Image: Bachmann Trains · source
Bachmann Christmas Streetcar Set
Bachmann Trains · Mid-range
An On30 streetcar set with electronic auto-reversing E-Z Track, built for point-to-point passenger transit on a model layout.
Bachmann Santa Fe Flyer HO Scale Ready-to-Run Electric Train Set
Bachmann · Budget
A boxed HO freight set with a Santa Fe war-bonnet FT diesel, three cars, a circle of snap-together track and a speed controller, meant to run straight from the box.
Check price on Amazon (affiliate link, opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we pick our gear
We have not tested it ourselves: strengths and weaknesses below come from the tests cited.
Why Railfans Carry It
The Santa Fe FT wears the distinctive war-bonnet paint scheme, so the set gives a railfan a recognisable engine rather than a generic one. The consist is a quad hopper, a gondola and an offset-cupola caboose, a realistic mixed freight. Because it is HO scale, the locomotive and cars can later run on a larger layout built from the maker's wider catalog. The set also teaches the basics of how a freight train is built: a locomotive at the head, loaded and empty cars in the middle, and a caboose at the end. For a railfan who photographs mixed freights in real life, running one in miniature is a natural extension of the hobby.
In the Field
Nothing in this set is meant for use outdoors or on the road. The track is a 36 inch circle of snap-fit E-Z Track that rests on a table or the floor, and a power pack with speed controller supplies the current from a US household outlet. The headlight on the FT is an operating one. It is something to set up at home after a day of watching trains. The included power pack and speed controller let you set the speed of the train, which is all a first-time operator needs to learn smooth running. The track pieces snap together without tools, and the single curved terminal rerailer is where the power pack connects.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Recognisable Santa Fe FT diesel with headlight
- Snap-fit track needs no tools
- Power pack and speed controller included
- Realistic mixed freight consist
- Same HO scale as the maker's larger sets
Weaknesses
- A single 36 inch circle limits the layout to one tight loop
- One locomotive only, with no decoder or sound listed
- Plain power-pack control, so no independent second train
- Entry-level controller and track
Key Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| UPC | 022899006475 |
| Scale | HO 1:87 |
| Track | 36 in circle of snap-fit E-Z Track, 11 curved pieces and 1 curved terminal rerailer |
| Control | Power pack and speed controller |
| Couplers | Body-mounted E-Z Mate |
| Locomotive | EMD FT diesel, Santa Fe war-bonnet scheme, operating headlight |
| Item number | 00647 |
| Rolling stock | 40 ft quad hopper, 40 ft gondola, offset cupola caboose |
| Recommended age | 14 and up |
Who It’s For
A parent or adult buying a first model railroad for a teenager or another adult, since the maker recommends ages 14 and up. It also suits a railfan who wants a Santa Fe diesel to watch circle a table without learning digital control. Buyers who already know they want to run several trains should look at a digital set instead. It is also a low-risk way to test whether a household will use a model railroad before buying a larger, digital set. The maker publishes a catalog of HO locomotives and cars, so the set can grow slowly as interest does.
Alternatives
The Bachmann Echo Valley DCC Sound set is the step up: an Alco 2-6-0 steam locomotive with a DCC sound decoder, a larger oval of nickel-silver E-Z Track and the E-Z Command controller. The same maker’s Thoroughbred set is a comparable entry-level box with a different locomotive and consist.
Image: Bachmann Trains · source
Bachmann Echo Valley Express HO Scale DCC Sound Train Set
Bachmann · Mid-range
A ready-to-run HO coal train led by a DCC sound-equipped Alco 2-6-0 steam locomotive, with a digital controller and a larger oval of nickel-silver track.
Image: Bachmann Trains · source
Bachmann Night Before Christmas Large Scale Electric Train Set (90037)
Bachmann Trains · Premium
A ready-to-run Large Scale (G) steam train set with a 4-6-0 locomotive, tender, gondola, bobber caboose and a Santa figure, sold with a 14-piece oval of track and a power pack.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we pick our gear
Compare all model trains.