Bachmann Trains - Empire Builder Ready To Run 68 Piece Electric Train Set - N Scale

The media could not be loaded. I recently got back into model trains after I got summer off from college. I use N scale because it’s small enough for limited space in small rooms. I chose this set because it has a relatively big locomotive and a lot of cars for a good value. The track was very easy to put together. The 4-8-4 Northern locomotive included in this set can haul a lot of cars. The train is quite detailed for being little. I am having fun with it so far. I know the set has some critical complaints for derails and herky-jerky movement of the train, but those instances are likely due to the track being set up incorrectly. Before you run the locomotive, make sure that all the ends of the tracks are lined up correctly. Once you do that, the train runs very smoothly. Love this set, I’m going to have a lot of fun with it.

I thought that getting started with model trains would be something fun and relaxing for the family during the pandemic. I also thought getting a starter set, Bachmann's Empire Builder, would be a good way to do it. I was very wrong.Let's start with the track. A few pieces have bumps on the end of the rail, so it often causes derailments or makes the train simply stop.I have tried re-connecting those pieces several times and checking to make sure the connection is correct and that the ties went in the right way as instructed in trouble shooting. I also made sure the train was going slow to medium speed because I know the faster you go, the more likely it'll derail.I am able to get all the locomotive's wheels properly placed on the track. That took me a little while to figure out, and it can be finicky but that's expected from something this size. So I know that improper train placement is not what is causing the problems.I thought the point of E-Z track was to make things easy for beginners. But after several days of trying to get it to work properly, it's only caused frustration and disappointment.Now the couplers on the cars. They simply don't stay connected. After a few seconds they separate. If I could actually get the train to make a full circle, the cars would end up in front of the locomotive.On the bright side, the power pack works, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how much detail they are able to put on something this small.In conclusion, after this experience, I can NOT recommend Bachmann starter sets to anyone that wants a train that actually runs around the track.

My first several hours with this set were frustrating. I made some specific changes and am very happy with the result. There is a mismatch between the long 4-6-4 locomotive and the very tight turn radius with the included track, in a perfect world this may be possible but I think that engine will perform better on a larger radius curve (say 15"). The curved rerailer really didn't work well and would derail the train every lap or two, particularly with the long engine. I did the following two things and quickly had a good running train. First, I ditched the rerailer for a standard curved track of the same size and added a 10" Straight with Under-Track Terminal to connect power to. Second, I removed the front truck from the locomotive to allow it to perform like a shorter engine (1 screw). I'll reattach the wheel if and when I move to a larger turn radius track. I also used the rapido connectors that came with the set.

The media could not be loaded. This is a great N scale set for those who want a large steam locomotive. The packaging was great, the whole thing held together well during shipping. The included EZ-Track was fairly simple to assemble, a few miss alignments but that's going to happen with any track. The rolling stock looks decent and rolls well. The locomotive itself is difficult to get on the track, but that's expected given that it's a 4-8-4. Once it was set up and rolling, it ran smooth and without issue.Everything is detailed, but not crazy detailed. That's the thing with Bachmann, most of the sets are good and everything works, but you're not going to lose yourself in the details. I think with a little weathering the locomotive and tender will look much more "real", along with the rolling stock.I think a lot of the issues people experience are from poor setup and tracking issues. If the front axle is not on the track (which is hard to tell as it's mostly hidden), it will derail a lot. If the rear isn't on the track (again, hard to see), it will derail. If the tender isn't on the track, it will derail. There's a lot of alignment needed to get the locomotive on the track and running right, but once that's done it runs great.Overall it's a solid set, and for the price you can't really beat it.