Well, Williams has packaged this little gem into a starter set that should get some attention. The Lake Shore Limited is the first launch of a Williams starter set with this steamer, and I wanted to squeeze in a review of the outfit before the start of the holiday season!
The locomotive
We reviewed the locomotive in the May 2012 issue and noted it is a solid, ruggedly constructed model. In terms of size, it’s a contemporary of a Lionel postwar 2-6-4 or similar small steamers. At the end of the review I somewhat wistfully commented that it would look swell in New York Central black, and, before I knew it, a complete New York Central set arrived on our loading dock.
I must learn to use this power wisely!
Yes, black is pretty sedate, but the steamer looks great in it.
In the detail department, the pilot has a coupler and uncoupler arm, brakeman steps, and grab irons. Green jewel markers bracket the smokebox door. Overall, cast-in details, such as boiler bands and rivets, are well executed.
On top of the smokebox is a headlight that is probably based on an old oil-type lantern.
Farther back on the boiler are steam and sand domes. There is an add-on bell, and the steam dome has a whistle and two simulated pop-off valves. There is an add-on turbine topside, in front of the cab. You will also find a builder’s plate on the side of the smokebox.
There are cast-in handrails, grab irons and piping along both sides of the boiler.
The decks along the sides of the boiler are wide and smooth. You’ll find additional cast-in piping detail on both sides and add-on compressors on the fireman’s side. The cab roof has a raised vent hatch (a solid piece), and the interior has a nice, low firebox.
The firebox has rivet and gauge detailing cast into it. The cab windows have no plastic panes, but there’s a nice level of detail along the cab and the windows.
As I mentioned in the previous review, crew figures can be found from several sources so you can customize it to suit your own railroad.
The rods are a simple design that works for me. The tender is plastic with no add-on pieces, but has ample rivet detail.
The coal load is a cast-in piece that’s nicely detailed with small pieces of coal. The truck frames are die-cast metal and have simulated springs. The rear coupler is an operating coupler.
The coat of black paint was flawless, and the lettering was clean and crisp.
The rolling stock
The set comes with three New York Central cars – a boxcar decorated in Pacemaker colors, a Pittsburgh & Lake Erie green gondola (P&LE was a NYC subsidiary), and a New York Central caboose.
All three cars are solidly built plastic toys with metal frames. They have satisfactory levels of cast-in detail, such as ample rivet and seam detail where appropriate.
They differ slightly from some of the Williams cars I’ve purchased in the past – they have plastic trucks and couplers and not metal. Still, this is a starter set, so that isn’t much of a surprise.
The boxcar features smoothly opening doors and an add-on brake wheel. The rest of the detailing is cast in (such as the end ladder and roofwalk). There is an air-brake tank attached under the frame.
The gondola has cast-in detailing on the sides and in the cargo bay. It has an add-on brake wheel.
The caboose is a personal favorite of mine, the N5c. One of the first photos I ever took of a real train was of a Pennsylvania RR N5c porthole caboose in the Pennsy yard in Hamilton, Ohio. I thought then and still think that it is the most aerodynamic-looking caboose of all time.
Purists will note that the caboose is a Pennsylvania N5c, which of course, the Water Level Route never owned. Still, it is a darned nice car, especially with its interior glass panes and yellow safety accents.
Track and power
The track and transformer are from the Atlas Industrial Rail product line.
The track is a roadbed style that has a nicely textured base with coloring that suggests a mix of differing types/shades of gravel in the ballast. The crossties are brown and have cast-in wooden texture details. The rails are hollow, but where they differ from traditional tinplate track is they are formed more like a real rail with a flat head than the standard round top of old-school track.
The track forms a nice 40 x 60-inch oval. The loop includes a lockon section for connecting the wires from the transformer to the track via two screw-down posts.
The track interlocks at the base and uses GarGraves-style track pins for male-female connections at the rail level.
The track offers a snug fit and good electrical connectivity.
The power supply is an 80-watt transformer with the standard forward/reverse/horn/bell controls as well as a variable accessory voltage control. I’ve had a bit of experience with this power supply over the past few years and it is as good a starter-set transformer as you can find. And, should you outgrow it, the power supply is excellent for accessories.
On the test track
For easy introduction to the hobby for newbies, the set is conventional-only. All the action is transformer controlled.
A wire tether connects the locomotive and tender using jacks located just below the cab deck. There is a smoke unit on/off switch beneath the fireman’s side of the cab. Motor operation was smooth and responsive in all speed ranges.
Our sample’s motor had a bit of a whine at higher speeds, but that wasn’t an issue for me. I mean, hey, this isn’t a silent hobby. Train noise is part of the ambience.
The True-Blast II whistle triggers the distinctive yet familiar steam whistle long-long-short-long grade-crossing sequence. The bell sound is very clear.
The model has traction tires on the rear set of drive wheels.
Our performance numbers mirrored those of the Southern Ry. 4-6-0 we reviewed in the May issue. The low-speed conventional-mode average was 12 scale mph, and our high-speed conventional-mode average was 63 scale mph.
Drawbar pull was 1 pound, 14 ounces.
This starter set is the best one from Williams by Bachmann so far. It has well-made components and a locomotive that can be enjoyed and appreciated by a 12-year-old or a 50-something. And remember, Christmas is coming!
Features: 4-6-0 steam locomotive and tender, gondola, boxcar, caboose, oval of snap-fit track, 80-watt transformer. For more information go to www.bachmanntrains.com
No one ever comments on how well the smoke unit works. That is important to us. Thank you.