When the board is released, with only the C19 sound file to start with, it will be interesting to see if subsequent boards are eventually released with loco sounds from the Tsunami library already available in their smaller scale, lower amp handling series.
This would not be hard for Soundtraxx to do as it does not have to allocate resources to record the sounds as they have a very good set already. It just needs the appropriate chips to be made.
This together with the fact that the boards is being offered in advance for around $110 means that they could grab a good deal of QSI' market as long as they make a 'generic' add on screw terminal board so that the boards can be used with other makes of locos besides Bachmann or Aristo (using their non-proprietray sockets)

Hi Bill, thanks for the info. Yes I suspected that they might be series 5 as I expect that Bachmann will be shedding these as the new gearbox version is now the current one.
But, as you say, they are good value. We in UK have to factor in the shipping and 20% import duries on top of the cost (item+shipping) though.

Hi
may I ask if the spare part chassis for the 4-6-0 steamer are the new type with the all metal gearbox or the variant that was available previously for the Anniversary series.
Many thanks
Here is an example
Loco Chassis (G 4-6-0)
$125.00  $50.00
Save: 60% off
Model: CH-81097

The news section of the G scale Tsunami board was pulled from the Soundtraxx website some time ago and now the only reference to the existence (future) of the Large scale decoders is buried and hard to find.... http://www.soundtraxx.com/choose/step3.php?t=g&s=Bachmann. That info is also non existent.

The decoders are well over due and as Soundtraxx are a pretty good company at delivering their prototypes on time this does not bode too well as there has been no news about the possible release date etc. Of course it could all be a ploy,,,,,,,,,,,,,

But these days a company has to look really hard at interest and/or advance orders before it will tool up a manufacturing run.
Lets hope all of the online retailers who have got the decoders in their 'to order' list have actually placed some advance orders themselves. As they too have to think twice about buying in inventory. It is not an easy time for manufacturers or retailers and that means that we do not see the new products fitting to a nice tight timetable anymore (not that some companies could stick to that in past good times anyway!).

Just seen this thread although it is a bit old.
I have a C19, K27 and other locos. I have a selection of Big hauler, LGB and AMS coaches.
My layout has some extremely heavy gradients (there was honestly no other way of building it without really mucking up the garden etc)

So I have found that pulling the AMS coaches up the slope is just not on unless I want to always run a Loco and one coach.
So I have been motorising some Bachmann Colorado and Southern big hauler coaches and running them with some LGB gold vestibule coaches. All are in the process of being reliveried and/or re-labelled and numbered into D&RGW green.

I have seen the comments about possible 1:20.3 versions (better detailed and stronger ) of the Big Hauler Jackson Sharpe (with some differences between the models like closed vestibule, duck-billed, RPO etc.and this makes a lot of sense as long as Bachmann can produce them at a profit from a price which makes them really desirable. For folk who have a thick wallet, the AMS ones will already be an answer. For the rest of us the street price level must really be attractive.
It would be pretty easy for Bachmann to make a base model that could be changed into closed vestibules (at one or both ends), different rooves, different sides etc so that the customer could alter the base to suit themselves using a range of customising 'add-ons'. A small range of 'ready-mades' available to purchase could mirror the range already available in the Big Hauler suite and that would give Bachmann the 'core' purchase volume that they need to make it all economic.

What is an attractive street price? Well if the quality as well as detail is really upped then a street price of $150 -$200 (£100-£135) would be attractive enough to really get in the custom. They would not knock out the custom for the 1:22.5 range as the 1:20.3 models would be just too big for that market. This price would really knock Accucraft/AMS as the quality/price level would easily compete.

Would I buy them after spending all the time on converting the selection of 1:22.5 kit....well, as long as there is the range of different models and/or they have the customisation system to make different coaches, yes ..most definitely...but I would have to sell all the converted ones first! 

Hi Kevin
Good to have our input again.
It is good to hear that the 'sound power' or 'heavy load' option with STC still maintains speed, although, unlike RTC, it has to be applied manually via the controller button.

My main incline, due the garden topography having to stay the way it is, ..... is very steep..........in fact over 10%! (there is no way to compensate for this geography without digging a long deep trench or building a trestle that blocks off entry to the lawn). So I have to multiple head to have half decent length trains surmounting the gradient. I have built motorised rolling-stock to act as helpers if I have a consist of less than two three locos etc. I wonder if STC will be able to handle going down that steep a hill as well as RTC could. I have to say here that this is all happening with DC control as DCC is a new option for my main line.

In my dealings with the Quantum Programmer  I am sure that function 5 is the 'sound of power' or 'heavy load'. Function 9 is shut down...but I could easily be wrong...will check.

Hi again Kevin

I had thought that it might be a contact problem somewhere but thanks to your tip I now realise that of course if the DCC board is pumping power out to the rear truck then the pickups should be fine. So there is something awry from decoder back to front truck. I will process the manual and any tips for dropping the front truck to investigate. 
Many thanks for your wise input again.
As an aside...a friend came over today and I showed him the C19 drive train QSI very slow speed acceleration behaviour scenario. He just said '"That slow speed acceleration looks darn good!".  So perhaps I am too finnicky and too close to the problem.

Hi Kevin
Many thanks for your input. It is good to know that my loco is as others. I agree about the QSI complexity!
I was wondering about the STC throttle option being the way to go as I have read that RTC does have problems with 'loose' motor/gear setups like locos using Pittmans. Unfortunately I have heavy gradients on my line so the RTC, which incorporates comprehensive BEMF is a useful thing to have whereas STC, although acting in a very linear fashion especially at slow speeds, does not have the benefit of BEMF. I will experiment with that anyway.

I do not want the very very slow speed (I agree that the 'creep' speed is a 'demonstration' attribute) but I do want the acceleration through slow speeds to be smooth.
Are you using a DCC board in your C19
M

I have a new C19 and have pugged in a QSI Quantum board. I have noticed that the very slow speed is a little jerky. I have set the CVs to allow for the locos motor type etc. But the problem seems to be to do with the slack in the drive chain. There is about 5-10% slack, in that you can rock the loco back and forth about 5-10% of the wheel revolution. If the loco is pushed so that the slack is taken up before any advance is set on the controller, then the slow speed take up is nice and smooth (same with reverse). It looks like the slack is the problem as the QSI board gauges BEMF etc fro the actual motor revolution
My question is....should there be this much slack in the drive chain? If not is there a simple way of tightening it up (I know that there will always be a little 'play' but this does seem excessive).

This is a bump.  
Has anyone got an idea why the front truck might be misbehavining?

I have a DCC version of the new Climax and have a problem with the front truck. I have not had it long (2 weeks). The loco has been lubricated and run only on test rollers or  a bit of clean test track.
The front truck seems to have problems running evenly at slow speed or running fast at higher settings of the controller.
I have tested the front truck with the drive line disengaged and it seems better but it does not seem to have a great amount of torque when compared to the rear.
I have tested the drive line on its own and it is free running.
Could the pick-ups be at fault or even the motor itself?
The DCC board is working fine as all functions are operating as is speed control (taken with the rear truck as reference)