Did Bachmann announce the BL-2 coming in HO?

Just for accuracy's sake, Ma&Pa 0-6-0 #30 was built and delivered with a wooden cab same as the #29. It was later changed to a metal one. This is one of the "facts" that keeps being told over and over again.

oldline2

Brass isn't all that difficult to DCC. Just like anything else it has to have the motor isolated which, again, isn't all that difficult. Newer brass already has the tender floor drilled for a speaker while older stuff needs to be drilled, which again, isn't difficult. Newer brass often has a sound cam installed and aftermarket cams aren't hard to install either. The NEW Tsunami 2 has eliminated the cam wiper wire for some reason (they claim it automatically adjusts the chuffs per driver revolution which the youtube videos I've seen don't prove right to me). TCS has ability to install an accurate wiper or, orlike the T2,  shoot from the hip and do the American Flyer/Lionel chuff once in a while thing.

Anyway, try not to prolong the myth that installing DCC in brass is nuclear physics. Just basic modeling skills needed.

In a couple real hobby shops where I worked I've had many people who asked us to install KD's on an Athearn Blue Box car as well as assemble those cars so I guess for that kind of modeler I guess doing anything to a brass engine would seem like a true science project.

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I still have 4 of the original Decs. One has a drive belt issue slipping. The others are still kicking cars around. I hot wired Tsunamis in them when received. Maybe I prefer brass engines to all the issues I read about BLI, Athearn and the Bachmann plastic engines. By the time I add DCC/sound & paint them I don't have as much invested as many or the current and future plastic ones and they run and run and run.

I've really not had many issues with Spectrum choochoo's and like all I have.

Just a thought!
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I hear your pain about lack of DCC experience. I'm there myself. Mine arrived as DC engines and I hard-wired in Tsunamis  on 2 of the 4 right away. The other 2 got the same treatment later on.  Adjusting CVs isn't something I'm good at and other than the main sounds (whistle,bell, rod clank and pops) I just used whatever default settings came with the Tsunamis. They all seemed to run fine and are great engines.

I just can't picture someone throwing them away because the CV's aren't what they want. Not very cost effective on the hobby budget. The junk from BLI seems to constantly get poor comments until people reset the CVs and they cost much more than the Bachmann stuff.

I don't know but anyone that wants to throw away their Ruskies (or any other Bachmann steamer) please let me know and I'll pay the shipping to me.

The Ruskie isn't the only steamer that has been discontinued. Most products now are limited availability.

oldline2

I see your points but I don't see resetting CVs as a major re-design of the engines. Almost every DCC equipped engine I read reviews of in MR and elsewhere have the reviewer reset many CVs. Just seems to be more of a preference than a design fault. Once the crossheads and guides are properly positioned do they return to the point where they contact again?

The crosshead problem I haven't observed. I bought 4 of them when they were fairly fresh on the market (1997?) and they all ran, and still run, well. Unfortunately or fortunately, whichever way you want to look at it, my layout was all level track but my Ruskies could pull 20 cars around the layout. I don't think that's poor performance.

oldline2

Quote from: Trainman203 on January 28, 2019, 10:08:12 AM
I've been waiting a very long time.  Don't hold your breath.  The decapod needs some re-engineering before coming out again. 

TRAINMAN203,

For those of us without a clue would you describe the re-engineering required?

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I bought 4 of them when they were a fairly new item. I love the Russians and the Bachmann model too. They all run fine and are smooth and slow. I removed all the tender stuff and installed Tsunami's with hardwiring. They sound great and I'm so glad they are on my roster.

oldline2

Using search almost everywhere is a crap shoot. What you type in is generally matched to what others have typed in at one time. Search only makes a match and doesn't usually think beyond that. When using it try all the possibilities for best results.

ex: N&W, N & W, N and W, Norfolk and Western, Norfolk & Western See what I mean? Each can bring up the same or different results. Sucks but it is what it is!

oldline2

Thanks for the clarification on the differences. Close but no cigar!

I saw the engines on the UK site and thought I'd like to have a Black 5 and a Decapod just for something different. Converting the couplers and all wouldn't be a big deal. I'd hate to ahve to change out any decoders, etc but whatever.

Thanks, again.
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Emily,

Looks great! Love Russians, love Vandys and love the B&O! Can't get much better than that!

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I was somewhat unconventional I guess. I glued Midwest cork to mine and then brought the scenery up to the roadbed. Worked fine and looked good.

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Well, it was just a tiny railroad with a couple engines!

The Pennsy ran plenty of places besides the NE. Think about Chicago, St. Louis, Louisville, Detroit and one or two other places outside the NE.

Yep, probably won't sell...........like their K4 offering they have sold for years.

oldline2

How far off are OO and HO scales from each other? I saw some nice Bachmann models in the UK section and would like to add a couple. Compatible?

Thanks,
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EmilyC,

Nice work. I think your 2nd round very much improved what you were trying to portray. Have you thought about looking on feebay for one of the Bachmann long Vandy tenders? That would seriously change the appearance from the C&O look. I like it!

I have never heard anyone say the WM J-1 had a B&O look to it! Quite the contrary as it was a massive engine with very little commonality with B&O other than gauge.  It's a shame the B&O never did a 4-8-4  (George Emerson doesn't count). That certain "B&O look" would have made for a beautiful engine.

oldline1