2016 NMRA Announcement Question

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

to Yardmaster and Mr. Bach-man,

Why is it all the new releases coming out or atleast on the flyer come with DCC Sound Value? I mean I can't see spending $400 on an engine with molded on details because it has sound, something I don't use and I'm sure others don't use. I really wanted a Mikado in B&O but it was released with sound only. I really wanted the C&O 4-6-0 but it was released sound only(and even with retail discounts it was still more then double the price i paid for the spectrum 4-6-0s i have!) Maybe I'm dumb but I just don't get it. Only thing in the NMRA annoucements I'm remotely interested in is the Northern Central coaches. and thats because the old Northern Central tracks are right by me and I explore an old Northern Central branch. Why not make Maryland & Pennsylvania Coaches? we got 5 engines, but no passenger cars. Why not B&O Royal Blue coaches? we got the engine, but no coaches. I got 2 from another manufacture but Bachmann ones have body mounted couplers and all. Why not do everything DCC Sound Ready like you did the EM1s(even though I had to take the bored out and put in a DCC Ready PCB)

Forgive me for being dumb and not understanding the decision to do everything with DCC & Sound now

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

I'm excited about the style of the new old-time passenger cars. The cars with the "duck-tail" roofs that have been available for decades are nice, and they're good for the late 1860s and 1870s, and no doubt many remained in service for years after (witness the Virginia & Truckee passenger equipment that survived to make it to Hollywood), but the new cars will be better for later in the 19th century and into the early 20th century. I'm assuming they will be the same length as the older cars, which will make them good for small layouts. I'm also excited that there will be a full baggage car, as well as a coach and combine.

[quark51]

I agree about the sound value locomotives, not everyone wants sound. To me the sound gets annoying after a few minutes. I have a Bachmann SD70ACE and a ES44AC and unhooked the sound. Instead of sound Bachmann could have added working ditch lights and a little better detailing.

[brokenrail]

Sound is great to have .If it is annoying then turn it down .Or press function 8 to mute. I agree with you on the Heritage diesels.For the high end price they should have working ditch lights and some more detail.A basic Walthers 70ace has working ditch lights and uses the same sound decoder, and they also give a option of sound or no sound ,but either come with working ditch lights.They have the basic kit type body drill indexes to drill out and add your own parts easily not molded detailing that looks bad and complicates things like the paint if you want to add your own details.Whom ever made that decision to mOld half of the grab irons and not light the ditch lights up should maybe do another job. The production cost could not be the reason since again everyone that makes a 70ace  does it except this one. Hopefully they will see the light when they start getting dusty on the shelf.Just my opinion.
Johnny

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

.Or press function 8 to mute.
Johnny

Once again....why buy something if you're not going to use it and just mute it? MAKES NO SENSE!!!

[Len]

.Or press function 8 to mute.
Johnny

Once again....why buy something if you're not going to use it and just mute it? MAKES NO SENSE!!!

Because sometimes there's no other option if you want a particular loco. It's either get the one with sound that may not be wanted, or have nothing at all.

Len

[jbrock27]

I'm w/BO.  Not sure what is so difficult about producing the same model in sound and non sound versions at the factory (Roger's incessant plea for the production of Spectrum models aside).

[Trainman203]

Man.... It's really hard to make people happy, isn't it.  You think you're not getting what you want ..... Try being a MISSOURI PACIFIC modeler! 

[jbrock27]

But that was your choice, right?

[Trainman203]

It was not a choice, Brock, it was an imperative that goes back to Day One around 1951, when the MP branch back home was still fully in steam.

[RAM]

Well trainman, It looks like you are old too.  Sorry to say, but most people today have never seen steam locomotives doing every day work. 

[Trainman203]

Bring old is great, especially when you are a mdel railroader and saw steam engines in everyday settings.  Those are well polished and often recalled great old memories. My layout is nothing but a re-creation  of some of them.

ThE MP branch back home was built in 1909 as a shortline in name only, the Frisco basically underwrote it. Anyone ever heard of B.F. Yoakum?  Look him up.  He was a Harriman/Vanderbilt/ Van Swerigen type who tried to put together an empire of a bunch of different roads including the Frisco and the Rock Island.  When his deal fell apart in 1914, the Frisco lines in Louisiana and Texas basically became the "Gulf Coast Lines", operating as such until the Mop took over in 1925.  I remember as a kid in the 50's, older people calling the MP the "Frisco".  I didn't  know why till much later.

Back to Bachmann stuff.  After I pay for my new roof I'm getting the Frisco 2-8-2.  Because my MP branch back home used to be Frisco.  I can live with the molded on stuff for a while.  The whistle is the only really deficient detail, it looks more like a pop valve.  In comparison, the 4-6-0s and 4-6-0s had very nice 5 chime whistle castings.  I got a bunch of spares to put on engines like this and like the 2-8-0 which also has a crude whistle detail.

[Trainman203]

About the old time passenger cars....

These cars have been around for generations offered by one vendor after another.  "Old molds never die, they just get sold to the next guy."

I ended up with this, it was either a Con Cor or AHM car when made.  Came with that roof, not the one for the car,  had to mske it fit.  Upgraded the  handrails and truss rods and put it in service on my 1945 mixed train.  Quiz:  what is missing?

[MilwaukeeRoadfan261]

Man.... It's really hard to make people happy, isn't it.  You think you're not getting what you want ..... Try being a MISSOURI PACIFIC modeler!  

Or a Milwaukee Road, DM&IR, Cotton Belt, Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Burlington Route, Rock Island, Southern, Santa Fe (not many Santa Fe steam engines available these days) steam engine modeler...

Or even a Nevada Northern, or Virginia and Truckee modeler.

[plas man]

nice car Trainman 203 , shame about the decals