Thomas & Friends in DCC

[GovB]

Dear Bach-man,

My grand kids love Thomas and his friends but wouldn't be great if they could all be together on the same layout in DCC ? It would be great if each engine could have it's own sounds and voices. You could even have Harold, Sir Hatt and other friends speak as they go by. I've seen sites that sell some items with DCC after market installed but I'm sure that couldn't match what the Bach-man could do. What a great way for a child to be introduced to model railroading. How about it Bach-man?

GovB 

[max (uk)]

Thats sounds like a very good idea. You could use the EZ DCC controller aswell as they use addresses from 1 to 10. It wouldnt cost that much compaired to the spectrum sound loco's eather.

They could just have a blank ESU or soundtraxx sound decoder, then program it with sounds from HIT (as bachmann have that conection with the licence) so it would sound just like the engines of TV.

It would be a really interactive experience for children, and if that doesnt get people into model railroads at an early age I dont know what will.

[Guilford Guy]

Dear Bach-man,

My grand kids love Thomas and his friends but wouldn't be great if they could all be together on the same layout in DCC ? It would be great if each engine could have it's own sounds and voices. You could even have Harold, Sir Hatt and other friends speak as they go by. I've seen sites that sell some items with DCC after market installed but I'm sure that couldn't match what the Bach-man could do. What a great way for a child to be introduced to model railroading. How about it Bach-man?

GovB 

It would raise the price to high, and may be complicated for kids to figure out. Parents won't buy their kids toy trains that are too expensive, and if kids can't figure out the sound and DCC, they will probably give up the trains... It would be much cheaper for the owner to install a loksound decoder, and record the sounds onto that off their PC, and Bachmann will probably not put DCC into the Thomas Line for years to come...

[GovB]

From a complexity-of-use standpoint of a large layout, I would agree. But consider this, the "Thomas' Fun with Freight" set costs $160 and the "Diesel Digital Commander" set costs $260. If you look at these two sets (- loco), they are almost alike. The cost difference between the two is oblivious but the WOW! factor of a DCC "Thomas' Fun with Freight" set (as an example) would be priceless. If Bachmann offered a Thomas DCC starter set for the same price I would be the first in line. My 7 yr old granddaughter is pretty good on the computer and the 4 yr old is close behind with educational programs. If these kids can figure out video games, the TV remote and the DVD player (not to mention how to manipulate their parents), I think they could figure out a DCC starter set as well. The idea of a layout populated with Thomas & all his Friends may not be one the average modeler would do but considering the attention span of the average first grader, it would hold their attention a lot longer. Isn't that what we want to do?

What do you think Bach-man?

GovB 

[Cheeky_ULP]

[big fancy paragraph]

I agree with this, I would think that instead of a whole DCC range, that just one set would be released with DCC. Possibly much like other DCC sets, would include two engines. I would assume as being popular characters, we would get Thomas, Annie, Clarabel, Percy (or James), a wagon and a van, and a brake van (Coal car, box car, and caboose), and other general accessories that come in the previous sets, but this one with possibly more track and DCC control. I would certianly like to try it out provided I had the money. This is all just concept though.

[Diesel #261]

What might be a good idea is for Bachmann to make Thomas & Friends for grown ups and kids.  The ones for the kids are what we have now.  The ones for the grown ups have more detale and are DCC.  Anyone think it would be cool?

[Guilford Guy]

What might be a good idea is for Bachmann to make Thomas & Friends for grown ups and kids.  The ones for the kids are what we have now.  The ones for the grown ups have more detale and are DCC.  Anyone think it would be cool?

Anyone think they wouldn't sell?

[StanierJack]

What might be a good idea is for Bachmann to make Thomas & Friends for grown ups and kids.  The ones for the kids are what we have now.  The ones for the grown ups have more detale and are DCC.  Anyone think it would be cool?

Anyone think they wouldn't sell?

The same detail and an EZ decoder would be (for thomas) very little.

A set that includes:

DCC thomas
DCC toby
E-Z unit
Annie
Clarabel
Henrietta
Oval of track with siding

would be very popular

[max (uk)]

I would buy that!

[GovB]

Check out what Bachmann is doing overseas. Bachmann already has a DCC starter set very similar to what we are talking about called the Bachmann Branch-line Junior (#30-041) with 2 locos, 3 wagons, oval track w/siding, transformer and DCC Command Digital Controller. £79.99 in the UK. This is exactly what I'm talking about. Change the skins and Sha-ZAM! Thomas & Emily.

http://www.bachmannjunior.co.uk/junior/pr.php4

What-cha say Govner (Bach-man)? 


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[ThomasFan247]

look familiar?

[GovB]

Not sure. All I see is a small box with an X in it. Am I doing something wrong?

GovB

[Cheeky_ULP]

look familiar?

We're not talking about the Junior range.

Its just a Bachmann UK reskin of the Bachmann US Thomas model.

[StanierJack]

Check out what Bachmann is doing overseas. Bachmann already has a DCC starter set very similar to what we are talking about called the Bachmann Branch-line Junior (#30-041) with 2 locos, 3 wagons, oval track w/siding, transformer and DCC Command Digital Controller. £79.99 in the UK. This is exactly what I'm talking about. Change the skins and Sha-ZAM! Thomas & Emily.

http://www.bachmannjunior.co.uk/junior/pr.php4

What-cha say Govner (Bach-man)? 

Here is the original set, just look at the two locos.

Stuart and Greg look familiar...

[sparkyjay31]

Question.

Where is the Bach-Mann?  No response?  I hope that this is not falling on deaf ears!!!

There sure seems to be "some" interest in a dcc Thomas.