got one of these on a japanese auction site for about $88 (new old stock). Is this a good price for this loco? and for those who own it, what are your thoughts and opinions about it? does it run smooth? is it well-detailed?
Depends on the one you got, they made different grades. The Spectrums were great.
https://www.trains.com/mrr/news-reviews/reviews/staff-reviews/bachmann-ho-scale-0-6-0t-steam-switcher/
this one!
I have one. It runs very smooth but is a poor puller (about 4 cars on my layout). Details are OK.
It was easy to convert to DCC, but very tight space for a speaker (mine is silent). I had to change the motor, I bought it used and it was probably an early run.
Simon
I have one. It came with a decoder but no sound. It's dedicated to the area around the carfloat terminal. I very deliberately built the whole terminal to be completely level. I can get the engine to handle 6 40-foot freight cars plus two or three idler flats because I was such a fussbudget about everything being level and low-friction. All my rolling stock has metal wheels and I very deliberately built the carfloat with normal Code 83 metal rail instead of the plastic rail that came with the carfloat kit.
The carfloat terminal is in a back corner, isolated from the rest iof the layout, so I installed a cheap sound decoder in a structure back there and gave it a small engine sound, so it sounds like the engine has sound as long as it stays around the terminal.
I lettered the engine and the idler flats for the Westport Terminal Railroad, in honor of our late member Wolfgang Dudler.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
the problem like all 6 wheel engines are the pickups. And while it can run DCC, it will be resetting a lot. I suggest a good USP decoder attachment.
I'm running a Micro tsunami light steam in mine with a tiny speaker in the smoke box. I sealed the bottom backside with some thin plastic and caulk
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
got it in the mail today. quite big and bulky for an 060, but looks very authentic and american, which is all that matters. the motor's a bit loud, but that's not surprising for a spectrum loco. the motor on my f40ph spectrum is very responsive, but it sounds like a freaking vaccum cleaner!! this one's far quieter though. all in all, for about $90, very satisfied. this will spice up my collection since it's the first steamie i've got! it's unlettered, and i don't have any decals, so ill have to come up with something for that.