Hi all,

I just got a few new engines lately and one in particular is a brand new Lackawanna heritage unit. The issue I have is that when the sound is on, it sounds scratchy making me think of a blown speaker. However, When I hold the shell down, it goes away. I have tightened every screw holding the shell on and holding the speaker in place. Is there an easy fix for this instead of sending it in? I am thinking about putting foam or something inside to try and reduce the vibration. Open to other ideas.

Thanks!

I was watching a video of one of the new Daylights being upgraded to sound, as he took the loco shell off to see which wire the mars light would lead to, he found just one LED lighting both regular headlight and mars light. My question however, is this the same for the berks? I wanted to get 759 with the mars light and was going to upgrade the DCC model to TCS Wow sound just like my 765. I want to have a Mars light effect.
Thanks.

As most of you may or may not know, I have been on the forum for a long time. Even though I do not post much, I still read most of the new posts on topics that interest me. That being said, I have never seen anyone talk about this, and I had no idea that this was even made. While I was on my Facebook marketplace, I saw a Bachmann Irish Railway set with a 2-6-0 steam engine with 3 passenger cars. The passenger cars are Gordon's Express Coach recolors and the engine seems to be one of the Bachmann UK engines in the Irish Green and Cream. It was for $80, is it worth that? From the quick research that I have done, It was only made for a very short time. The couplers on them match the Hogwarts and Toad's couplers. Can these be easily changed to match with my Thomas stock? I would like to mix and match the set with what I have. Something like the engine pulling a freight train and Edward or James pulling the passenger cars. I was never able to get the red and cream coaches for them and now they are going for $100 per car on ebay. This would be an awesome alternative.



Here is what it looks like for anyone else that hasn't seen it. Any advise will get helpful.

At the last train show (1-7) I pickup up a six pack of the Spectrum series PRR heavyweights and I think they look great with my Bachmann 1361. However, when I saw that Trainworld had a sale on GG1's with sound for $89.99, I just had to jump on it. After watching the demo video of it on Bachmann's Youtube channel, I noticed that the announcer stated that the GG1's were running with newly tooled heavyweights with 4 and 6 wheeled axes per the prototype. But the Spectrum ones I have are just that. So I guess my question is, is this updated tooling or completely brand new tooling? The heavyweights in the video look identical to the ones I already have. I looked on the webstore and see that there are now sleepers that I do not have in PRR.

Another question then lies. If these are a brand new run of the heavyweights, will the colors match the previous run of the older Spectrum's? I would like to get them to complete the set and I am hoping they will match.

Thanks.

The ES44 that I have had since the first run have come out has been a great runner and very strong puller, always at the front of my train in a consist since it is one of the few that has sound. Last night I was running it and the function 1 key that normally plays the bell is now silent. I changed the CV volume to full blast and that did not work. Not sure what I even did for this to happen. Is there a way I can fix this or even reset the decoder to factory settings? I have looked at the SoundValue CV listing on the SoundTraxx website and couldn't find anything.

On another note, I did notice while looking on the CV listing that CV #195 is Grade Crossing Sensitivity. Can this be used to have the bell ring when I push the horn as well or have it play an automated grade crossing like some other sound decoders have?

Thanks a lot!

Loving the look of the new 85' Smooth Sided Passenger Cars. Finally a RBBX coach that looks like the real ones! A few questions before getting some of them. Do they have the same style coupler boxes as the full domes? Meaning, do the coupler boxes swing from side to side when the trucks move? I see that they are LED lit, are they flicker free? Lastly, any other types of cars coming out soon like a diner, baggage or sleeper? Hoping to get a few of these soon!

I purchased a new board from the parts department for my NKP 765 because the wires leading to the engine from the tender ripped apart. I wired the board on just like the old one, put a DC chip (for now) in it and it seemed to be set up exactly how it was. However, while running on my DC test track, when I have it set to go forward the headlight turns on but then travels backwards. Same with when I wanna go in reverse, the tender light comes on but then travels forward. I put another DC engine on the track and it went in the opposite direction from 765. It seems like the polarity is switched but I have no idea how to fix it. I ended up putting in a DCC chip from a Spectrum Dash 8 and the same thing happens so it is not the chip. Any ideas?


Edit: here is a pic of the new board installed

Can a newer run ES44 shell (Conrail) fit on the older chassis (NKP) sans working ditch lights? I would like to be able to swap them out depending on which train I want to run it with.

I seem to be having an issue with my 765. I normally keep it in a display case when I am not running it and I only bring it out to run with my NKP 8100 excursion or to pull my coal train. I brought it out to run the coal train and it will make 2 laps around my 18' by 20' layout perfectly fine. After that it will shut off then start up and it will keep doing that every 2-5 seconds. I have checked the connection from the tender to the engine and it is plugged in all the way and there are no loose wires. This is the standard DCC non SoundValue Berk. I am gonna get another decoder to try first before giving the service department a call. Any other ideas on what I can do?
Thanks in advance.

I recently got a Hogwarts set with 1 engine and 6 passenger cars, 2 brake and 4 coach cars. The wheels are plastic and roll freely but the club I work at doesn't allow freight or passenger cars with plastic wheels. Are there any metal wheels that are the correct size that will work?

On a side note, some of the hooks are missing on the passenger cars, they are smaller than the Thomas and Friends hooks so I don't think those will work. Is there a name for these couplings so I can get some replacements?

While moving I seemed to have lost the connection piece from Thomas to his snowplow, so I looked on the parts store and see that it is sold out. Will this be restocked in time for the holiday's? I would like to use it under my tree along with running on a modular layout for a Christmas show. If it cant be restocked, is there a way I can attach the plow without it being permanent or damage any of the paint? I was thinking of using blue tack but i don't think it will hold that well. Thanks in advance!

Hi guys, I am very upset today more than ever, but I have been upset before with this. I got this engine for Christmas last year and loved it. I noticed about a month later yellow paint on my track and didnt know what it was for. Upon closer inspection, it was the paint on the handrails chipping off on its own and there is now alot of it missing. I wasnt to worried about that but what I saw yesterday frankly ******* me off. Now the lettering is coming off of the left side of the engine and is all messed up. It is a $319 engine and this is pretty serious... Can I call the Service Department tomorrow and see if I can send it in and get a new one? I was at a loss for words when I saw it. I handle my engines by holding the fuel tanks, I do not touch the front or back hand rails and i dont touch the lettering or the stripes, so how could this happen? It has sat on my layout since I took it out of the box, could this be the reason for it? I have other Bachmann diesels that Ive had for years without having this problem. Let me know!

Hi guys. Over the past few months I have been slowly been converting all of my engines and rolling stock to Kadee #5 and #148 metal couplers as well and metal wheels so they will be up to standard with the modular group I am in. Everything has been converted now except my CSX SD40-2 because of the couplers not being able to move freely in the coupler pocket. Is there a way to get around this so I can change them? My other Bachmann diesels have a different pocket that can be slightly unscrewed to let the coupler move, but when I try that with this its a no go. I soon will be buying a Wheeling & Lake Erie DCC ready SD40 to go with an older dummy SD40T-2 and will have to make the same changes.

Also I was wondering how easy it is to put sound inside of one, I have taken the shell off and it looks like there isnt enough room for it. I would like to add DCC and sound to the W&LE engine when I get it. If that doesnt work, I was looking and saw that Bachmann will be coming out with a SoundValue model but sadly there is no W&LE. Would I be able to just switch the shells of the SoundValue and the regular DCC ready unit?

Thanks in advance!

Hello again! I have decided to take some of the utility room in my basement to finally build a layout. I have been using Bachmann nickel silver track for my table layout and wanted to change over to Code 83 tracks. I want to build this layout like a modular layout so that I can be taken out when I move. I have seen videos on YouTube about this but had some questions that were not answered.

How easy would it be to go from Code 83 to Code 100? I ask this because I have a Bachmann DCC turntable and custom painted roundhouse from the Thomas range that I would still like to use.

Are there any free demos for a Mac that I can use? I looked and all the ones I saw are for PC.

I would like to have a yard that can hold modern freight up to 70 feet and walthers passenger cars up to 85 feet. The longest section of the room would hold this and would be roughly 16' by 2' or if I could fit it 16' by 3'. I have some bachmann crossovers and have an idea about number 6 and number 4 switches.  I am planning to have 2 main lines that are 30" and 28" radius curves and I wanted mainline switches to be number 6 or 8's and yard to be number 4's so i can fit more. Would those longer cars be able to work on number 4's?

Last question/opinions needed, (sorry that there are so many!) I would like to make the yard switches manual and would either go with peco or atlas switches. I have heard mixed reviews on both of them and would like more opinions on them here.

Thanks in advance!!

I brought my NKP 8100 and NKP 765 to a friends DCC layout today, he ran and programmed them to their numbers and everything was fine. I came home to my DC layout, put them on the tracks and neither of them will not move or with they light up. 8100 however does play the prime mover sound only. I have not had an issue with this before as I worked at a club and have had my other engines numbered and they work fine on my layout. Any help with be awesome!

I got an early Christmas present this year from my dad since he will be away for work over the holidays. Anyway, he got me the NKP ES44 heritage unit with sound. It is a great looking model and every thing works on it but mine does have an issue. It seems that the engine does not sit flat on the track. Meaning that the engine above the wheels will either sway to the right or left and does not stay centered. I did look online and see 2 other people with this issue, one with the Pennsy ES44 and one with the NYC SD70ACe. Can it be easily fixed? I do not want to send it in over the holidays because I figure it will take a while since model trains at least for my hobby shop sell more around this time. Thanks in advance!!

Hi all, I have been running my Dynamis DCC system ever since it came out and just this past day, it seems that the display is not turning on anymore. I have put 2 sets of fresh batteries in and nothing. I have gotten my old DC controller out for the time being. Has this happened to anyone else? I haven't had any problem until now, but I have been using rechargeable batteries for the last 2 years so I am not sure if that has anything to do with it. Any help will be great!! Thanks in advance!

Edit: Just thought of this after I typed this up. If I do have to end up sending it back, will I have to send the whole system back or just the handheld?

Hello, I have seen some youtube video's with the bachmann engines, though these engines have different faces. One guy on youtube is named Calebtrain and has done this with most of his engines. By the looks of thomas's face, its his wooden railway face. Is there a way I could buy those separately without having to buy the full train? I wouldn't mind taking out the moving eyes for this. Thanks in advance!!

Hey guys! Just a little update on things in the Thomas world. But before that... Coming in 2013 HO scale Chuggington Locomotives, Rolling Stock, and Accessories. I don't watch that show but I just thought i would mention it. Anyway...  I just got back from my day at the iHobby show in Cleveland and it was very wonderful. I meet so many friendly people working for Bachmann and even other companies. One man that i really started talking to was Douglas Blaine. He is the Vice President of Marketing. He was awesome to talk to about current and newer Thomas items.

Some new things i saw were Emily, S. C. Ruffy, The new Thomas Christmas Set, as well as the Break Van in G gauge. They are very amazing to see. The break van has a completely new look! It has white buffers, nice gray paint work, and get this...... It says N W on the sides of it!! It looks great. Emily and S. C. Ruffy look fairly the same as the HO models. I also found out that Emily has the same powered wheels as the HO version, The big drive wheel and the one right before it.

I looked and asked about Duck. There was not a model of him there but i did get some news about him. They are working hard to get him just right and he should be arriving December to early 2013.

Release Dates:

G gauge
Emily  October
S. C. Ruffy  November
Break Van   November
Christmas set   I think it said December but don't quote me on that

HO Gauge
Duck   December to early 2013.
Ice Cream Van    Out now

We did talk about some other things about some new engines and ideas for them as well as some things to improve on. Another thing I asked was how they decided to make the faces for each engine. That was cool to find out. One engine in particular that we talked about was HO James and how it could be improved. I don't want to say to much more beyond that unless I have permission to say so.


All in all I had a great time and i can't wait for whats to come!!

I found an old Trainz 2004 game in my basement. I wanted to run it on my new computer (2010 model), and while i was installing it, it asked for a serial number. Do any of you know where to find it? It only came with the cd's (2) in side. Nothing else.
Any help?