Bachmann Industries NYC #4028 Diesel Locomotive Train
Introducing the all-new Trains.com Forum! Become a part of our Community! >>VISIT NOW News & Reviews Product Reviews Staff Reviews N scale Siemens ALC-42 from Bachmann See the modern passenger diesel in operation on the MR&T State Line Route The N scale Siemens ALC-42 from Bachmann recently visited our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route. Join Model Railroader Associate Editor (and Amtrak fan) Bryson Sleppy as he provides a short history of the contemporary four-axle passenger diesel and Amtrak No. 309; points out the various molded and separate, factory-applied parts on the model; and shows off the sound and light functions on our review sample, which is equipped with a dual-mode TCS WOWSound decoder. Then sit back and watch the Charger as it powers a passenger train between Williams Bay, Wis., and Rockford, Ill. Three Amtrak paint schemes are offered on the N scale Siemens ALC-42 from Bachmann: phase 7, phase 6, and “Day One” 50th anniversary. The model is offered in one to two road numbers per scheme. Features on the N scale Siemens ALC-42 Charger include an injection-molded plastic body, die-cast metal chassis, TCS Keep-Alive capacitor, and Audio Assist programming. Among the sounds included with the TCS WOWSound diesel-electric locomotive package are the air compressor, bell, brake release, cooling fan, coupler crash, crew alert, diesel engine, grade crossing sequence, horn, station announcements, and startup and shutdown sequences. The model is equipped with directional headlights and marker lights, interior work corridor lights, and flashing ditch lights that can be set to steady or alternate flashing. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the N scale Siemens ALC-42 Charger is $459. Click here to read Bryson’s review of the N scale Amtrak diesel on Trains.com. Trains.com Product Review videos showcase the latest new items from manufacturers of products in Z, N, HO, S, O, and large scales. In the videos, you can watch locomotives in action, take a close-up look at details on freight cars, see kit components, and much more. If you are a manufacturer and have products you would like reviewed, please email Senior Editor Cody Grivno at cody.grivno@firecrown.com (mailto:cody.grivno@firecrown.com) for more information. Through November and December 2024, I have seen Siemens ALC-42 N° 309 leading the 9-car ‘Coast Starlight’ with an identical trailing unit. [I am pleased that the three sleeping cars are at the rear of the train which is a time honoured railway tradition for over 150 years. The dormitory-sleepers previously assigned at the front are now on the ‘Sunset Limited’.] House bill would update tax credit for short lines News & Products for the week of January 21st 2025 Amtrak Midwest cancellations continue, now extend into Thursday Reading & Northern achieves record freight revenues in 2024 Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. Join Today (/why-join) ! Designing & Operating Yards Learn about prototype railroad yards, how they function, and build them for your layout. Model Railroader 2025 Calendar Be inspired all year long with Model Railroader’s all-new 2025 calendar! Model Railroad Planning 2025 Back for 2025 with all-new stories! Get design ideas, plus detailed track plans. Acrylic Inspection Car - HO Scale Get visibility into your model railroad track with this clear acrylic inspection car. Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands! Now at your favorite dealer from Bachmann Trains are the latest Siemens ALC-42 Charger locomotives in three authentic Amtrak paint schemes for N scale. Shown here is Amtrak 309 modeling Amtrak’s latest Phase VII livery. By Harry K. Wong Now available from Bachmann Trains are all-new highly-detailed premium replicas of Siemens Amtrak ALC-42 Charger diesel-electric locomotives in N scale. Designed and built by Siemens Mobility of Sacramento, California, the ALC-42 Charger is a 4,200 horsepower, four-axle AC traction diesel-electric passenger locomotive. The ALC-42s are destined to replace Amtrak’s General Electric P42s which entered service in 1996 on long distance routes. Powered by a 16-cylinder Cummins QSK95 prime mover, the ALC-42 meets or exceeds the latest safety and Tier 4 emissions standards currently in effect. The ALC-42 is the latest variant in the Siemens Charger family of locomotives. Mirroring the prototype, Bachmann’s new ALC-42 is the latest addition to Bachmann’s family of N scale Siemens Chargers, joining its previous release of the N scale SC-44 Charger and equivalents also offered in HO scale. Constructed on a heavy die-cast frame, Bachmann’s N scale ALC-42 Charger comes factory-equipped with a TCS WOWSound® decoder with Audio Assist for easy setup of almost all decoder functionality without CVs, and a keep-alive circuit for uninterrupted operation over momentary electrical gaps under DCC operation. Based on the highly successful medium-distance SC-44 Charger, the ALC-42 displays a range of new features for cross-country service on America’s most scenic and storied routes, including a unique nose design and cab door configuration. Bachmann’s ALC-42 Charger has been developed in collaboration with Siemens Mobility, using original design documentation and prototype field recordings and measurements for maximum realism. LED Lighting features include directional operation for headlights and marker lights, steady or alternately flashing ditch lights, and interior engine compartment corridor lighting. Some lighting and sound features are available only under DCC operation. Separately applied details include windshield wipers, snow plow, air horn cluster, metal handrails and grab irons and more. Paint schemes include: MSRP $459 – factory equipped for both DC and DCC operation with WOWSound ® by TCS Available now at your favorite hobby dealer. Bachmann Industries, Inc., 1400 East Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; www.bachmanntrains.com Railroad Model Craftsman, ©2015-2025 White River Productions. All rights reserved. Railroad Model Craftsman Magazine brings you the best in scale model railroading since 1933. Introducing the all-new Trains.com Forum! Become a part of our Community! >>VISIT NOW News & Reviews Product Reviews Staff Reviews Bachmann N Siemens ALC-42 Charger The model is based on Amtrak’s new long-distance passenger diesel A Siemens ALC-42 Charger diesel locomotive is the latest N scale release from Bachmann Trains . The four-axle passenger hauler is based on Amtrak’s new long-distance passenger unit and features factory-applied details, body-mounted E-Z Mate Mark II couplers, and light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting. Siemens Mobility produces Amtrak ALC-42 Charger diesel locomotives at its plant in Sacramento, Calif. The prototypes, rated at 4,200hp, have Positive Train Control; a 16-cylinder Cummins QSK95 engine ; a 2,200-gallon fuel tank (plus a 260-gallon DEF fuel tank); and AC traction. Amtrak ordered 75 ALC-42 Chargers in December 2018. The locomotives are designed to replace the passenger carrier’s aging fleet of General Electric P40 and P42 diesels. The ALC-42 Chargers officially entered service in February 2022 . Four months later, the national passenger carrier ordered an additional 50 units , bringing the total number of units in its fleet to 125. All of the locomotives, numbered 300 through 424, are scheduled to be in service by 2029. The Bachmann model features a plastic shell and rides on a die-cast metal chassis. The model has a mix of molded and separate, factory-applied parts. Freestanding parts include the grab irons, windshield wipers, and air horn. Some of the most distinctive features on Charger locomotives are the grills. The Bachmann model has simulated mesh grills on either side of the engine cooling compartment’s work corridor. Yes, the corridor is illuminated with LEDs. The lighting can be toggled on and off with F9 when the decoder is in light mode. The rest of the grills on the model are molded. There’s a bolted-on plate above and to the left of the Amtrak herald on the engineer’s side that doesn’t appear on the prototype locomotive. The N scale model is decorated in the passenger carrier’s phase 7 paint scheme featuring (from front) Amtrak Red, Midnight Blue, and Amtrak Blue separated by white stripes. Amtrak 309 was the first unit to wear the phase 7 scheme. The 309 was unveiled on April 15th, 2022. The paint on our model is neatly applied with crisp lettering. The placement of the graphics follows the prototype. However, the top of the white stripes between the red and Midnight Blue extends a bit too far down the long hood. The model’s dimensions match those in Siemens’ documentation. Our review model features a dual-mode TCS WOWSound decoder along with the rest of Bachmann’s line of N scale Charger locomotives. When testing the model at the workbench with an NCE Power Cab it crawled around at 1.8 scale mph at speed step 1. At speed step 28, the locomotive hit a top speed of 108 scale mph. The prototype has a maximum speed of 125 mph. With a drawbar pull of .8 ounce, the locomotive should be able to pull around 8 to 9 free-rolling passenger cars on straight and level track. The model has a host of LED lighting effects, including directional headlights, marker lights, and steady or alternate flashing ditch lights. An assortment of prototype-based sound effects complement the lighting. If you’re looking for a modern passenger diesel to pull your long-distance Amtrak passenger trains, the Bachmann ALC-42 Charger is a great choice. With an accurate paint scheme, a mix of molded and freestanding details, and all of the sound and light features that you would expect on a Siemens Charger, this locomotive will look right at home in your passenger diesel roster. Price: $459 Manufacturer Bachmann Trains 1400 East Erie Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19124 bachmanntrains.com Era: 2021 to present Road names: Amtrak (“Day One” in one road number, phases 6 and 7 in two numbers each). Features It would be interesting to compare Bachmann’s model with Kato’s. House bill would update tax credit for short lines News & Products for the week of January 21st 2025 Amtrak Midwest cancellations continue, now extend into Thursday Reading & Northern achieves record freight revenues in 2024 Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. Join Today (/why-join) ! Designing & Operating Yards Learn about prototype railroad yards, how they function, and build them for your layout. Model Railroader 2025 Calendar Be inspired all year long with Model Railroader’s all-new 2025 calendar! Model Railroad Planning 2025 Back for 2025 with all-new stories! Get design ideas, plus detailed track plans. Acrylic Inspection Car - HO Scale Get visibility into your model railroad track with this clear acrylic inspection car. Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands!