I received my new Bachman DCC equipped engine today. It does indeed have a convienent pocket in the fuel tank for a 1" round speaker. I have sound decoders laying around extra, so the next step is to get a speaker and put it in, and see how it sounds. The fact that it has provisions for a speaker is not mentioned in the Bachman web site as one of its features, but it does have one, and thats GOOD!
Interestlingly enough the lettering says New York Central System, which is not correct for a NYC engine. It would be correct for a P&LE, P&E or several other railroads, and it will be fine for my D&MR, no, actually better, but I will have to change the road number because it is a NYC number. I am always careful not to choose a taken NYC number to go in my railroads number system. Another thing I noticed is that the F for front of the engine is on the short hood end, but on a NYC GP-7 it should be on the long hood end. I can live with no grabs, thats an easy fix, and if they put them on they would have scaled out to 6", so I can put on some fine grabs. If it don't work out I can leave it setting and idleing beside the roundhouse.
Paul
Dayton and Mad River RR
I ordered one of the NYC versions from Micro-Mark on the 7th, along with some other supplies. The worst that can happen is it will be a disaster, won't work well and I will disconnect the drive train and wiring and park it on an outdoor deadline track beside the roundhouse in some state of disrepair. Maybe cut open some of the side doors and put a crew to work on the 567A that is inside.
BIG JERRboy speaking or proto p2k ,a Gn gp9 in blue box just went for 242.00 on ebay ,two bidders 26 bids started at 49.00 , man thats crazy....I think it was some specail run or something920-23608,road 703......but it looked just like my 30.00 one ......crazy
boy speaking or proto p2k ,a Gn gp9 in blue box just went for 242.00 on ebay ,two bidders 26 bids started at 49.00 , man thats crazy....I think it was some specail run or something920-23608,road 703......but it looked just like my 30.00 one ......crazy
Lee
OT, but I grew up in East Dayton / Mad River and I'm modeling PRR Xenia-Clement-Wayne Ave Jct ETC, although I have a soft spot for all that activity near 2nd st and Stanley Ave. I'm fudging and having the PRR serve NCR as well.
I have Proto GP7s and had to replace all the gears, but for only about $5 and a couple hours work, they are great runners and great looking as well. Can't say my Atlas RS3 in any better in either category.
' Bout the time I get around to putting on antennas, someone will release them alrerady done.
There are two screws under the tank cover. Remove the two screws and the couplers and coupler covers and the shell comes off with the walkway and all the railing. Quite easy but why do they make you figure it out when a paragraph would do it. There is room to easily replace the decoder with a better DCC decoder. For a sound decoder, you need to mill out some room, which is tricky with the way they make their drives, or use a QSI or Soundtraxx board replacement decoder and pull the Bachmann circuit board out.
A small speaker can go in the tank or again you are faced with milling. There is a provision for a small round speaker. The holes are only indented for drilling but they are there.
This GP7 is an interesting project as it appears to be a Phase 1 GP7 and different from the Kato and Proto. It runs pretty well and it would run even better with a BEMF decoder. Bachmann gets so close I wonder why they do not spend the extra $10.00 in manufacturing costs to add the grabs and make it a little more sound friendly. Also, I have yet to find any documentation that the paint scheme is valid. I think it probably needs relettering to appear similar to the Proto and Atlas. The color is good. It is only about $65.00 on the street. Pretty darn cheap.
You can easily install a BEMF decoder in the this locomotive. The TCS M1P-MH works great and fits with room to spare. A Digitrax DZ125 will install but you have to add a low profile DCC plug. The DZ125PS plug is to tall and hits the roof. It runs great with a new BEMF decoder.
Steve GillUlrich Models
See my second post. It has much more information.
Take the tank cover off. There is a provision for a small round speaker. The holes are only indented for drilling but they are there. I have not figured out how to get the shell off yet so I do not know about room inside
No sound or provisions for sound in the standard DCC OnBoard models. Motor control and lights only. The Cheap Lenz type decoders are very basic and replacing them with even a cheap $20 decoder is a major upgrade. If you want sound in one of these dinosaurs you would most likely have to put the speaker in a trailing dummy unit.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
While Bachmann has done a lot to improve the quality and features of all its products over the last few years, the regular line diesels are still quite basic.
If you want sound, I would go with David's advice and go right for an Atlas or Proto2000 loco. I do not use DCC or sound, but have a large fleet of Proto2000 diesels and I am very happy with all of them.
As for Bachmann, a few more thoughts. There Spectrum line is good and most of the steam locos are offered with sound or have speaker provisions. The new 2-8-4 in the regular line even has speaker provisions, and is a very nice loco for the price.
But still, regular line diesels, again much improved from years ago, are still a budget minded product for beginners/children, not full featured models for the more advanced hobbiest.
Sheldon
I was thinking of picking up some of the new Bachman HO GP7s in NYC paint. They have DCC on board, but no sound. Are the newer products typically being sold with provisions already made for speaker(s) or do you still have to mill or cut or file to make room? I would assume there is a sound decoder that will drop.