Manufacturer
Bachmann Trains
1400 East Erie Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19124
www.bachmanntrains.com
Price: $139.00
Product no.: 96255 (Christmas)
Features:
• Self-propelled unit
• Single can motor with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel pickup
• Metal and plastic construction
• LED headlight and top strobe light
• Runs on 45mm track using DC power
• Includes plastic drawbar
• Available in 6 paint schemes
The self-propelled model features metal and plastic construction, measures just 4⅛” bumper to bumper, and stands a sporty 2¾” above the rails. However, it makes up for its lack of stature through colorful presentation. Our sample speeder came decorated in a striking holiday paint scheme, complete with candy canes and wreath on the sides, as well as a red-nosed reindeer graphic on the roof. The flashing rooftop strobe blinks in appropriate red, and the speeder also include a bright-white LED headlight as well.
The DC-powered railcar is driven by a small but rugged can motor and features metal gears. Just the rear axle is powered, but all four wheels are used for electrical pickup. The drive train is mounted inside a cast-metal chassis, giving the model a low-center of gravity. The speeder has a good speed range and is quite fast at full throttle, which will likely help the short-wheel base get through larger-frog turnouts.
One thing to note is that the motor and gear compartment are not weatherproof, and I wouldn’t recommend running it in wet conditions.
The Bachmann model comes with two nicely painted crewmen. While the figures are not dressed in holiday attire, they are held to the model by a single small screw under their feet, so they may be easily removed and repainted. Perhaps the resourceful modeler could even give them elf hats to wear.
The speeder includes an optional drawbar. Although Bachmann does not presently offer any work carts for the speeder to pull, in my tests, I used the drawbar to haul our Garden Railways magazine boxcar on straight and level track. The speeder handled it well at low speed, with no slipping. With that in mind, you could easily make one or more two-axle carts to haul behind the speeder – perhaps even load them with small Christmas decorations! The possibilities are endless.
Bachmann’s Christmas speeder is fun, fast, and flashy – all things you’d want to put some “happy” into your holiday railroad. But if that’s not really your thing, not to worry. Bachmann also offers the speeder decorated in five other traditional railroad paint schemes.
