This is a very rare, vintage (circa 70’s-80’s) electric train set in N scale #4340:3000 (1:160) by Bachmann in the Penn-Central livery. It includes a powered locomotive and 3 non-powered coaches and its design is as unique as the prototype as the trucks are located between each non-powered coach right below the couplers.
This particular set was bought in Hong Kong about 30 years ago from a toy store in the area.
The entire box measures approx. 20 inches across x 14 inches high x 2 inches thick and weighs (including all the trainstuff contents) about 1500 grams with the powerpack being the heaviset item at about 460 grams. The box dimensioning seems to be typical of the N scale train sets offered by the Bachmann Bros., Inc.
When set up, the oval measures 24.5 inches across and 15.75 inches wide (outside dimensions). The entire train (powered unit plus 3 coaches) measures approx. 20.25 inches long tip to tip.
Each train (powered loco and coaches) has its own plastic dispaly case with a clear acrylic hinged cover and has an embossed gold colored label upfront (read “BACHMANN since 1833 N scale”) and has a sticker label on each short end that reads “5800:300 United Aircraft Coach/Powered Penn-Central”.
There is a yellow cardboard background and the train section is secured by means of a flathead screw underneath. The case measures approx. 168mm (long) x 50mm (deep/front to back) x 52mm(high) and has a black-colored bottom and rear walls. Right at the back is a paper print-out that is glued-on and has a fine print of the available Bachmann Bros., Inc. N locomotives and rolling stocks.
The rear-end non-powered coach looks exactly like the front powered coach except that there is no motor and light assemblies installed. The trucks do have their metals gears and the chassis is weighted. It measures 147mm long (inc. coupler) x 20mm wide x 27mm high (at its highest at the “domed” area”.
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Testing the power pack
The dimensions of the power pack is a little smaller than that of an HO scale-specified one, an indicator that the transformer inside has a smaller current rating. This particular pack is made by the Kader Industrial Co., ltd and the model # is 6600 and has an input voltage of 220V AC, 50 Hz and has an output of 16V DC (to track) and 17V AC (to accesories) with a max. ouput of 4 V.A. It has a direction slide switch and a lever-type slow-to-fast and vice versa speed adjustment/control. Its a got a 2-prong flat type black plug that connects with a 220V AC household outlet. Then there’s a red-colored pair of wires that connect the pack to the tracks and/or accessories like a turnout or a building light (only a length of a pair of wires is provided so if you want to power your accessories you have to procure another pair of these wires). The pack measures (95mm wide x 62mm deep x 33mm thick not including the sheet metal stand-off w/c give an addittional thickness of 8mm).
I have another N-specified pack that is made by AHM [Associated Hobby Mfrs]., (model # 70279) that roughly has the same dimensions as the one mentioned above. Both packs are UL (Underwriters Laboratory) -listed.
I’ve opened up the Kader-made pack to check if everything inside is fine since the top/side plate cover is fairly easy to dislodge as it is anchored by means of two bent cut-outs emanating from the same metal cover/sheet. The AHM-made is not quite as easy since the cover is blind-rivetted to the bottom base. Upon opening everything looked ok albeit some greenish (CuSo4?) deposits on the crosswire at the reversing switch, I cleaned it up and then with a cotton bud swiped all the components clean from dust, slight rusting and some detritus. The wound-wire “rheostat” looked intact and showed no signs of damage.
I powered the pack up by plugging it directly to our 220V AC outlet and it gave out pretty much close values as specified although at no load the speed lever was quite touchy past 15% (towards “fast”) meaning from about 15-20% the voltage shot right up from almost nil to the max voltage of 16V. Not sure though how this would translate when under load or when I hook it up to the track and run the train. In a similar manner this also observed on the AHM pack.
Update 11/5/2013 : Finally was able to hook up the tracks oval to the powerpack and I did get a “proportional” response when I moved the speed lever from slow to fast (and vice versa).
HO Trains Manila 