This is the second steam locomotive I purchased from Bachmann and the first DCC. I am very impressed with this and it will be pulling my vintage Riverossi 1920s heavyweights. Thanks for this review.
Really great interview James. HO has come a long way with sound and smoke. Bachmann has sure changed with better items also. I like seeing the ladies who are getting into this hobby a lot more now. Many are really good artists. Thanks James for such a great program!
I want this so bad and it’s on Amazon and it has good reviews. A lot of people that send bad reviews say stuff like “It has too many wheels and it keeps derailing”. I think it’s so stupid that they blame the locomotive for being too long. They act like all trains run on the same type of track.
James , it is good to see Bachmann sees you have value to the hobby by supplying their model for you to review . It is also noted your positive view on the value Bachmann has provided for the hobby . Great review as always hitting on the positive side of what Bachmann is providing now and what they plann for the future . It would be nice to see the planning and the building of the benchwork on the new layout . Yes we old guys have seen that before . However the new modlers have not seen it all . With that said , please consider a more detailed look on building a layout from start to finish .. As always , Randy
Randy, I will be doing a video series on the building of the new layout, but I'll be skipping bench work again but you'll understand why later. As for Bachmann, I have reviewed several of their items before but this one was the first provided for review. All of the other Bachmann reviews except for the ES44AC and SD70ACe has been very favorable towards Bachmann because they've provided a great value for the model. Take care! Thanks for being around as a long time subscriber!
Great review James! I love the Bachmann steam locos. I think they do a great job with them. I plan on purchasing this model in the NKP road name. Thanks for the review.
Just got one of these. I will say, the sound is pretty sharp, if not fully accurate. As for pulling power out of the box, it's very weak. There is room in the smokebox though and firebox for weight. A note as well, keep the gear cover holding the worm gear in place a little loose. It really helps smooth the operation.
It is weak. If you want something that can pull more then a few cars go Broadway limited.It has value and will keep its value in the long run.Bachmann makes there locos cheep in order to sell them for less with some sound.They run smooth because they are so light in weight.There is some room to add weight ,but not enough to make much of a differance because of their Zaic frame that is a aluminum alloy and is light weight metal compared to other manufacturers that use other metals with some weight.Bachmann saves money on shipping weight from China with a light load.
When BLI makes a berk, great. Currently, they don't. I get what you're saying, but if you want a model of the Berkshire, Bachmann is the only one that still makes it. Proto did make berks for a while, but those have the same issue. For now, best thing to do is buy the Bachmann one and stuff it full of weight. Also Bullfrog Snot the rear driver.
Great Review, I bought all three so I can convert them to Southern Railway, you are spot on great price, for sound engine. I would also point out that not having traction tires is good by me, it makes maintenance and cleaning wheels easier......Hooah! Dave
Former military as well, Iraqand bosnia Vet... thank you for your service. I am glad I caiught this review, I want to get the 1225, already have a proto 2000 Life Like heritage Per Marquette Berkshire and it runs great, I was on the 1225's 3rd ride after her rebuild and coming back to the tracks last year on the Polar Express. Great looking engine. have video of her on my page. Thank you again for the review. Kflannigan98
Just a suggestion in the future could we maybe skip the part about warranty cards and catalog offers. Too many on youtube spend way too much time going over it, lets be honest, nobody watches that part. It's about the packaging and the train itself and actual instructions.
James nice review. They hauled IRON ORE CARS back in the day. A little Michigan history. Heavy Hauler.I believe they did not have white walls when they did this. 1225 Bachmann's Christmas train movie.I think this is a re-release of a older model that they did in the 90's
One comment I would like to add is that the 1225 is the basis for the Berkshire in the Polar Express movie. May not mean much to some, but for those of us with Kids, it's a pretty neat fact. Great review and nice to see these budget steamers with sound. As I get back into HO, I will have a mix and not everything has to be perfect to the prototype.
Hi James great review I like Bachmann and like you said they have good good items, can't wait too see how your new layout gets started when you start working on it keep up the good work!!!
I Love this locomotive. The one thing that upsets me the most is that I bought this loco in 2013 with only dcc, no sound, for $165.99. Now i have seen the one you reviewed online for $194.99, or something very close to that. My point is, to convert my current P.M. 1225 to dcc AND sound will cost me $150 or so. that is around 3/4 of the price of this loco, just to add sound to my already $166 investment. So mad, but what a great locomotive.
Pere Marquette didn't have name on chimney stack apart from that the most gorgeous train ever built I come from the land of the flying Scotsman go big boys 7000bhp whoe
The model to me, looks just like the pictures I have seen of the prototype. I am starting to like this new Bachmann product line they are putting out. I heard that their N Scale is getting better as well.
After watching this review, i went and watched videos of the real size 1225 and the real size Nickel Plate 765 and the default whistle sounds more the 765's whistle to me. Still a great looking model train.
Great video. I sent a Spectrum 2-10-0(sound) in under new warranty, Bachmann called me today and said it could not be fixed. This one is not available now they will send me a Spectrum 4-4-0(sound) or Berkshire 2-8-4(sound), I chose the Berkshire, already have three 4-4-0's. Bachmann customer service is awesome.
First I want to thank you for putting you life n the line for us every day so we are free to enjoy this hobby now to my question how hard is it to find undecorated engines and rolling stock I want to create my own road name I do not care to be prototypical I want to do my own paint and colors like candies and pearls some engines and rolling stock will have flames or scallops others two tone custom colors thank you Jody
The Bachmann Berk is available in undecorated format (with DCC). It's the Nickle Plate version, but I installed a vestibule type cab and numbered and decaled it for the DT&I #700.
Its been years since I have had trains in HO what set would you recomend me getting to start I want to stay with diesel more than steam plus I am retired and on a limited fixed budget
I a big fan of the 1225. Just out of coursity does the whistle the real sound 1225 make? And doe,s bachmann make a tender for her sdtunt from the polar express movie when theory used her?
The only 3 or 4 versions Bachmann makes is the NKP version, both with a mars light and with out, the C&O version and the PM version. But it would be fairly easy to have an extra tender shell painted and decaled to "Polar Express"
I'm relatively new to the hobby and I must say your reviews and other videos have been quite helpful. I'm modeling the 40s and 50s coal fields of West Virginia and the C&O. One thing I would like to see is the class H8 which I'm having a hard time finding. I would greatly appreciate, if you can find one of coarse, a review and possibly a link to were you found it. Keep up the good work and thank you.
Much better review James. You are improving. Consider looking at articles that will give you the proper names for details you try to describe. Suggest Kalmbach as a source for drawings with mechanical IDs. Keep working at it.
James I know it has a tsunami sound decoder but what type of decoder is it like is it TSU-1100 or so on the reason I am asking I want to know if I'm able to change the CVs on it so I can make it have different whistles and bells because I just saw 765 for the first time and want the model I get to be as prototypical as I can get it. And thanks for being the best model railroad review person
It is not a Tsumani sound decoder .Soundtraxx made them with a few features and a few sounds for Bachmann.They are pretty good ,but do not have the power in the volume that Tsumani does ,but you get 3 different horns to chose from ,but only 1 bell and no brake sounds EQ or reverb and no auto load function with the chuff.
Nice, but i have a non sound 1225 and i don't really like it. One, it has no traction tires (Don't know about the sound one) and it's light as heck so it can't pull much. If i was to get another Berkshire, it'd be a MTH one (Would love to see you do a comparison between an MTH and Bachmann Berkshire BTW).
Mine has more of a problem with switches. Every time it goes over one, it jumps off the rails. Sometime's it'll re-rail instantly but it's started to just derail completely. As for binding on tight curves, i don't know as mine are all over 24 inch radius curves.
A highly recommend Bullfrog Snot for non traction equipped locos. I had many a loco which struggled up 1% grades pulling 12-16 car trains up 3% like nothing was there after applying the Bullfrog Snot.
P Mason We are talking about two different products. This is the product I am speaking of: www.modeltrainstuff.com/Bullfrog-Snot-Traction-Tires-1oz-Jar-p/bfs-bfs.htm You would never use this as a wax of any sort.
Train2589 Traction tires are not what good modern model have.If they do most manufacturers give you an option to put a standard metal driver .They are bad for the gear and drive and especially the rail spreading that rubber along the rail.Keep your track and wheels clean of lube and the slight slip you get is actually good.She can wear in to the rail or vise versa like the real deal.Have fun!
Im really worried about mine, I bought the DCC Sound value one and it just arrived and im worried that it will be like one of the bad ones where it stalls and wont work on bends.
Just got one of these engines and ran it today.The detail is OK ? and it ran good on a flat track.When i put a 8 car athearn load on and ran it on my layout it would not pull a small grade on a 30 inch radius curve.I think the Bachmann test track must be flat. The wheels spun,the engine is very light weight and seems to be a problem.As for the sound it sounded like it was coming out of a old tin can.Also i did not know that steam came out of the tender,this is what it sound like.The $ 300.00 price is bad for this engine and even if you find one on ebay make sure you buy it cheap ,way better products are a much better value at this price.Mine is back in the box and will be at the next swap meet for a steel.I GUESS YOU CAN READ I DO NOT LIKE THIS ENGINE,BUT THIS IS ONLY MY REVIEW AND YOURS MIGHT VARY.
I think it would be cool if CSX would do something with 1225 but It couldnt be anything major or long, simply because the locomotive has friction bearings instead of roller bearings like 765 and many other big mainline steamers have. I wouldnt call it out though ;)
Porque a qui en colombia no hay tirendas de estos productos siendo que habemos aficionados al ferromodelismo.y la unica tienda que conozco el costo es deshorbitante.
I'm new and planning to make a model layout and I am planning on buying this thing but can tthis one run wth a regular transformator aswell or do then the sounds not work? if they not work what kind of electrical would you recommend
Hello Sir, Just wanted to ask if the webside you linked in the description is shipping to germany too because when i tried to order the Berkshire 1225 it failed. Hope you are able to respond, nice Video btw!
I have a Bachmann berk and it is one of my favorite engines. It is the NKP 765 but it doesn't have DCC sound (yet). My engine has had one glaring problem since the day I got it, and that is it almost always derails on certain switches. For example, say I have a right-handed switch and it is set to go straight ahead. When the engine goes over that switch, the front wheel will jump the track and go to the right instead of going forward and that will cause the engine to derail because the rest of the engine wants to go forward. Do you know of a way to fix this problem?
You do an excellent product review! You just need a little more light on the subject when you are filming, especially when you are reviewing and filming a steam locomotive.
I'm going to disagree with your notation of the model having 4 chuffs per revolution. The chuffs should be at 12-3-6-9 (and vise versa) or very close. Here I noticed it wants to travel, which is where the chuffs are not in the same place every revolution. I would expect at the price they would at least sync the chuffs or have a cam installed.
Can you rip the model makers apart for making their Southern 4501 model USRA standard light mikados? (she was built before then and her new upgrades will most likely not appear on the model, BLI has already done it and bachmann plans to do the same thing in the future) lol All joking aside would you mind doing a review on the Intermountain F3As when they come out in November? I want to get get myself an NC&StL one for Christmas.
its not about making an accurate model for manufactures, its about taking tooling they already have and applying it for various other roads and road names. Take me for example, I took a BLI Light mikado, completely rebuilt it with all the modern features 4501 has and I found a brass tender that complements the model well, and it turned out well. now is it perfectly scale, no, but as long as you like what you have and your happy with it, why bother making everything "scale"
Well, its not that but i would love for a manufacture to make something scale that isnt brass and or cost a fortune. And i wasnt trying to be rude with this comment, just stating my opinion and such. Sorry
Great Review! The real Pere Marquette 1225 runs out of Owosso, MI. It's operated by the Steam Railroading Institute. Here's a link for those who are interested in learning more about this cool engine. michigansteamtrain.com/ You may even want to take a ride. The whistle is so cool on the real life engine, just like this model.
Same thing, C&O bought out Pere Marquette and relettered/renumbered (were sometimes) and was put to work in the coal mountains down South. Only handful had been saved, but the only Pere Marquette engines left are 1225 (operating) and 1223 (none operating).
So, question... How would you all compare orange box (with sounds) versus blue box (no sound) endings? I had a blue box Daylight and it was absolutely horrid. I'm hesitant to get another Bachmann,locomotive because of this.
How did my engine perform? Poorly. The pilot and trailer trucks were very loose and did nothing to help the engine in curves (Like I'm used to in older engines and higher end engines now) so it derailed on a lot of small things that a Mikado and a Mallet of some sort ran over with no problems. The decoder, like stated in this video, was crap. It was laggy and did not like to respond on the massive club layout I was running it on recently alongside other engines that ran fine. As for my own smaller layout, it ran fine for a while until I tried to park it. Every couple minutes, it would move. And not the creeping that DCC engine are so known for, this was a full speed shift by almost a foot. Watched it do it twice. The trucks on the tender were bent, or at least one was. The access door on the front of the boiler was crooked from the factory. Couplers weren't the right height and were not adjustable. I'm sure putting a new decoder into it would have fixed most of the programming issues, but the poor tracking, very low amount of wheel grip (Slipped up with a ten car train of 40' freight cars), and the overall poor quality of the model itself (including fuzzy paint in areas) told me it wasn't worth it.
