# New Bright



## Joel LeNoir (Apr 14, 2014)

Hello I was wanting to know if the G scale new bright trains are any good. I am looking for just a basic train to play around with in the back yard. have the availability to pull 15 or so cars. 

I appreciate any help that comes my way.....


Joel


----------



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome Joel.

As far as I know New Bright is an entry level train set. I know very little about New Bright, but most entry level sets will have a hard time pulling anything more than the cars that came in the set, usually, 2 or 3 cars. To pull 15 cars you will need a more robust engine and power supply.

Most likely any engine that would pull 15 cars would overheat any starter set power supply. You would need one with a minimum of 3 amps preferably more. Most starter set power supplies top out at 1 amp output, some less.

Chuck

PS Your best bet is to not get a starter set and buy an engine and cars that you want to run. In the long run your money will be better spent that way. Usually the track, power supply along with the engine and cars in a starter set are replaced sooner or later with more suitable equipment.

Starter sets are very good for around the Christmas tree or small indoor layouts. But outdoors you will want different track and power.


----------



## Joel LeNoir (Apr 14, 2014)

Thanks for the reply.. Maybe I can run a larger power station. What about the Bachman starter set? Same issues?
Not wanting to spend the money it takes for a quality train at this time.


----------



## djacobsen (Jul 20, 2011)

Hello Joel & Welcome to the World of Large Scale Trains.
Dont waste your money on New Bright. The Lionel battery train is a few steps above N.B..
Bachmann is okay, but the track is not suitable for outdoors, unless it is the new brass track.
An LGB or Aristcraft starter set would probably be your best bet. Both can be found fairly reasonably used.
You'll be wanting at least one box of straight track to add to the circle that comes with a starter set, this can also be found used..
Look on CraigsList, your local newspaper, local giveaway tabloid sales papers etc for someone selling.
I recently picked up 2 LGB Stainz sets, a Christmas set & a Circus set both with extra cars, a couple boxes of extra straight & 8' curve track along with what came with the set for $300.00 from an ad on CL.
There should be clubs in the Portland/Vancouver area that you might get in touch with, go to a few meetings & meet the members. Someone may be able to point you to a reasonable private sale or a shop that has used equipment for sale.
I know once the bug hits, you want trains NOW!!!!!

Happy Rails!
Dave

Better to look around for a good deal than spend $$$'s on something that will just frustrate you & end up being bashing fodder.


----------



## Joel LeNoir (Apr 14, 2014)

Thanks for the tip. I have quite a few 1/32 passenger cars. All new bright. So would need to stay within this scale. Planing on doing a kinda Civil War layout. Found a Bachmann on the bay for a reasonable price.


----------



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

In addition to LGB and AristoCraft suggested by Dave, USAtrains also makes starter sets, they are robust products as well.

Starter sets come with 4' diameter curved track sections. Many diesels, steam engines, longer freight and passenger cars will not run through those curves. They require a minimum of 8 to 10' diameter curves for proper running. A general rule of thumb is to use the largest radius (diameter) curves that will fit into the area where you will be setting up the train.

Before you put money down on a set. Sit down and think carefully about what type of trains you would like to collect and run: Narrow gauge, standard gauge, steam era, modern diesel era, steam-diesel transition era? How much space do you have outdoors for your empire? Over the years I have collected and run engines and cars from all of those groups. I run; 1:20.3, 1:22.5/24, and 1:29, but not at the same time.

As Dave said the steel track in Bachmann's starter sets isn't suitable for outdoors. It rusts. In your damp nw climate your track will turn into red dust very quickly.

Pulling a 15 car train through starter set curves will chew up the gears, motor, and wheels on any engine, especially starter set engines. It is a lot of work to pull a train through tight curves. The longer the train the more the wear.

All of my curves are AristoCraft wide radius (5' radius, 10' diameter). My track has been down for 20 years. I wish I had used larger diameter curves when I put it down. Unfortunately, when I laid it, larger diameters in sectional track wasn't available. My switches are LGB 18000 series. The diameter to those is about 15'.

Chuck

PS are you sure that New Bright is 1:32? All I can find referrers to it as 1:22.5. Bachmann has engines that would be suitable for those cars.


----------



## djacobsen (Jul 20, 2011)

Joel,
I'm not demeaning New Bright cars, I have some & they are bashed into side track tanks, cafe's, shacks etc...
They are a little smaller than1:22.5 closer to 1:24, they mix well with either scale. 
The Locomotives by New Bright are another subject all together. 
I agree with Chuck on getting the largest curves you can acquire, but suggest if you're planning on going over 12 ft. diameter curves just go with flex track instead. 
But you might want to check out Vic Smith's Pizza layout for small diameter inspiration.
I use some 4 ft diameter for side track-short lines but my main lines are 8 & 11.5 ft. diameter curves. I do have a bunch of 4 ft. diameter curves that are goung to be relaid into 32mm 2 rail track to run my O gauge wind up's on.
My track is a mix of LGB & Aristocraft .332 Brass track with basic R-1 turnouts.
I run small locomotives, or locomotives that would had prototypes that ran on tight curves, logging & mining.
Don't worry about having 20 ft diameter curves, there are probably more large scale layouts running 4 ft diameter curves than any of the other diameter curves.
Just realize you're not going to run Big Boy's or any othe the other big locomotives on them.
Most LGB locomotives are factory made to run on 4 ft diameter curves.
MY trains/locomotives are an eclectic mix: Aristo, B-mann, Delton, HLW, LGB, Piko and several Bashes using various manufacturers components created by Vic Smith and all of them will operate on 4 ft. diameter curves.. tho some aren't happy about it & don't look right. 
I don't run long trains, 8 - 10 cars max with the bigger locomotives.

Dave


----------



## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

"Your best bet is to not get a starter set and buy an engine and cars that you want to run. In the long run your money will be better spent that way. Usually the track, power supply along with the engine and cars in a starter set are replaced sooner or later with more suitable equipment".



I wish I know MLS website right in the beginning when I started this hobby about a year ago. But Chuck reminds me about my mistake to buy a PIKO set, it is way too expensive, and the loco can run only a few weeks. Now, it can not even run by itself without the gears making slipping noise. My experience now is to find a good loco first and everything else can be updated later.


----------



## Joel LeNoir (Apr 14, 2014)

Okay..... So what civil warish engine do you all think I should get? Keep in mind I have 20 some New Bright cars. So needs to be able to run on 1 3/4 track.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

The "General", 4-4-0....

by Hartland...

about.... $400.00. shop around...

Dirk - DMS Ry.


----------



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

The Bachmann American 4-4-0, might be worth looking at. The style is close to Civil warish.

I think it is 1:22.5. It doesn't show up in the Spectrum locomotives.

http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=255_433_707

Chuck


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Joel LeNoie said:


> Thanks for the tip. I have quite a few 1/32 passenger cars. All new bright.
> So would need to stay within this scale. Planing on doing a kinda Civil War layout. Found a Bachmann on the bay for a reasonable price.


They probably arent 1/32 scale..they really have no real scale at all, since they are basically "toy train" caricatures,
and not models of any real specific prototype..they will probably be around 1/22.5 or 1/24 scale..

They are nice looking cars though! and will fit nicely into a Civil War era railroad..their "style" matches that era nicely, 
even if they arent exactly prototypically correct...they "look the part", which is all that really matters.

New bright coach:









Before we can find a good locomotive match, I would like to know more about the size of these coaches..can you measure one up please?
how about length, width, height off the top of the rail, and the height of a door? 
(for the length, just measure the length of the body of the car..the part in purple in the photo above,
or the length of that red stripe! )


Here are your main choices for a "Civil War era style" locomotive:

Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0 American:









Bachmann Spectrum 2-6-0 Mogul:








The two Spectrum engines are the most accurate for your era, best detailed, and most expensive..
1/20.3 scale. but they are gorgeous models.

Bachmann Big Hauler 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler, "back dated" version:









The Bachmann Big hauler is common, inexpensive and reliable. Its 1/22.5 scale, but about the same size as the Spectrum engines. 
(actually, a bit larger!) Its the least "accurate" for the Civil War era though, as its based on a more modern (1910's) locomotive..
but the "back-dated" version looks the part ok. (Bachmann makes the Big Hauler in two main "styles"..the "modern style" with a steel cab
and rounded domes..and the "old" or "back-dated" style with the wood cab and fluted domes, like in the photo above..
you would definitely want the "back-dated" style for a Civil War train.) And if you are going to get a Big Hauler, definitely get the most
recent "10th Anniversary" edition, with metal siderods. The best version by far, and still reasonably priced.


Hartland 4-4-0 American:









The Hartland 4-4-0 is probably the smallest of the group, 1/24 scale, made in the USA, and HLW's are considered very reliable..
that might be your best-bet overall..Im concerned the Bachmann engines might be a bit too large to match your cars well..
so we need those measurements! 

Scot


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

oh! i forgot one!
LGB mogul:








Like the Big Hauler, in comes in several "styles"..
again you want the "back dated" style with the fluted domes.
The LGB mogul is also on the "smaller size" which might make it a better
fit for the Newbright coaches..
they are pricey, but bullet-proof. LGB is often considered the most reliable
and best running of the various "Large Scale" manufacturers.
Scot


----------



## Joel LeNoir (Apr 14, 2014)

4-4-0. What does this mean? Been kinda looking around and have seen this before. Sorry. Total newbie.


----------



## Joel LeNoir (Apr 14, 2014)

Wow. thanks for all the pics. Really helps.
Okay, measurements... 3 1/2''. Wide. 11 1/4''. Long. 4 3/4''. Tall. Front/back door 1'' by 2 1/2'' 
A 1/32 scale figure looks perfect in the doorway.

Again thanks for all the help, Joel


----------



## Joel LeNoir (Apr 14, 2014)

Delete...


----------



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Joel

The numbers are the wheel arrangements on steam locomotives. They are based upon the Whyte system. The first number is the number of wheels (both sides of the locomotive) in front of the drive wheels. The second number is the total number, both sides, of drive wheels. The third number is the total number of wheels behind the drivers. Thus the 4-4-0 has four leading wheels four drive wheels and no trailing wheels. Most wheel arrangements have been given a proper name. 

4-4-0 is an American
2-6-0 is a Mogul
2-8-2 is a Mikado
Etc.

There are many different wheel arrangements.

Do a Google search for "stream engine wheel arrangements" or "Whyte system" to learn more.

Chuck


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Joel LeNoie said:


> Wow. thanks for all the pics. Really helps.
> Okay, measurements... 3 1/2''. Wide. 11 1/4''. Long. 4 3/4''. Tall. Front/back door 1'' by 2 1/2''
> A 1/32 scale figure looks perfect in the doorway.
> 
> Again thanks for all the help, Joel


thanks Joel!
wow, those are small! smaller than I thought..
you are right, they do scale out close to 1/32 scale..which creates a problem!  because none of the locomotives are anywhere near 1/32 scale..
which makes them quite a bit "too big" to match your cars..here are some quick and dirty photoshop mockups:



















hmmm..well, its not great, but its not as bad as I thought it would be! (assuming my math is good!  but I think it is..)
the coaches are in reality "too small" for the locomotives, it would be better to have larger coaches or smaller locomotives, 
and you would be doing an odd mis-match of scales..but..if it looks fine to you, then thats all that matters!

I would go with the smallest locomotive possible..I would choose the Hartland 4-4-0 or the LGB mogul, those will probably go best with your cars. 

For Civil War accuracy, The Bachmann 4-4-0 or the Hartland 4-4-0 are the best choices..the 4-4-0 was THE primary locomotive wheel arrangement of the Civil War era..
probably 95% of civil war era locomotives were 4-4-0's..although IMO the "backdated" LGB mogul would also be a fine choice.
I would go with the Hartland over the Bachmann in this case..because even though the Bachmann is better detailed, the Hartland is smaller and
probably more reliable..

Scot


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Joel.
for reference, here are a few photos of actual Civil-war era passenger trains..
the passenger cars are at least as large as, and often larger than, the locomotives..




























Scot


----------



## Joel LeNoir (Apr 14, 2014)

Thanks for the pics. Much to think about....


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Hartland locomotives are tough and made in the USA, can't go wrong with one. Reindeer Pass sells them, they advertise here I think.


----------



## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

To pull more than 10 cars, you would need a large engine, or 2 in tandem (called Multiple Units, or MU'ing by some).
My single motor strongest pullers are the LGB Stainz, USA 20 tonner (moe), LGB Forney and I would not pull more than 10 cars with these and that is on level track!!



For diesel, the large USA and Aristo engines with the weights are very strong pullers.

The plastic Bachmann engines are not good pullers and are prone to strip the gears if overloaded.

Hartland has some heavy engines that pull real well (Big John for one).

And remember the bigger the engine, the larger the curves you would need.


----------

