Hallelujah…they’ve finally done it!

A few weeks ago I received a set of Bachmann HO scale Amtrak MidWest passenger coaches.

These are HO scale models of the new Siemens Mobility “Venture” passenger coaches which will be replacing the awful, long in the tooth Amtrak “Amcans”. The “Venture” coaches themselves are based on the tried and true Siemens Mobility “Viaggio” design, which has been successfully in service with European railroads for quite some time. The “Venture” series however has been adapted and modified in order to conform to Federal Railroad Aministration regulations, American Public Transportation Association standards, and Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 305 specifications. I believe that Brightline in Florida was the first railroad to use these coaches, in regular service since 2018.

A Brightline “Venture” set:

Photo: Orlando Chamber of Commerce

A ÖBB “Viaggio” set:

Photo: Siemens Mobility

ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways)  has been using the “Viaggio” since the railroad introduced their RailJet concept in 2008.

So much for a quick look at the prototype. My readers can easily look on the Internet for more detailed technical information if they so desire.

Back to the HO scale Bachmann model. In the not so distant past I was not really a friend of Bachmann Trains models. The HO rolling stock was just bad. Not only was the detail of the models lacking, but there were often manufacturing issues like missing parts or jammed axles. It seemed like there was no quality control at the factory. However the price was right! Bachmann’s EZ track was and still is awful.

One of my biggest bugaboos was the fact that the couplers on older Bachmann coaches did not line up (and also on other manufacturers models). Here in the US we have no NEM coupler pockets, which are all at the same height and allow an easy exchange with the coupler of one’s choice. On top of that we have knuckle couplers. Unless knuckle couplers are perfectly aligned and the track is impeccable they will easily become a pain in the behind. Our own NMRA does have a standard on how high a coupler is suppose to be (no standardized coupler pockets) , but I really do not think that the manufacturers give a hoot. It is a real pain to change couplers. Even within the same manufacturers lineup of models coupler heights can differ drastically.  The following picture is a good example. Both coaches are from Bachmann. (These are about ten years old. I do believe that Bachmann still markets these.) However the couplers would not align.  So I had to modify the car on the left with a “center set” coupler and the car on the right with an “over set” coupler. This is bull: at $80 a pop these coaches should be working correctly straight out of their individual boxes. Like I said a couple of sentences earlier, it seems that there was no quality control.

Also the gap between the coaches wasn’t very prototypical. The couplers look like monsters and there is a really visible gap:

Roco, Trix, Piko, Märklin et alii managed to take care of this not particularly pleasing appearance a long time ago:

A set of Roco HO scale Siemens “Viaggio” of the ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railway)

Fast forward to June 2024 and it appears that I have to eat my words regarding Bachmann Trains. Excepting my remarks about their EZ Track. It continues to be awful. However their rolling stock is now generally on par with most other manufacturers. Their HO model of the Amtrak ACS-64 is very nice indeed, as is the HO version of Amtrak’s new “Charger” diesel electric locomotive. These models all look good, run well and have really great sound. I am not crazy about the complicated DCC menu, but that is a topic for another blog.

My collection of HO Amtrak locomotives from Bachmann Trains:

Bachmann Trains new HO Amtrak “Venture” coaches are also a considerable step forward. The printing is sharp. The demarcations between different colors on the body of the models are clean. The trucks and other equipment is molded very nicely and seems to be true to the prototype. The interior has seats and lighting ex-factory. Each coach also has red end marker lights which can be turned on or off with a dip switch hidden under the fan panel on one end of the roof. Roco, Kato, Trix, Piko and others should take note of the included interior lighting, as well as the end marker lights. Those only offer these items as customer installed add owns at considerable extra expense.

However the best thing about these new Bachmann Trains HO coaches is…wait for it: they finally have standard coupler pockets!

Changing out couplers is now easy. No more losing tiny screws or coupler box lids or springs. The cars come with knuckle couplers installed. However Bachmann has included “close coupling” couplers for each car. Even with those the cars are still not close enough for me. I experimented with installing Roco couplers and that seemed to do the trick.

Standard Roco coupler

Coaches with Roco couplers installed:

Nice and tight!

I left the knuckle couplers on the end of the last coach just for the “correct” look and also on the first coach so it can connect to the locomotive. I am sure that the “rivet counters” will scream bloody murder. But I really don’t care.

These HO scale Bachmann Trains Amtrak branded Siemens “Venture” coaches retail for $149.00 MSRP.

These cars look good on my layout! Here are a few more photographs and a short video:

All photos by Ralf Meier unless otherwise indicated. (Sony a7c and iPhone 15 Plus)