The problem that I have run into is with the locomotives and tenders.

I have had a couple of coupler knuckle springs pop out and 1 case of a new FT-A arrive with the spring missing. Since it seems to take about 3 months turn around to send it back to Bachmann and costs more in postage than a pair of couplers, I wanted to get some replacements. But, the documentation is awful.  With many of the locos, all it says is Coupler, others have a Part or Product number that take me nowhere and with the FT-A, the part numbers are different depending on which data diagram I  read.

PRETTY SAD.

 

Does some one know IF there is a reference  list which tells which Bachmann couplers fit which Bachmann HO products.

Some of the exploded views provide part numbers that correlate directly with a listing for an EZ Mate coupler, but many do not.

Again, Bachmann documentation leaves much to be desired.

Well, I am going to start off with the following caveat.

I am no long term experienced expert.

Having said that, my belief is that the major problem with the new

couplers  is the same problems we have with many things these days.

Poor quality control. Lack of uniform production standards and poor quality

control are the main cause of most of the problems. The new magnetic

couplers require both. They also require uniform track and track bed------

lots of luck. So as has been noted already.  Check heights and clearances

and then recheck them. Sadly, I have found that from just using the

equipment, things get out of whack.

Thanks, fellas.

Does anybody have any idea about running an SD-45 loco on a 22" radius

curve. Is it marginal or will it run well.

Thanks Jim.

I finally found the information in the Bachmann on line catalog.

That's usually the last place I expect to find any thing regarding

specifications.   

I have the numbers for 18 and 22 inch radius track.

Does someone know the number of sections of 26 inch radius curved track required to build an oval?  I would hate to order and find out I'm short.
The gray roadbed if that make any difference.

OK, Jim, for you and any one else that may be interested. The Tech at Soundtrax said that when Bachmann provided the software specs  for their decoder, they(Bachmann) specifically requested that the Effects Processor CV subset not be included.
So CV 119 is set to zero.

The references to the Effects Processor are included in the manual that Bachmann provided because the manual  itself was written by Soundtrax and is a generic manual provided for all similar OEM sound decoders.

Thanks Jim.  I'll give them a call.

It is a factory installed board.

Since all these CVs are included in the CD manual provided by Bachmann, I assume(golly, I hate doing that) that they are

settings for effects  that are usable.  Bachmann just doesn't provide the default settings for them.

I found that reference earlier; but the default settings for CVs 120 thru 127 or CVs 201 thru 208, which ever are used, are not listed.

The date on the page is 2006. I wonder if the board being used now is a re-design?

Jim,

According to the CD provided with the Locomotive by Bachmann, CV 119 is used, then the events are programed using

CV's 120 to 127.  Thanks, now I understand how the settings work.   It would sure be nice to know what defaults, if any,  are 

set.

Now, it becomes apparent why the lack of CV reading is a real deficiency for the Dynamis.

WELL,   it about d----n time.

The good news, I found it listed on a half dozen or so on line stores.  The bad news is that all of them show either "out of stock" or "pre-order"

As slow as Bachmann has been to respond to this need,  who knows when they will be available.

Bach Man:


I have a new 4-8-4 J Class N&W locomotive with sound.

I would like to program the effects processor, but I'm not clear on how.

CV 119 is used. Are there any default settings, as it is shipped. If so, what are they?

It seems to say to set CV 119 to 9, but then what?  How are the individual effects turned on and off?

Or is it just an all or nothing situation?

I am using a Dynamis.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Thanks.  That's a great idea. I could use an additional Yard, but there isn't room on my table.  And if I add a permanent extension to my table I would never hear the end of it from my wife(she tolerates quite a bit as  it is).
I might be able to get away with a fold down. I think I may even have enough spare track.