timberley
Member
Posts: 189
Primary Railroads: VIA Rail Canada, AMT (Montreal)
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Post by timberley on Jul 8, 2016 9:59:00 GMT -5
In their new product announcements from the NMRA show, Bachmann is announcing an ACS-64 in HO! It's listed in their brochure, here (on pg. 2) : resources.bachmanntrains.com/nmra2016_brochure/The announcement says it will be "DCC Sound-Value Equipped" (Soundtraxx), due in 2017, with pricing TBA. Road numbers will be 607, 619, 642 (Veterans), and Amtrak Flag Demo. Bachmann's consistency with regard to detail and quality is sketchy at times, but I'd sure hope they do a good job on these. Their other Amtrak electrics (the Acela and HHP-8) were really gorgeous, so I hope these fall in the same line! |
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Post by backshophoss on Jul 8, 2016 13:57:22 GMT -5
Lets hope the model is done to the"Spectrum" level of detail and performance,
believe that was how the Acela and HHP-8's were done.
If memory serves,600 was the "Flag" motor for a short time.
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Post by rails4dmv on Jul 9, 2016 5:58:47 GMT -5
WOW, the SDP40F, F40PH "Cabbage" and now the ACS-64? I knew it was eventually coming but this is downright fantastic!
If Bachmann does this with the same level of detail as the HHP-8, I'll be happy. I also hope this new model has enough pull for at least 6 Amfleets.
If guys didn't pick up those Walthers Phase IVb Amfleets, I predict they will now be selling for some dollars since they are now hard to find.
I wonder, if Bachmann releases their ACS-64 before the retooled Atlas AEM-7 hits the stores, could this damage sales of the AEM-7?
My HO Amtrak locomotive list is getting smaller. What's left? If the SDP40F is finally getting done, the P30CH has got to be coming soon!
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mlrr
Member
Posts: 66 
Primary Railroads: Amtrak, Metro-North, MARC, METRA, New Jersey Transit, VRE
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Post by mlrr on Jul 11, 2016 7:58:50 GMT -5
I'm cautiously excited about this announcement. Bachmann (as some have already noted) has been pretty inconsistent with regards to quality. Anybody recall the E-60 "re-tool"? My Acelas and HHPs (both over 10 years old) still look great but performance is another issue. Not long before the announcement of the Sprinter I've noticed how I don't get much speed out of the HHP and Acela on DCC. The AEM7s from Atlas have never been an issue. I really hope the running quality of these is superb and they use accurate sounds as I'm a fan of LokSound not so much Soundtraxx. If the running quality is not to my liking, I'll have to look into budgeting for an after-market motor (like I'm currently doing for the Acelas and HHPs). Let's hope Bachmann knocks this out of the park. I wonder, if Bachmann releases their ACS-64 before the retooled Atlas AEM-7 hits the stores, could this damage sales of the AEM-7? I know I have re-appropriated the money I had dedicated to the Atlas AEM7 run to the ACS-64 due to limited financial resources and my modeling parameters. With the AEM7s retired from Amtrak now, and the announcement of the ACS-64 I have to prioritize current over nostalgia. While the AEM7s are in my capital budget, unless there's a huge injection of capital between now and their release, they won't be high on the priority anymore. I still have some money set aside for an ALP-44 to go with the Multi-levels Atlas is producing so it's not a total loss. |
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Post by tmurray on Jul 11, 2016 8:58:16 GMT -5
I wonder, if Bachmann releases their ACS-64 before the retooled Atlas AEM-7 hits the stores, could this damage sales of the AEM-7? I know I have re-appropriated the money I had dedicated to the Atlas AEM7 run to the ACS-64 due to limited financial resources and my modeling parameters. With the AEM7s retired from Amtrak now, and the announcement of the ACS-64 I have to prioritize current over nostalgia. While the AEM7s are in my capital budget, unless there's a huge injection of capital between now and their release, they won't be high on the priority anymore. I still have some money set aside for an ALP-44 to go with the Multi-levels Atlas is producing so it's not a total loss. There's more to come on the ACS-64 front. ALP-44 with Multi-levels, an ACES train? |
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mlrr
Member
Posts: 66
Primary Railroads: Amtrak, Metro-North, MARC, METRA, New Jersey Transit, VRE
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Post by mlrr on Jul 11, 2016 14:30:44 GMT -5
I know I have re-appropriated the money I had dedicated to the Atlas AEM7 run to the ACS-64 due to limited financial resources and my modeling parameters. With the AEM7s retired from Amtrak now, and the announcement of the ACS-64 I have to prioritize current over nostalgia. While the AEM7s are in my capital budget, unless there's a huge injection of capital between now and their release, they won't be high on the priority anymore. I still have some money set aside for an ALP-44 to go with the Multi-levels Atlas is producing so it's not a total loss. There's more to come on the ACS-64 front. ALP-44 with Multi-levels, an ACES train? The ALP-44 is intended to stand in for an ALP-46 and it would be nice to have a sound-equipped electric (in addition to the Dual mode ALP-45). If an ALP-46 were to become available before the ALP-44 re-release, the prioritization of the ALP-44 would suffer the same fate as the AEM7s. |
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Post by backshophoss on Nov 1, 2016 22:51:04 GMT -5
With Atlas announcing the ALDP-45,gather the ALP-44 drops a few notches on the "wish list".
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Post by backshophoss on Dec 5, 2016 18:21:47 GMT -5
On pg 67 of the Dec'16 issue of MRN,Bachmann will run the ACS-64 model in the "DCC Sound Value Line" with their factory installed sound decoder,#'s 607,619,Veteran's unit 642,and "Flag Demo" 600(?) No release date or MSRP set as of yet.  |
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timberley
Member
Posts: 189
Primary Railroads: VIA Rail Canada, AMT (Montreal)
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Post by timberley on Aug 8, 2017 7:33:02 GMT -5
Bachmann HO ACS-64 sample, from the recent NMRA show (from Model Railroad News Facebook page):  |
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amtrakprovidence189
New Member
Posts: 1
Primary Railroads: Amtrak, P&W, Conrail, CSX, NS, Renfe, First
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Post by amtrakprovidence189 on Nov 19, 2017 22:23:26 GMT -5
I have been planning for a couple of years now on purchasing the Piko BR 187 in HO scale from overseas which is the closest thing to the ACS 64. The BR 187 prototype is made by Bombardier and looks like it may have been a contender for Amtrak's new engine fleet. The chassis of the BR 187 is Bombardier, but the BR 193 is made by Siemens and has the same chassis as the ACS 64. The BR 193 is the successor to the BR 187. The front end of the BR 187 is 'almost' similar to the ACS 64 but I am content on that once i paint it to the Amtrak livery. I haven't purchased it yet because of its cost, around $200. I made this decision as soon as the ACS 64 prototype came out. I also did this for the AEM7 in 1998 but couldn't find a similar replica that didn't have strange features. A few months later Atlas came out with prototypes. So i still have original HO Scale AEM7 engines I purchased in 1998. Even if Bachmann finally comes out with a replica, I will probably still purchase the BR 187. A few European modelers have posted videos of the BR 187 in HO scale and it looks like it runs pretty good. Attachments:
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Post by backshophoss on Nov 20, 2017 2:38:30 GMT -5
Welcome to the board,Siemens based the ACS-64 off the "Vectron" moduler platform.
Both the BR187 and BR193 have the same basic bodyshell design ,both could be "passable" models if nobody had done
the ACS-64 design. Moot point now.
Could the BR series designs been the base model design for NJT's ALP-46 motors?
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amtrakprovidence189
Guest
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Post by amtrakprovidence189 on Dec 10, 2017 0:14:55 GMT -5
I would say so, the ALP-45, 46 looks like the BR 185. I will purchase one of those too for my NJT consist
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Post by tmurray on Dec 13, 2017 12:50:33 GMT -5
The ACS64 is pretty much a BR 193 with a different cab/buffer.
The ALP-46 is essentially a Class 101 and there was an article by the late Frank Cicero, I believe, a while back on the conversion in RMC. The Alp-45 is in a class by itself.
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Post by backshophoss on Dec 13, 2017 17:53:26 GMT -5
The first of SEPTA's ACS-64 order is enroute to Pa.,along with a trio of MARC Chargers.
Bachmann has announced a run of the SEPTA ACS-64's,release date unknown.
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Post by rails4dmv on Jul 13, 2018 16:27:35 GMT -5
According to Bachmann's Facebook page, the Bachmann ACS-64's are in and are about to hit the streets...one Septa and one #619 for me.
Can't wait to see how many Walthers' Amfleets or Horizon cars it can pull before I have to add Bullfrog Snot to the wheels...lol.
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