Hey all! Thanks for the comments!
BestSnowman, I'm not sure if I'm going to be getting the other equipment yet, but if I do get anything else from Bachman I'll certainly make a review for you all. Keep an eye out!

Santa Fe, It certainly is a great addition. There are plenty of decals to chose from if you can't find a suitable decal paper and printer. I used Microscale decals meant for CSX diesel in the merge scheme. Go for the custom decals for sure though. If you get one soon, let me know what you come up with! And thanks for the comment on the hoppers! I love doing custom weathering, so I'm glad to hear you like it!!

This review is of Bachmann Spectrum 16947 - HO Track Ballast Regulator

I couldn't find any information on this item when I was looking into buying it, but now that I took the chance and bought it, I wanted to post this review so a few more people can find some info on this item, which is a great addition to any collection.

I purchased my Ballast regulator at www.modeltrainstuff.com for $39.99 easily more afordable than most other hobby sites.


***PROS***
This is a great addition to any layout. This ballast regulator from Bachman Spectrum is crafted with fine details including separately applied hoses, horns, exhaust and track equipment. Both cabs also have properly painted seats and floors and even include smaller details like windshield wipers.

***CONS***
On the down side there are no working lights on the inside and outside of either cab. There are only painted on lights. There is room to add them in later if you chose. You will have to drill the holes out, but there is room in each cab.

***MOTIVE POWER***
Power comes from a single, half inch diameter can motor that connects to the two axels on the front truck under the smaller of the cabs. The motor sits in the compartment beneath the exhaust stacks. Power pickups are on all four axels and current travels from the rear truck to the motor via two copper connecting rods. When removing the motor, note the position of these connecting rods, as you must weave them back into place when you put the motor back, although it is not hard to do at all.

***WEIGHT***
If you decide you want to pull or push something keep in mind that the ballast regulator weighs in at just under 84g or 2.9oz which is not a lot compared to a six axel diesel which is about 700g or 25oz. It's best to keep loads for this piece of equipment under 100g or 3.5oz. Consider just one flat car or gondola car. If you want to try running it with two cars, or if it struggles to pull the car you chose, you may need to remove weights from the cars. Also, consider adding weight into the front cab of the ballast regulator or under the motor. You can cover the screws that are beneath the chassis, as these do not need to be removed to pull the motor and truck assembly out.

***REPORTING MARK/ROAD NUMBERS***
There are no road numbers, road names or other reporting marks on this piece of equipment, which in this case is good as it will fit into any modern railroad and still look great. I added a set of Microscale's CSX logo and a road number decals to the crew bus and it looks great.

***DISSASEMBLING***
To gain access to the motor, DC DCC decoder connection plate, gear box, and front trucks:
1. Remove the front coupler.
NOTE: DO NOT REMOVE ANY SCREWS, THEY HOLD THE MOTOR TO THE FRAME, NOT THE FRAME TO THE BODY
2. Using a mini flat head screw driver or modeling tweezers pry the chassis away from the black frame with the SPECTRUM logo until the clip holding it in is free, then gently pull the black frame down, and back until the coupler is clear, then pull it forward and down until the brass connecting rods are cleared.
3. If you need access to the motor, remove the two screws on the underside of the frame, and the motor will come loose. It is hardwired to the circuit board, but is not permanently connected to the gearbox. The drive shaft will pull apart as you pull the motor away.
To re assemble:
1. Line up the two halves of the drive shaft and push them back together; at the same time line up the motor with the holes on the frame and screw the motor in place.
2. Using a small screwdriver, guide the brass connecting rods back through the frame. They should go above the Y frame, bend down after the hydraulics, and pass on both sides of the V shaped support. Push the rods back into the guide holes and then pressing down on the contacts on the rear truck, slide the connecting rods into place. When looking at the truck upside down, the copper connecting rod should be on top of the contact plates. Push the frame back into its spot. Re attach the coupler, and you're done.

***DCC***
This is a DCC ready locomotive. All you need to do is attach a decoder with bare wires to the connector plates using the plastic clips provided with the locomotive. Just remove the metal clips which are already installed prior to installation of your decoder. I'll update this with instructions and a recommended decoder when I get my decoder in the mail.

Here are some pictures of the Ballast regulator working on a section of track in my layout (the CSX logo and roadnumber were added after purchasing, and are not included in the package)

CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURE