I ordered a bunch of EZ-Streets stuff from MB Klein within an hour or two of their posting it on their website. It arrived a few minutes ago.
As you can see, the roadtrack appears to be identical to the Supersteets stuff except for the color. The new is darker: color difference is like new asphalt versus maybe one to two year old asphalt for the older. Other than that it fits to and works with the old. No difference all all. (I ordered at least one piece of everything - its all the same except for color).
On the right side are: bottom, a K-Line Superstreets van from 1998, the first year SS was offered, (middle) a K-Line by Lionel panel van bought late last year, and (top) a new Bachman van. The metal body casting is identical. The Bachman and the late Lionel van share the same wheels and chassis. More details on differences in the vehicles in picture 2, further below.
From bottom to top:
Here are details of the chassis. Right, the '98 K-Line offering, a metal chassis, and you can see to the left edge of the vehicle the edge of its e-board, and its switch: this van has an e-board and will reverse, and the lights on the light bar work. As fara s I know only these early vans had e-boards - all other SS and EZ street vehicles have a rectifier and go only forward regardless of if run on AC or Dc of either polarity
Middle, the Lionel. It has a plastic chassis, and the tiny spring center pickups I came to hate (they are fragile.
Left, the new Bachman offering - I tested it and it runs just the same as the Lionel (except see below). It uses the same chassis, but has the premium "real" type center pickups (used by Lionel only on TMCC versions).
All three use the identical motor and gear/axles.
Unfortunately, nice contacts aside, this particular Bachman van is the poorest running Superstreets/EZ-Street vehicle I have ever taken new out of the box. I've had worse runners but I bought them used at swap meets as problem children. It stutters and stalls, then runs erratically, then stalls again, etc. Even 21 volts does not get its attention. This is unacceptable. I think I know what is wrong with it (front axle pront contacts are loose - they act like this when that happens) and will take it apart when I get around to it. Still - very disappointing if this is the norm and not an exception.
