ndbprr wrote:SNIP MTH uses a proprietary DCC that has higher voltage to the rails so it won't run as fast on Dc or regular DCC. It is also MTH's only HO engine to date whereas BLI has numerous offerings. There are going to be MTH poeple who will probably insist MTH is the only way. Their very effusive reviews sound like they are reading the information off the box. SNIP
MTH uses a proprietary DCC that has higher voltage to the rails so it won't run as fast on Dc or regular DCC. It is also MTH's only HO engine to date whereas BLI has numerous offerings. There are going to be MTH poeple who will probably insist MTH is the only way. Their very effusive reviews sound like they are reading the information off the box. SNIP
I personally own the MTH:
Pros
Nice detail
Excellent DCC controlled Smoke system syncronized with chuff
Reliable, smooth
I love the SOUND it makes, their chuff and whistle are superb compared to QSI & Soundtraxx which I also own personally.
Cons
Function keys DO NOT Map well, F8 normally mute is smoke on/off
With DCC emergency off, only the K4 sound goes off, engine continues running. Returning sound to proper operation requires stopping and executing correct function key sequence to restore order.
Does NOT support program track programming, which means to change the Loco ID, you must use on main programming which is tricky and complicated at best.
Momentum settings, never have figured them out. Jack rabbit is what I call it.
Summary
Even with the weirdo DCC, my K4 is the attention getter when non-modeler friends come over and visit the layout. Modelers like it too, until I show them the weirdo part.
I wonder if the Triplex will have the same DCC issues? From my personal observation, MTH and MRC are trying to set their own directions with DCC functions which IMHO is a real problem for us.
Just my 2 cents
Joe Daddy
Darn! That's too bad. You could try modeltrainstuff.com (M.B. Klein), but I have never looked for a Spectrum K4 on their site.
I get the feeling that, to a corporation, the model train set of companies is in the process of a re-group of some sort, as it they have let their inventories drop to zero, and they are going to begin a course of processing/filling firm orders from now on.
I would personally look for the cheapest BLI K4 I could find and get that....again, try trainworld.
-Crandell
selector wrote: jerryl wrote:Looks like from the website that the K4 Pacific has been discontinued. Couldn't find a dealer that had one after a quick search...guess I'll have to do a better search or hit the train shows. Really surprised at the negative comments concerning Bachmann. I realize thier standard line is nothing to write home about, but I have a few spectrum engines that run good...especially for the price. JerryJerry, have you searched, or inquired from, trainworld.com? They have been advertising that engine for donkey's years in their four-page spread in Model Railroader magazine. You'd think they would have their fingers on at least one of them.
jerryl wrote:Looks like from the website that the K4 Pacific has been discontinued. Couldn't find a dealer that had one after a quick search...guess I'll have to do a better search or hit the train shows. Really surprised at the negative comments concerning Bachmann. I realize thier standard line is nothing to write home about, but I have a few spectrum engines that run good...especially for the price. Jerry
Jerry, have you searched, or inquired from, trainworld.com? They have been advertising that engine for donkey's years in their four-page spread in Model Railroader magazine. You'd think they would have their fingers on at least one of them.
Bachmann reminds me of Barry Manilow and the Carpenters...... No one ever admitted to listening to them, but they sure sold a lot of records .........
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Go BLI. Superb models and excellent sound. I've had Bachman in the past and I wouldn't go near them again. They are not well built and unreliable. MTH? No thanks, too particularly MTH for my liking. Bowser? Excellent.
Cheers.............
I have two K4's. The Bachman Spectrum (newer release) I am very pleased with. I don't have sound. My Bachman pulls heavyweight passenger cars up a 26" radius 2% grade, can't remember how many cars but can check for you, no traction tires. Very smooth running.
I also have a Bowser K4 with a Spectrum shell. Now that thing can really pull! I haven't made it stall or spin wheels. The downside to the Bowser is that it requires broad curves. I can't run it on my 28" radius curves. I would guess that it needs at least 30" curves.
ndbprr wrote:the Bachman is not to robust mechanically. I know a lot of them have broken down and it won't pull many cars. The BLI and MTH have about the same level of detail with the MTH being an earlier version. The BLI is designed to run on standard DCC or DC. MTH uses a proprietary DCC that has higher voltage to the rails so it won't run as fast on Dc or regular DCC. It is also MTH's only HO engine to date whereas BLI has numerous offerings. There are going to be MTH poeple who will probably insist MTH is the only way. Their very effusive reviews sound like they are reading the information off the box. For my money I would get the BLI. there is also one other choice and that is the Bowser K4 in kit form that you could build. The level of detail will be what you are capable of. They also weigh several pounds. I once left a Bowser engine on an unsupported area of my railroad. Several days later there was a slight sag in that area.
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
I can't add much to the very comprehensive toast...er,...post above, , but I am quite sure you will get a better price per unit from trainworld, or perhaps another place, on the BLI unit than on the MTH.
There is no question but that the MTH unit is a fine locomotive...we might as well give credit. But, as mentioned in a number of threads you can find in a search, there are issues with cross-over between DCC and DCS, and the MTH version costs that much more.