With the shrinking population in the hobby, the used market is alive and well....

Greg

So you have some research to do.

I'd suggest this plan of attack:

First, determine which locos have DCC sockets, that will make an easy install... and narrow your choices.
The LGB, the C19, the Davenport, etc.

Then the ones that are easy to convert, where the connections are brought out to terminals.

Lastly, the ones that need some rewiring.

I would suggest combination decoders, i.e. the motor and sound control is on the same board. Saves money and wiring and has big benefits in sound synchronizing with the motion and load on the loco.

Greg

Lithium batteries are not as heavy as the old nicad ones.

I like the idea of the batteries and some lead coming up with about the same weight.

On the other hand, if you pull a lot of cars, you will quickly learn what happens if your tender is too light, pulls right off the track.

If you can have good bearings in the tender, I'd put the batteries in there, just for convenience of access...

Greg

I think no matter what we decide, for at least a while it will be a PNP Big Hauler, since having the socket will be seen as the primary improvement and advantage.

Greg

so those are called rods or side rods.

You need different wheels and mechanisms, I have never seen someone make any out of metal, but it could be done.

If you want to buy them, you need to buy the entire chassis, there are several threads on this site about how to buy a replacement chassis.

Yes, it is more expensive for the entire chassis, but it will make a difference in the loco in many other ways.

Greg

Traditionally, the "version" or "generation" has been linked to the chassis, specifically the geartrain.

Has the geartrain or chassis actually been changed, or is this just wiring in the tender?

Greg

Thank you Bill for this and all your hard work here!

So, interesting never in train sets, but that makes sense since most people buying sets would not pay extra for the newer geartrain.

I gather that there was no "plain Big Haulers" made with a Gen/Version 6 gearbox.

Do you think that is correct also?

Greg

The latest version chassis is sold in the train sets, but not as a separate part so far, correct me if I am wrong Bill.

It seems strange, since it sure seemed they were making new "older versions", but perhaps it is just emptying stock of all of the next to last version, looks like it should be soon based on how many are out of stock.

Greg

I assume the part is out of stock in the online store?

You can get to 7 if you have 4 just for the cylinder cocks.. if you look closely, you can see that there are 2 independent smoke outlets on the cylinders. That would leave one for the smoke stack, one for the dynamo (shown in the video) and the 60 watt one for blowdown.

I did not see one for the whistle.

Greg

Kader (who own Bachmann) normally does not make detail parts except at time of a full manufacturing run. The exceptions are normally "consumables" like couplers, wheelsets, etc. (and the way they are "consumed" this should include drive gears).

With the slowdown in production of G scale, so go the parts.

It's unfortunate, since I believe the parts business can be made profitable, but as in the last post, people want a wide selection of parts, and it most likely does not make economic sense. (One could argue in fact it makes perfect sense, Kader has determined parts only is not profitable as evidenced by their decision to not have all parts available all the time).

Aristo-Craft was make by Kader too and the owner made it clear that the factory did not like making parts, in fact would just provide a few extra locos and let you pull the parts from them, kind of like owning a Jag and having a junker for parts.

Greg

The Kadees are pretty low tension springs, not sure they are strong enough for the wheel plungers.

Have you tried them yourself? Perhaps the springs from a ball point pen, but kind of small in diameter.

Greg

Good enough and the price is right!

Greg

I won't debate you at length, but the fact that you state nicads have memory effect means you are about 1/2 way to deserving the title rocket scientist.

You do make a good point that 5 cells should be the same nominal voltage, but the charge characteristics are different between all the chemistries listed.

True, at a very low trickle charge almost nothing happens.... but then the sound unit would not work well if the batteries were discharged, and so if you make the condition the batteries are fully charged when starting to use the loco, then overcharging can happen, your analysis presumes the battery is not fully charged... so if you don't need it, then leave it out.

Come back when you can fully explain the myth of memory and I'll give you the respect due a real rocket scientist deserves.

Greg

Doyle, your link expired, can you post a picture?