Bachmann Toby ?????

[Madman]

Has anyone done a review of Bachmann's Toby?

 

[chadwick]

I recall at least one topic regarding Toby, and a Google search for "bachmann toby review site:gscalecentral.net" turns up a hit on the "Shop Watch" forum, but when I try and follow the link, I get a message that "The topic or board you are looking for appears to be either missing or off limits to you.".

When I try and navigate to that forum entry through the "Shop Watch" forum, I see that the "Shop Watch" forum only has a single page of entries.

Perhaps this is an unintended consequence of the (~recent) forum migration?

-Keith.

 

[kedwards]

Toby is quite disappointing. The cab sides and windows are solid black plastic so it is not possible to put a driver and fireman in the cabs.
Having said that the build quality is of the same high standard as the rest of the range.
I'm in the process of cutting out the cab sides and windows prior to doing a battery and radio control conversion as well as adding a smoke unit and sound card.
I'm blogging my progress at http://sandwellvalleyrailway.blogspot.co.uk where there are lots of photos.

 

[stockers]

I recall at least one topic regarding Toby, and a Google search for "bachmann toby review site:gscalecentral.net" turns up a hit on the "Shop Watch" forum, but when I try and follow the link, I get a message that "The topic or board you are looking for appears to be either missing or off limits to you.".

When I try and navigate to that forum entry through the "Shop Watch" forum, I see that the "Shop Watch" forum only has a single page of entries.

Perhaps this is an unintended consequence of the (~recent) forum migration?

-Keith.

Items in the Shop Watch section auto delete after 60 days - as stated in the heading description. The fact that Google hold on to a non existent link is down to them.

 

[Madman]

Thanks Keith. I looked at your blog and it seems you're rather busy. The motor design, in Toby, is interesting. I watched a review of Toby on Youtube and the reviewer mentioned that the motor arrangement might have been designed that way to add weight without having extra metal plates.

I must be wrong about the weight. I just looked at your blog and saw the metal bar weights along the sides of the chassis.

 

[Chris Vernell]

I have a B'mann Toby for my Thomas show layout (aimed at the small fry). Good, reliable mechanism. I don't mind the doors and windows being blanked off; after all, you're only going to see the electrical gubbins inside. The target demographic likes to watch him run.

 

[Madman]

One other thing that just came to mind about Toby. I see that all six wheels are flanged. Being a Bachmann product, I suspect it will negotiate R1 curves. Also, is there much up and down play in the drive wheels.

On my Bachmann Thomas, I had to do some surgery to get the drive wheels to have some vertical movement. It helps greatly with tracking. particularly on uneven track.

 

[kedwards]

Being a Bachmann product, I suspect it will negotiate R1 curves. Also, is there much up and down play in the drive wheels.

Yes, Toby is OK on radius one although, as with all locos, there is a bit of drag.
The centre wheels do have up and down play built in and all wheels have sideways play so you shouldn't have any problems on uneven track.
I'll film some video when the conversion is complete but this could be a few weeks away.

 

[chadwick]

Items in the Shop Watch section auto delete after 60 days - as stated in the heading description. The fact that Google hold on to a non existent link is down to them.

Apologies. I (and perhaps some others posting in Shop Watch) did not realize this.

It would have been nice to capture the information vis-a-vis Toby prior to it being deleted and move the information into either the "Product Reviews" or the "Electric Locomotives & Trams" section.

-Keith.

 

[chadwick]

Aside from the wheel colour, the Bachmann Thomas, James, and Toby models all use a similar (but not identical) drive module.

The drive module in Toby is built with a metal enclosure, while the Thomas and James model use a plastic enclosure.

My experience is that the metal enclosure drive module runs quite a bit quieter and smoother than the plastic enclosure drive modules.

-Keith.

 

[Chris Vernell]

It should be noted that Toby is not an 0-6-0 but an A1A, The centre, non-powered axle has considerable sideplay and some vertical play. He does squeak a bit on R1 curves.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

On my Bachmann Thomas, I had to do some surgery to get the drive wheels to have some vertical movement. It helps greatly with tracking. particularly on uneven track.

??? I just fixed the track fault... quicker, easier, and cheaper. Actually, I had more problems with Annie and Clarabel, their long wheelbase was somewhat intollerant of twist/reverse R1 curves.

 

[Madman]

??? I just fixed the track fault... quicker, easier, and cheaper. Actually, I had more problems with Annie and Clarabel, their long wheelbase was somewhat intollerant of twist/reverse R1 curves.

I'm not that ambitious when it comes to finding every nook and cranny on my track. As for the Annie and Clarabell coaches, I fitted them with four wheeled LGB bogies.

 

[James Day]

I posted a review of Toby a while ago and then followed my adaptations of it through.

It now looks like this:

I have been working with two chums and together we have tried various options to get the locos and stock from this range running `properly`.

Most locos have had around 35% weight added, but this has not proved necessary with Toby.

Diode droppers have been used to reduce the top speed to bring them more in line with LGB and Playmobil mechanisms, which is essential on an automated layout.

There has also been wholesale coupling replacement by LGB and modified Playmobil couplings are used to form swing couplings on the longer stock.

Whilst it will all run to some extent on LGB R1, it performs much better on R2 and above.

The last image shows the parts needed to modify Toby Couplings to LGB height.

James

 

[TONYWARD50]

....and then, of course, there is another version of Toby......

 

[stockers]

Very nice.