Quote from: MarkInLA on October 15, 2014, 02:25:47 AM
This same engine, Mod.4-4-0's whistle is anemic..I did the CV 30-2 AND 8-8 dance. the default whistle volume is at 255 ! The master volume is 244 and whistle is still quieter than the chuffs ! So I raised CV 129 to 251 ...4 more to 255 ain't even worth trying !!

The problem you describe with the whistle volume is not unique to your locomotive.  It is not unique to sound equipped Bachmann locomotives.  It is common throughout the entire SoundTraxx Tsunami product line.  The best you can do is to maximize the whistle volume CV value and reduce the individual CV values for all other sounds.

You have already maximized the whistle volume.  Now if you want the whistle to be louder than the exhaust you need to turn down the exhaust volume.

An alternate solution is to replace the Tsunami sound decoder with a different brand decoder that has sound effects better suited to your preferences.

What would be the objective of Bachmann restricting access to their site by search engine robots that crawl the web?  Doing so seems counterproductive for a company selling consumer products.

Bachmann has their own tooling for old-time open-platform passenger cars.  The coach and combine are NOT made from Rivarossi molds.

The Bachmann and Rivarossi cars are very similar.  One way to identify them is by the window trim.  Also, Bachmann's newer cars have body mounted couplers whereas Rivarossi's were all truck mounted.

There have been no updates to the Roundhouse web site for nearly six months.  Athearn has announced a few Roundhouse products since April, but there is no trace of those models on the web site.  It certainly looks like Athearn/Horizon are loosing, if not have already completely lost, interest in pre-WWII prototypes.  Don't be surprised if you see the Roundhouse line scrapped within the next year or two.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_(locomotive)

A static HO scale model was produced several decades ago.

Based on the very limited photos available, Bachmann's Baldwin 4-4-0 is nearly the same as their Richmond 4-4-0 with domes, cab and tender borrowed from the low driver 4-6-0.

The Great Northern model has 1870's style domes which some describe as fluted although that is probably not the technically correct term for those domes.  The sand dome is too tall causing it's proportions to look odd.

Too bad Bachmann does not seem to be interested in providing photos of their own products until after those products are on the store shelves.

Bach-mann, how can I purchase un-used Bachmann HO scale oldtime passenger cars?

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You can go to your local hobby shop and make the measurements firsthand. You can ask the owner to order one for you and if it doesn't work out he can still sell it.

Ordering an item your hobby shop does not normally stock and then declining to pay for it is not likely to get you on the store owner's good side.

It's challenging to tell given the small photo size...  With the exception of the ventilated box car which is probably an IHC import and perhaps the custom box car with the big B&O, the freight cars and caboose look MDC-Roundhouse products although some could be Athearn-Roundhouse products.  The baggage car is a Rivarossi model painted by Con-Cor; usually sold as a four-car set with coaches and a combine.  And the Lincoln car is an AHM import.  Except for the 4-4-0s, all of them are out of production.

The Rivarossi 4-4-0s can be made to run very well.  They need a quality motor and the factory electrical pickups need to be properly maintained.  Additional pickups might help, but simply replacing the motor will make the greatest performance improvement.  I have an AHM-vintage 4-4-0 with a Sagami motor that runs like a Kato diesel.

When I said a metal vs plastic frame can help determine the vintage of a Pocher or Rivarossi 4-4-0, I was referring to the actual frame - not the cover plate which is metal on all models.

Regarding the old-time Italian made Baldwin 4-4-0s, I think the Pocher name is generally associated with those models that had a metal frame.  These were made up until the early 1970's.  From a USA perspective, the 4-4-0s were "made by Rivarossi for AHM" after being retooled with an all-plastic frame and plastic domes.  A photo would be most helpful in determining the vintage of a particular model.

Bachmann... How about an HO scale C&NW 4-2-0 "Pioneer".

As an HO Climax owner I am also interested to know about the prospects for new repair parts.  It would be very disappointing if these models are destined for the trash bin.

Samples of authentic Russia Iron still exist.  The piece I saw was a glossy dark metallic gray - almost black.  The perceived color changes depending on the environment in which one is viewing it.  On a cloudless day Russia Iron will usually appear to have a bluish tint.

The color on Bachmann's HO scale "Russia Iron" 4-4-0 does not look right - not even close.  Check out the boiler on Bachmann large scale 4-4-0, product number 81392, for a more accurate representation of Russia Iron.

The models in question would be what MDC called a "Pullman Car" (not to be confused w/ the Pullman Palace car).  It is the same as the Overland style except for the duckbill ends on the roof.  BTW, if you have the MDC Pullman or Overland coach, compare it to Mr. Pullman's "Pioneer" car.