Quote from: James in FL on April 23, 2009, 10:18:29 PM
Check to see, there is a piece of foam between the fire box and the trailing truck.
Remove that.
Mine will handle the 11.25r EZ track at slow speed.

I agree.
B'mann surely raised the bar with this loco.
I put it in the top of the class of the N scale locos ever produced.
The others being, the B'mann Heavy Mountain, the B'mann Connie, and the Kato mike, and GS4 (4-8-4).

It's among the top of the class.
You are write! After posting my topic, i was looking at my engine from every angle. Just enjoying it. That is when i saw a piece of dark foam, almost unvisible when engine is on the track. It handles curves much better.
Very good point. Thank You..
jack.


Kudos to B'mann.

J both it J 4-8-4 about 5 years ago. It was very nice, rich detail, noce runer. Imagine my surprise, when a received new one. I heard that Bachmann upgradet it. I was not expecting coplete new engine! From metal boiler, new handrails, led lighting, it just totally different, even better engine! Looks different, runs different. To anyone who has older version of J 4-8-4 it's worth it to get new spectum version! he only worry i would have is a curve radius. I had problem running it on 19 inch turns. I did not spend time looking into it honestly, i just went to my wide track. Igot so exidet i wasn't gone waste time and wait longer to see it running.
I have great admiraration to new Bachmann's Spectum line, i just was not expecting That Bachmann would basicly recreate again very good runner J 4-8-4. I did not see amuch changes in the tender, if  any.
Anyway, as i said before,  it i sa new, even better engine.
Thank You Bachmann!!!

Quote from: fieromike on April 11, 2009, 02:57:30 PM
Since your noise is speed related, I'd be looking at a dry bearing.  Most likely one of the motor bearings, but remember that a little (plastic compatible) oil goes a long ways!

You will not going to believe me. I did greased all the gears yesterday, write before i post it my message. Out of desperation i tried again. This time i only oiled bearings ( as per Your advise). On a first try it work like a charm. Thank You so much. You are the best!
jack

This my first. I had installed five decoders into Spectrum diesels. I got very simple, almost bullet proof instructions from Bachmann web site. Except for none egzisting resistor in the past. I never had any problems. Until now.  I installed 2 decoders, one went to dash 8CW, works great. I just changed address. Next i did Dash SD45 ( i already did 2 of them no problem). At first was fine. I was testing it on the track, when high pitch hissing noise started. At first only forward, then was happening in reverse also. Very loud. I did CV 50 to 8,  i did start mid and top voltage. Nothing. Even engine was brand new, i lubrikated it again. Nothing. Engine is so loud, it's almost unusable. I used Digitrax DZ123 brand new, straight directly from the factory. My engine is about month old ( i was waiting for decoder). I test it maybe for 5 minutes prior installing decoder. In short:
- engine is new and tested
- decoder is brand new straight from the factory (not even dealer)
- i followed Bachmann's instructions. Nothing miswire, no loose ends
- all gears were lubricated
- CV 50 set to 8
- start volt 2 med 5 top 6
-i did reset it the decoder to factory again.
No matter what i tried, hissing loud noise is there in forward and reverse. Quit on idle.
Can anyone help? I looked on Digitrax (decoder), Bachmann (engine), MRC (cab) web sites, some forums, no help to my issue. This noise is constant to the speed, faster the louder. In reverse first couple second are noise free, and then is sounds like in forward.
Please help
jack

Quote from: TCWORLD on April 09, 2009, 06:07:08 PM
You should get TCS decoders, they have a no quibble money back guarentee, and are virtually impossible to destroy - Ive blown up one of mine (smoke, melting, etc.) several times, and it still works perfectly.

Would You happen to know good source for them?
jack

Quote from: fieromike on April 08, 2009, 09:17:55 PM
No longer needed.  I believe it was for RFI noise suppression.

You are life saver. I had couple mishaps, where decoder was destroyed (Conversion of none dc chassis). I did not want to loose another one.
Thanks again jack

I had found a very good step by step instructions on how to install decoder to Bachmann spectrum diesels. See:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,7064.0.html
I did my Dash SD-45 no problems. I'm starting my Dash 8-40CW and i have notice that the resistor showed on beginning of installation is missing. It should be cut off.
is this resistor located somewhere else or it's no longer need it?
Please help
jack

Quote from: TCWORLD on April 07, 2009, 04:34:55 AM
here you go. . .

link

Very interesting.  just wonder how safe is this for decoder.
Thank You very much
jack

I had heard people using this setup.
I'm not sure if it's one decoder connected to one one motor and the unit b just stays dc.
Or if 2 motors from A and B unit are operated by 1 decoder. If so, is it safe for 1amp n scale decoder to operate 2 motors? Would the motors work even?
Please help, i have 4 AB powered setups, if this is possible, it would make dcc conversion very easy.
Thank You jack

Quote from: skipgear on March 28, 2009, 08:27:05 PM
The $300K number comes from quotes from ConCor and insiders at Kato. There is more to the cost than tooling alone. Research and design is part of the cost. Reseaching a loco could be a years worth of man hours alone if you can even find all the info you need. A Challenger would be easier as there are existing examples, both full size and model, to measure and photograph.

Do you really think Bachmann would buy somebody elses loco and just copy it in N? Keep in mind you are talking about tooling close to 100 parts to build a Steam loco, especially an articulated one with seprately applied details that everybody expects now. Steam costs money and I don't see it getting any cheaper. That developement money would be better spent on loco's that are not currently available or under represented.

I scratchbuild N scale steam so I know what is involved in building one. That is basing things on existing chassis as much as possible. Right now I am working on a B&O P7 and I am stuck trying to find good references to the valve gear and the backhead of the loco. Things like these can not be fudged on a production model.

This stuff is not as easy as many think it is. Look at Kato's GS-4. Kato who has had a string of hits with no errors missed some big ones on that loco and had to come up with patches to fix it. Even the best can make mistakes.

This is what I do:

I see Your point. Most of design could be spread in between different scales. Bachmann could produce the engine in N scale, follow version in Ho, On30, G.
I still feel that we have better chance to see N scale Challenger without sound made by Bachmann than even Athearn, do to their profit.
Bachmann has already lots of parts from 2-6-6-2 they can use. Every manufacturer will try to utilize egzisting components. Atlas diesel chassis is not changed in years, just their body.
I have faith in Bachmann that they would try to make us happy. How about Bach-man. Can You tell us Your point?

Quote from: fieromike on April 03, 2009, 10:56:19 PM
I may be wrong about the basic Prodigy's capabilities, but being able to change CVs is something you REALLY want; maybe not this month, but you will wish you had the ability.  Save your pennies if you have to, but buy something better, one of the other Prodigys, a Zephyr, or NCE Powercab.

I agre with You. I have access to prodigy express for programing. I just need cheap dcc to run about 4 engines on a n scale layout. That is why i'm looking into EZcommand and old Prodigy.
I sorry i should be more clear.
jack

i'm lucky enough to have HHP8 as well as new revised spectrum Dash 8-40C Dash 8-40CW and SD45. Detail on new spectrum diesels is as good or better than Kato. How about power?
HHP8 is super smooth and actually faster than Atlas and Kato models. Super fun, superior detail, smooth, very powerful and fast. How come the spectrum line is not using the same powerful motors? Can it be converted somehow?

Tweaking CV's i told the weakest point of Prodigy was a lock of this ability. Can You please explain.
jack

EZ command and MRC Prodigy (old version, before they made Express, Advance and Wireless). I have the chance to buy both, i can purchase only one. MRC has strong points,  Walk around, it looks like has 3.5 amp power (that's what is says on the transformer). Ez Command looks like very easy to use. Which one would You buy?
I only need this to run n scale layout. Programing limited to address.
thanks jack

Does anyone heard of "Spectrum Master Series"
I just love spectrum, especially new spectrum line.
I know it used to be called Bachmann Plus.
I'm starting to see few diesels on ebay described as
"bachamn spectrum master series"
Is this like a short somehow custom run?
Is new design or old?

If anyone knows about it, please let me know.
jack