Defective Spectrum 2-8-0

[Jim Banner]

Moulds wear out.  Those finely detailed castings that we admired so much become slightly less detailed each time another one is removed from the mould, taking a tiny amount of the mould with it.  Spectrum quality is as much in the looks as the performance.  When the looks start to deteriorate, the models get down graded.

Remember the old 3 pole flat motors?  With the feeble magnets, large gaps between field and armature, and lots of cogging?  Today's can motors are not them.  Skew wound to all but eliminate cogging, strong magnets and close spacing for improved efficiency and reduced current draw, a good 3 pole skew wound motor today can run as smoothly as a 12 pole straight slot motor of a couple of decades ago or a 5 pole skew wound less than a decade ago.  We've come a long way.

[full maxx]

Mine wasn't DCC equipped either.  It must be an older unit since the Western Pacific roadname isn't even offered in the 2-8-0 anymore.  I sent mine off for repair today.  I spoke to a girl named Laura at Customer Service and she told me the turnaround was approximately 4 weeks...

Good luck, Diddley.  Let's hope our stories both have a happy ending...

Laura was who I talked to and she told me the same thing and its been less than 3 weeks and mine was in the mail yesterday

[full maxx]

Mine wasn't DCC equipped either.  It must be an older unit since the Western Pacific roadname isn't even offered in the 2-8-0 anymore.  I sent mine off for repair today.  I spoke to a girl named Laura at Customer Service and she told me the turnaround was approximately 4 weeks...

Good luck, Diddley.  Let's hope our stories both have a happy ending...

Laura was who I talked to and she told me the same thing and its been less than 3 weeks and mine was in the mail yesterday for the return trip...well the new one their sending

[full maxx]

ok well the connie came in the mail yesterday but I have not been able to try it out yet and it is the standard line not the spectrum...so I'll let you all know how it runs tonight or tomorrow

[Bo_Diddley]

Let us know how things work out...

So, were the old black boxed Spectrums the early models or not?  My loco was from the 11000 run...

[full maxx]

not sure about the black box 2-8-0 but both my diesels came in black boxes, how ever the new connie came in a blue box...much less and cheaper packaging and I must say she runs pretty good so far with no noise other than the rails clacking

[full maxx]

here is a quik pic

[Bo_Diddley]

Sweet!  Looking good, man!  How's she run so far?

[ABC]

Nice road-B&O

[full maxx]

Well she runs pretty good so far with the only sound being the rails clacking...the light is very dim tho, the other was a lot brighter

[jonathan]

Nice pic.  My favorite engine and roadname.  Got a couple of those.  They run great.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Bo_Diddley]

DCC or DC?

[full maxx]

all of mine...see there I go again, all of my little engineers are DCC

[Pacific Northern]

Let us know how things work out...

So, were the old black boxed Spectrums the early models or not?  My loco was from the 11000 run...

My first 2-8-0 was #11417 (Baldwin Locomotive Works) if was of course DCC Ready, the foam insert in the box was extremely dense compared to the later inserts.

I miss the old black Spectrum boxes, the new boxes with their plastic within plastic inserts are more subject to damage I think.

[full maxx]

Let us know how things work out...

So, were the old black boxed Spectrums the early models or not?  My loco was from the 11000 run...

My first 2-8-0 was #11417 (Baldwin Locomotive Works) if was of course DCC Ready, the foam insert in the box was extremely dense compared to the later inserts.

I miss the old black Spectrum boxes, the new boxes with their plastic within plastic inserts are more subject to damage I think.

agreed