General Discussion (Model Railroader)

Sorry, but I guess I missed the notices.

Who is manufacturing this unit? 

Is it Bachmann?  Spectrum series?

Who is supplying the sound system (Soundtraxx, Digitrax, LokSound, QSI) ?

Can you post a photo?

Re: Horns.  Walthers has oversized multichimer horns on some of their latest E units, but it's likely nothing that a Cal Scale or Details West replacement version couldn't handle.

here they are





old

new

more on my page, along with last version
http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/river_eagle/HO-Scale/

 Hi,

it sure looks like a great locomotive.  How many axles are powered?

Frank

da_kraut:

 Hi,

 

it sure looks like a great locomotive.  How many axles are powered?

 

Frank

all eight, twin motors, dual flywheels on each

How's its drawbar pull? If a twin motor locomotive is weighted properly it should be able to pull a ton. Does it have sufficent weight? The original bachmann run didn't.

Jamie

Looks like those old DD40s are getting better in every run. I noticed the grab irons are painted, which they never did before. That chassis looks a lot cleaner than what I stuffed into my old 2-axle drive Bachmann DD40, and it probably runs better too. I wonder if this will lower the Spectrum DD40AX prices below the $100 mark?

The shell and side frames don't look much different than past Bachman offerings.  It appears they have just gussied up the old shell with some grab irons and a better paint job and upgraded the mechanism.

 I"m confused by the to front pictures - one shows the pilot with a wdie slot in it, and the other shows a plow.  I assume the wide slot is to allow for coupler swing - but it looks pretty ugly.  But if there is a plow on another version, how can the coupler swing?

 It's a handsome locomotive, inspite what appears to be the older styled tooling.  With some weathering and the addition of some more details (please throw that horn away and get a nice looking S5T or S3L!) a modeler can easily have a unit that looks something like this:    http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=262353&nseq=10

The class lghts next to the number boards can be drilled out and replaced with clear lenses.  If I were modeling UP, I think I'd stll get one, especially since it fits in my modeling era.

 Not to bad, but man, I agree 100% that they really need the front and rear coupler situation  fixed up. 

riogrande5761:

 I"m confused by the to front pictures - one shows the pilot with a wdie slot in it, and the other shows a plow.  I assume the wide slot is to allow for coupler swing - but it looks pretty ugly.  But if there is a plow on another version, how can the coupler swing?

the one is the old version that I modified with the plow to cover up the hole, and mounted the coupler to the plow for appearances.

I run this one as the lead unit, but the rear pilot still has the hole, unfortunatly that's the only way to allow this monster to operate on tight layout curves.

If I had a layout with say 40' min curves, I would body mount the couplers, and I know one of the 

Manf. makes a photo etched plate for a pilot that would cover the hole. 

 I have no use for one, but it looks nice.  Gotta believe DA and the other plow suppliers will see a spike in sales - problably a linear relationship to the sales of the DD40AX.

I would be ordering one in a heartbeat if it wasn't for those huge slots in the front and back were the couplers are. There is other ways to do it without cutting a huge slot in there. Like the one pic shows, a plow does hide it a little. But those 2 big caves just ruined my order. Everything else looks ok though.

Mike

8500HPGASTURBINE:

I would be ordering one in a heartbeat if it wasn't for those huge slots in the front and back were the couplers are. There is other ways to do it without cutting a huge slot in there. Like the one pic shows, a plow does hide it a little.

You're a modeler, right?

So fix 'em.