-1E Chapelon Pacific looks great (even if the cab drivers look a little off) and the Duchess class are two engines I hope those who wanted to model European got. 

No. 999 Empire State Express was a nice surprise. I do have a soft spot for older steam engines, and clearly MTH does as well as they put a lot of detail into this train. 

The 3GS 21B Genset diesels were a new offer for this catalog. 

Like in the railking section, MTH offered some train sets for their O scale premier line, and I really do like some of these sets and wish I had the money and space to get them. To Lionel's credit they do something similar in their own modern day catalogs where they offer big boy (not referring to the steam engine, referring to the boxes and packaging they come in) sets for O scale. 

Final thoughts: 

Part of the reason why I can't quite get over MTH going away is because I like how much of an alternative they were to Lionel. The company really tried and succeeded in bringing their "A" game to keep up with Lionel, and I think they did better then them in some cases. 

A part of me kind of wishes MTH had just stuck to O gauge or at the very least O and HO. Yes MTH, I did like seeing the One gauge stuff you had to offer and even some of the standard gauge stuff as well, but I can't help but wonder if over expanding into other scale markets is what killed you in the long run. 

It's easier said then done to work on multiple scales as a company, and even Bachmann seems to struggle with that with their bread and butter clearly being HO and N while G and O fall to the wayside (at least before they started making more modern trains for G). 

Review: Bachmann's streamline Observation car, Norfolk and Western

 I've mentioned in past journals covering Bachmann that I'm a big fan of them bringing in more smooth, streamline cars for railroads such as NYC, PA, and Norfolk and Western. 

Don't get me wrong guys, I'm a fan of the heavyweight passenger cars as well, but the streamline cars just have something to them that draws me to them. Their smooth, slick, and got style to them. Well, at a train show I went to recently I was able to pick up one of Bachmann's streamline cars, with it being an observation car from the Norfolk and Western. 

The Powhatan Arrow passenger cars are a favorite of mine. I do like the heavyweight cars that I have with the Norfolk and Western that are from their Spectrum line, I wanted to slowly but surly collect the Powhatan Arrow cars, and just in general add more passenger cars to my fleet. So, how good is this car? 

Anther thing I've mentioned in the past is that these cars don't look as nice as MTH/Fox Valley, with the cars being a lighter shade of brown then those cars. Still, I don't want to completely trash the passenger cars, and not just because I have a soft spot for Bachmann. 

There's still a decent amount of detail on the observation car. Inside the train are seats that I imagine with some modification can be filled with passenger cars. On the side of the train is the Powhatan Arrow label. 

The lantern that could be seen on the side of the observation car isn't really there, replaced by some sort of bump on the side. 

I don't mind too dearly, but I can understand those who are really going all in on realism being a bit annoyed. 

While there is a bit of a light glowing through the car thing going on, it's in the very back where one of the trains symbols are, and I honestly don't mind it. It makes it look like the glow the observation car would have. 

Other then that, I don't have any issues with the train. It runs well on the track and gets along fine with it's heavyweight brothers as it runs around my layout, which now has 22 radius curves so I can run it and my Norfolk and Western train (alongside other big trains I may have in my collection.) 

Final thoughts: 

If the budget just isn't there for the Fox Valley cars I'd recommend getting Bachmann's Norfolk and Western Observation car. Is it perfect? No. But the flaws it has can be fixed via some good old fashion modification (which is something I'm sure many model railroaders do with their trains) and it's a pretty great runner. 

Keep up the good work with the passenger cars Bachmann. If you have to cut some detail out to make them affordable so be it, but the base your working with is promising at the very least...