Having had a day or so to look over the new Baldwin, it does seem to be a big improvement over the old, particularly in the mechanical area. There also seems to be significant improvements in detailing.
At the price, I think it is very good out of the box, if that's how you run your railway (as many do, and there is nothing wrong implied with that comment). I'm a bodger, so nothing ever stays pristine around here for long, which may account for some dodgy running!
My railway goes for an overall impression, rather than strict accuracy. I don't have a stated scale. I work to around 15mm/ft but around means LGB and similar track (too wide for most British narrow gauge, wrong rail type - flat bottomed not bullhead, over scale ballast - chicken grit, track profile that is over scale for most things, buildings that are both over and under scale, 1:1 raindrops, turtles, snakes, lizzards, dogs and plants!
I'd love to be able to afford or justify affording accurate scale models, but would have I think, serious problems running scale flanges on scale rail in my garden, even if I had the money.
We call this G Scale, which we shouldn't, as it's not a scale. There are precious few standards in what we do. Every manufacturer makes compromises, even the ones that are apparently finer scale models.
I even run an LGB New Orleans streetcar from time to time. Heaven knows how many rubber rulers were used there! Supposedly 5' gauge running on 45mm track! However from a distance it looks great.
I think the same applies to the Baldwin. The model is supposed to represent one of dozens of similar locos ordered by railroads around the world from a catalogue. Lyn was just one of those manufactured with a number of modifications.
I'm grateful to Bachmann for reintroducing something that looks and feels pretty good and at what is really a toy price. Good on them, and I'll echo an earlier comment that their customer service and guarantee is superb.