Bachman???

[Packer]

Well, I put a sound decoder in one of the FTs. It runs pretty well, but I don't expect it to run as good as my P2K engine with sound.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The decoder in your GP35 is the limited one from Bachmann. The replacement from NCE isn't limited, or so I've been told.

[loathar]

That's the exact model that came in my GP 35.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

That's because the NCE BACH1 decoder is a complete decoder, not the limited one it's meant to replace.

[loathar]

http://www.ncedcc.com/

Actually, when you look at the specs on the NCE Bachmann decoder, it has almost everything you would want in a non sound decoder. Pretty much the same features as the more expensive decoders all have.

[galaxy]

For simple motor control, yes. When itb comes to anything more than that it's time for something else. The Bachmann DCC OnBoard decoder is much too limited.

 

Jeffery,I think what we are looking at is very basic DCC for simple multi train operations and that is what most folks are interested in and not all the whiz bang CV settings which scares the crap out of new DCC users.

Think of it this way and you might see what I am seeing..

Their very basic DCC system for less then $100.00(discount)

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1453

 

Then we have a nice selection of their basic locomotive with DCC.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1197

 

So,in the end we see  a affordable basic DCC system and basic DCC equipped locomotives that anybody can afford at discount..

IMHO this is a good move that can only help the advancement of DCC.

To get into DCC one can get the Bachmann EZ Command system for $62.65 from wholesaletrains.com:

Wholesale Trains, Model Train, RC Helicopter, RC Airplane, RC Boat, Garden Railroad, Park Flyer, Parts, Services

On can get the EZ system WITH a diesel loco for $84.89:

Litchfield Station LLC ::...

Bachmann DCC OnBoard deisel locos can be purchased form a variety of online purveyors starting at aroun $35-$39.00. Steamers a bit more.

 

[galaxy]

For simple motor control, yes. When itb comes to anything more than that it's time for something else. The Bachmann DCC OnBoard decoder is much too limited.

 

Jeffery,I think what we are looking at is very basic DCC for simple multi train operations and that is what most folks are interested in and not all the whiz bang CV settings which scares the crap out of new DCC users.

Think of it this way and you might see what I am seeing..

Their very basic DCC system for less then $100.00(discount)

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1453

 

Then we have a nice selection of their basic locomotive with DCC.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1197

 

So,in the end we see  a affordable basic DCC system and basic DCC equipped locomotives that anybody can afford at discount..

IMHO this is a good move that can only help the advancement of DCC.

One can get the simple basic Bachmann DCC EZ Command to get into DCC from wholesaletrains.com for $62.65:

Wholesale Trains, Model Train, RC Helicopter, RC Airplane, RC Boat, Garden Railroad, Park Flyer, Parts, Services

Or get it WITH a Bachmann DCC On Board loco from Litchfield Station for $84.89:

Litchfield Station LLC ::...

The Bachmann DCC OnBoard diesel locos can be found from a variety of online purveyors starting at $35 or so, steamers a bit more.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Yeah, I know what you're saying. I have two of the Bachmann EZ-Command systems (ones a spare) and the five amp booster that I picked up from another modeler for $90.

[BRAKIE]

For simple motor control, yes. When itb comes to anything more than that it's time for something else. The Bachmann DCC OnBoard decoder is much too limited.

 

Jeffery,I think what we are looking at is very basic DCC for simple multi train operations and that is what most folks are interested in and not all the whiz bang CV settings which scares the crap out of new DCC users.

Think of it this way and you might see what I am seeing..

Their very basic DCC system for less then $100.00(discount)

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1453

 

Then we have a nice selection of their basic locomotive with DCC.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1197

 

So,in the end we see  a affordable basic DCC system and basic DCC equipped locomotives that anybody can afford at discount..

IMHO this is a good move that can only help the advancement of DCC.

 

 

 

[MisterBeasley]

Mister B: Do yourself a favor and replace the POC Bachmann decoder with one that's more compatible with the sound decoder. Just my .

The decoder has a plug that goes into a jack on the trolley's light board.  It's not the same as a Digitrax plug, so any decoder replacement would involve splicing a lot of wires.  Of course, it's a tight space, so even a half-dozen shrink-tube splices would cause problems, and then I'd need a decoder that would fit in the same space.  Once I've got the decoders set up the way I want, I won't be playing with them, anyway, so I'll live with the little quirks.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

For simple motor control, yes. When itb comes to anything more than that it's time for something else. The Bachmann DCC OnBoard decoder is much too limited.

[loathar]

Mister B: Do yourself a favor and replace the POC Bachmann decoder with one that's more compatible with the sound decoder. Just my .

Didn't you at one time say you liked those decoders and where taking them out of your Bachs and installing them in your Athearns? (or something like that??)

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Mister B: Do yourself a favor and replace the POC Bachmann decoder with one that's more compatible with the sound decoder. Just my .

[MisterBeasley]

My only Bachmann is the Peter Witt trolley.  I'm very happy with it.  The details are nice, and it runs fine.  It does, however, come with a Bachmann decoder which isn't terribly compatable with other decoders.  I've installed a sound decoder in parallel (SFX0416) and I have to separate the wires to program either of them.  Bachmann programmed their decoder to dim the interior lights on F1, but everyone else uses F1 for the "bell" sound, so it's a fundamental mismatch that they should have avoided.  (Yeah, I could probably reprogram that, but, as I said, I've got to pull it apart and unwire the decoders to do that.)

I've ordered from M.B. Klein too, by the way, and I've been happy with them.

I've installed sound in a couple of units now.  Based on the cost of a non-sound engine plus the cost of a decoder, speaker and enclosure, I would generally advise buying a sound-equipped engine if that's what you want.

[Rogue]

Thanks Jeffrey for posting the pic! 

$50.00 -  that's exactly what I paid including shipping! :)

[jeffrey-wimberly]

In my encounters with Bachmann locos (diesels especially) I've learned the following lessons:

 

Bachmann locos with flat can type motors are okay.

 

Bachmann locos with pancake motors are junk. 

With a capitol 'J'!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

So the others can see what you got without having to look it up for themselves.

IMO it was reasonable, as long as you didn't pay too much. You can get this model from Walther's for $50 or less for the DCC version when it comes up on sale.

[Rogue]

Bachmann HO EMD GP38-2 Santa Fe #3502

Just won one of these on Ebay for my wife who is collecting SF items so that she can begin her own layout later in the year! I haven't bought Bachmann before and all my US locos are either Athearn or Atlas, so I was wondering if I have I made a good, or at least reasonable decision in getting this loco.

Thanks George

[wjstix]

Part of the problem in judging Bachmann is they have several different lines which aren't the same.

Originally Bachmann was basically cheap "train set quality" trains...stuff you might buy your 9 year old to play with, but not stuff you'd buy to use on your 'scale' layout.

In the mid-eighties they came out with the "Spectrum" line which was much better, starting with their GP-30 and Pennsy 4-6-2. Generally Spectrum (especially Spectrum steam) gets high marks. I have several and they are very good.

Later they came out with an in-between line called "Bachmann Plus" which was sort of in between the two levels, but was generally pretty good. In fact some of the early Spectrum engines eventually went into the Bachmann Plus line. That is basically the "DCC Equipped" line they have now, which also includes several of their older steam engines like the NYC  4-8-4 that have been improved upon and are from the reviews I've seen pretty good for the money.

[aloco]

In my encounters with Bachmann locos (diesels especially) I've learned the following lessons:

 

Bachmann locos with flat can type motors are okay.

 

Bachmann locos with pancake motors are junk. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I've put Digitrax decoders in a couple of Bachmann GP's, and like Loathar says, they're really lacking on space inside. It was for that reason that I used Z Scale decoders, DZ125's.

[loathar]

So they used the same decoder for the FT units, IIRC NCE makes replacements.

IMO there may be room in the FTs, near the back in the As, or on the ends in the B units.

In that GP40 you might be able to cut a hole out in the fuel tank, and put a speaker in there facing down. Drill some holes in the plastic cover of the tank.

Yep. If their FT's have the same drive as their standard F9, there's a ton of room for a sound system/decoder. I wired my GP 35 for DC after the board smoked and I didn't even have room for a resistor to add an LED. The DCC onboard GP's are real tight inside.

[Rotorranch]

I am very happy with most of the Bachmanns I've aquired over the last 10 years or so. Before that, it was hit or miss.

I am currently running a pair of DCC "On Board" FT's that I got, sans decoders, from Jeffrey W. He was less than pleased with them. I cleaned and lubed them, and I'm very happy with the way they run. The Kid came in the train room the other night, and fired the FT's up. He remarked as to how well they ran. I also have a couple of the older non DCC FT's from Jeffrey, and they aren't quite as smooth, but still plenty acceptable.

I've been very pleased with the Spectrums I have also.

JMHO

Rotor

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[twhite]

Okay, my 98% all-steam roster is mostly big, heavy, hunky, tinkered-with brass, but I can talk about Bachmann, but only DC and only their Spectrum steam.  I've got two heavy USRA 4-8-2's (C&O, SP), one USRA 2-6-6-2 (Undecorated), one 2-8-0 (Western Pacific) and one Shay.  I've bought them over a period of perhaps six years, I still have them.  They're nice, smooth running locomotives and they do what they're supposed to do on my railroad--HAUL!  I've kit-bashed the SP Mountain into a kinda-sorta MT-2 (still working on it off and on), and it's a smooth-running, husky hauler.  My USRA 2-6-6-2 is almost (I say ALMOST) as heavy a hauler as an expensive, smooth-running brass 2-6-6-0 that I have from PFM.  The Spectrum mallet will out-haul the PANTS off of a FAR more expensive Proto USRA 2-8-8-2, in fact I use the Spectrum as a helper for the Proto if I plan on hooking up more than ten cars for my 2% grades (Imagine, a big, supposedly hunking 2-8-8-2 spinning its drivers on a mere 2%.  Proto should hang their heads in shame ). 

I like them.  They've been good to me and for my layout.  No Bachmann(or at least Spectrum)-bashing from this end of the line. 

Tom

[Packer]

So they used the same decoder for the FT units, IIRC NCE makes replacements.

IMO there may be room in the FTs, near the back in the As, or on the ends in the B units.

In that GP40 you might be able to cut a hole out in the fuel tank, and put a speaker in there facing down. Drill some holes in the plastic cover of the tank.

[Artur]

The on board DCC can be replaced, you would have to remove the whole board and wire in a decoder of your preference. but than again just buy the one with no decoder or like V&AL said one with DCC plug and play cct board. I would not recommend Bachman decoders to anyone.

[loathar]

No room for sound without milling the frame. The decoder in mine lasted for 6 hours before releasing it's magic smoke. Whosale Trains $36-$39.
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/HOProducts2.asp?Scale=HO&Item=160GP4

 

[V&AL]

here's pics of my GP-40, taken apart for painting.  No flywheels, and single-unit circuit board.

 

there are 11 on ebay right now for "buy it now", $42.49

[J Campbell]

Good to know, thanks.