Hi everyone in steamland, I seem to recall a posting at one time that there were problems with the early Spectrum 4-6-2 kits. Is this true and if so what was the issue?
The Spectrum K4 Pacific's have been out for quite a few years now. The early models were not DCC ready, the later models are DCC ready and there are now DCC and Sound on board models available.
I frequent the Bachmann site as well and am not aware of any problems other than the obvious hit or miss on quality control issues. The one thing about the Spectrum steamers is the warranty, you sent the item in and you receive a replacement or the unit is repaired. There is a service fee but you will not find a better warranty anywhere.
Every one I have ever seen on a layout is a piece of junk. Plastic pins to hold the rods or valve gear that eventually allow everything to misallign. Inadequate pulling capacity. I have tried to fix four for people and every repair failed after time.
oh thats right it must be h.o. because we been begging for one in n scale , just a small rant.
I bought one of the first run back in 1988 or so. Biggest problem was it was very light so could only pull 3-4 passenger cars and was severely affected by grades. I haven't tried converting it to DCC, but I imagine a good decoder with BEMF would eliminate the grade effect at least.
Curiously, it ran exactly the same speed as my can-motor equipped Mantua 2-8-2 from the same period, so often they ran together in a doubleheader.
I forgot to mention that I had added DCC to the engine shortly after I bought it. I only run it on a dedicated loop/track with a 1 1/2% incline, it pulls three passenger cars without any trouble, it is just on the verge of slipping with the three cars.
ndbprrEvery one I have ever seen on a layout is a piece of junk. Plastic pins to hold the rods or valve gear that eventually allow everything to misallign. Inadequate pulling capacity. I have tried to fix four for people and every repair failed after time.
Was this the first issue with the gold striped tender or the post war model that Bachman issued in the late 90s
51% share holder in the ME&O ( Wife owns the other 49% )
ME&O
My question is are the newer DCC ready Bachmann K-4s improved over the original Spectrum Releases????
Thanks to anyone who can help me with this question.
UncBob ndbprr Every one I have ever seen on a layout is a piece of junk. Plastic pins to hold the rods or valve gear that eventually allow everything to misallign. Inadequate pulling capacity. I have tried to fix four for people and every repair failed after time. Was this the first issue with the gold striped tender or the post war model that Bachman issued in the late 90s
ndbprr Every one I have ever seen on a layout is a piece of junk. Plastic pins to hold the rods or valve gear that eventually allow everything to misallign. Inadequate pulling capacity. I have tried to fix four for people and every repair failed after time.
I thought the gold striped tender 1920s version was relatively new as well? My brother has the post war version, its beautifully detailed, runs great, but the bachmanns are light, so they have trouble with grades.
Anyway, I was thinking of buying the gold striped one, but not if it is an older model of poor quality...
Buildy My question is are the newer DCC ready Bachmann K-4s improved over the original Spectrum Releases???? Thanks to anyone who can help me with this question.
I never had the originals, my brother bought a brand new DCC equipped, sound on board, spectrum K4 last year, it took some wearing in, but its a nearly perfect engine.
Originally, it stalled a few times where the chuffing sound kept going but it didn't move, this typically happened at slow speeds, but it hasn't done it at all since, I think it just needed to be broken in.
With their warranty package, you can't go wrong with one of these. Beautiful HO engines at a reasonable price.
Thanks for the info-after hearing the early ones called junk,I was worried about getting some of the newer ones.
The older version that came in a large black box had the split frame and is not easy to convert to DCC but is do able. The newer ones come in a smaller foam lined box and very light footed. I filled mine with as much lead as I can hide and it pulls really well now. Before it would handle 3 HW cars on the clubs inclines now it pulls 7 with out slipping. The older split frame will pull 6 cars on the grades. Most of my other Spectrum steamers have had the drive gear slipping problem for the belt drive problem. A dab of CA glue will fix it. I think Bachmann should put a brass gear on the motor shaft instead of plastic. My Baldwin 2-8-0 keeps losing quarter on some drivers so its now relegated to roundhouse filler until I find suitable driver replacements. Spectrum locos seem to run very good or not at all.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Bachmann brand for a lot of the old timers is still considered to be a junk brand. The quality of the Bachmann train in their early days was entry level at best, they were noted for their poor quality. So do not be surprised when you run into the bashers, especially with the old timers.
A lot has changed since, the Spectrum Line produced by Bachmann in one of the best out there. Price wise they are most reasonable. Bachmann also has the best warranty in the business.
I have other steamers as well as the Spectrums and some of them I have paid more than twice the cost of the Spectrum and the Spectrums are the better runners.
I bought two of them used years ago off of Ebay back when that place was more of a yard sale (that is, a long time ago). One of them had obviously taken the Newtonian Route to the floor at some point but was easily repairable. Both are still great runners. I've not experienced anything about either of them that would remotely classify them as "junk."
"I am lapidary but not eristic when I use big words." - William F. Buckley
I haven't been sleeping. I'm afraid I'll dream I'm in a coma and then wake up unconscious. -Stephen Wright
Here is a pic of their early issue which had a bad rep
It was pre Spectrum days
If I remember correctly their first Spectrum model was the 2-8-0 followed by the newer K4
I understand that the later release has the blackened side rods and wheels, also has a DCC socket. I love my Spectrum K4, I added a decoder and it runs very smooth, yesterday I had it pulling 40 empty hoppers at the club on level track, no extra weight in the loco, I must admit it doesn't like grades. I'm happy with mine.
never had any problems have had the locomotive 20 years still runs beautiful.
I have several K-4's by Bachman, and they run beautifully and they are very quiet. I have often wondered why others can't do the same. With that said, a week ago one of my earliest Spectrum K-4's stopped dead in its tracks, it would not move eventhough the engine was still running but the drivers would not engage.
When I hand pushed the locomotive it just free wheeled and the sprockets would not engage with the main sprockets inorder to run. I removed the engine from the track and I could literally spin the wheels by hand and that is not suppose to happen.
So, after twenty some years I am sending it back to Bachman and I will see what happens, I doubt that they will repair it; I may just have to buy their latest version which looks really good.
Robert Sylvester
Newberry-Columbia Line
holy thred necro, batman!
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
lol
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.