The complete listing of Chinese prototype models is below. For model reviews, please scroll below the table or click here
The complete listing of Chinese prototype models is below. For model reviews, please scroll below the table or click here
The complete listing of Chinese prototype models is below. For model reviews, please scroll below the table or click here
The complete listing of Chinese prototype models is below. For model reviews, please scroll below the table or click here
Bachmann China
YW25G
1:87 Scale
Rating
8/10
YW25G Class Hard Sleeper Car
Prototype Information
YW25G cars were designed to run the "K" or "Kuai" (fast) trains. They are the most populous sleeper car type in China today, offering affordable air-conditioned budget sleeping accomodation for long distance trains. Up until early 2015, the bulk of the 25G class of carriages wore the a light grey/red/orange livery, however in recent years nearly all of them have been repainted into a green/yellow livery with all the rest of the passenger stock in China. These cars have eleven berths with six beds in each (a few select cars have ten). Toilets and wash rooms are installed at both ends of the coach along with the crew compartment.
General Information
Two years after the release of the 25G class hard seat cars, Bachmann announced the imminent release of the hard sleeper version - the YW25G. Unlike the hard seat cars, they have based their version on the type with standard swing doors. An easy way to identify the hard sleeper cars from the seat version, is the single roof mounted air conditioner, as opposed to a twin air conditioner setup. The car body is a single plastic piece with clip on roof and underframe. Windows are glued in from the inside and sit flush with the car exterior.
Packaging
Packaging is a thin cardboard carton with display window with the typical foldable plastic clamshell, lined with foam pieces to protect the model. Inside the box is the warranty information, schematics, QC label and detail parts to be added by the owner.
Details
These are some of Bachmann's best passenger cars. They are very nicely assembled (although still a pain to disassemble for interior modifications) and beautifully detailed. Air conditioner detailing is very nice and nice to see some variation in manufacturers between certain versions. The interior is cast in a cream color and also well detailed with the correct amount of beds/berths. This clips into the chassis. Included in the box are 66 pillows and blankets to be installed if desired.
Like the hard seat cars, the paint work is nicely applied and lettering and lining is very sharp, but still highly glossy. The under carriage is very nicely detailed and componentry/bogies are painted in a nice grey color and are all the same type, unlike some slight variations between the hard seater cars. Wheels are equipped with axle mounted disc brakes. Attention to detail is superb with some nice touches being red painted metal hand rails, foot steps and individually painted end car electrical plugs.
Performance
Cars roll very freely and are nicely weighted at 172gms for the standard coach and 191gms for the version with factory lighting installed. They are very long at a fraction over 32 cms in length so the loading gauge on your layout should be considered!
Lighting
Untested. All my examples are versions with out interior lighting.
Couplers
The coupler issues that plagued the hard seat cars appears to have been cured for this run. Even so, I would still recommend a coupler upgrade to avoid using the drawbar system and to improve the gaps between the cars as a result of using the supplied Bachmann EZ mates. I'm unsatisfied with Kadee's for these cars, and recommend the use of Fleischmann 5215's (with a Kadee on the end of each rake of cars for the locomotive/aesthetic purposes).