Bachmann Trains - Thomas & Friends™ - James The RED Engine - N Scale

Cosmetically simple, mechanically robust. Bachmann didn't pull any punches, this guy is built to last. Taking off the base plate reveals turned brass bearings!

I'm impressed with the model and size at first glance. Out of the box I found 1 wheel was out of quarter by a fraction (just enough to not lock the wheels but couldn't drive smoothly), something I had only learned about a week prior to receiving James. I fixed it myself and now James runs almost as smooth as Thomas, James is a fraction faster on the same track. At a minimal crawl James stalls below 0.7V (no wagons on flat track) after adjusting, I'm guessing the forward voltage of a diode. Very tiny screws, but looks easy to maintain with the right tools. The blowout diagram is very nice with all the part numbers.