I have asked this before and I've patiently waited for a yes answer to some of the requests. Could you make available the following:
A DCC equipped H16-44 The one I have is my best runner.
Sound equipped tenders sold as a separate item.
Some of the diesels, F units, GP7, available with sound.
Thank you
QuoteSound equipped tenders sold as a separate item.
Why would they have sound equipped tenders available as a separate item
when they have completely discontinued tenders as a separate item???
QuoteA DCC equipped H16-44
Also, this is not likely because they would have to completely redesign the interior to accommodate DCC with or without an 8-pin socket, but even more so if it included an 8-pin socket.
QuoteSome of the diesels, F units, GP7, available with sound.
This is highly unlikely because it will increase the production costs of all the models because it will take some work to come up with a good design that provides for a large speaker with good sound. Although, not all locos would have sound; the prices of all would have to go up to off-set costs. It is not that hard to add aftermarket sound to most (not all) of the locos.
Are you working at Bachmann now?
Quote from: pdlethbridge on April 09, 2010, 01:31:06 PM
Are you working at Bachmann now?
Point taken, I was just speculating on why these things may not happen, as no matter how you look at it Bachmann is a business first and foremost, so for something to happen, it must make good business sense (be financially sound). But one can always hope, who knows maybe sometime in the future they may make an announcement.
I always went by the thought , the squeaky wheel gets the oil. My thought wasn't to criticize you for what you said but get the bachmann interested in what people want. If you keep bugging them, they'll listen.
Quote from: pdlethbridge on April 09, 2010, 01:31:06 PM
Are you working at Bachmann now?
Children, play nice.
If a few thousand people request this "maybe" Bachmann will respond. But I would not hold my breath.
Bean counters run most model railroad companies, not model railroaders. That is the reality we live in.
Bachmann products are generally much better than they were back some years ago.
Rich
you work there too?????????????? ;D ;D ;D
Lets touch on a couple of things.
First: The H16-44 is the only former spectrum engine not decoder equipped.
Second: Tenders with sound are all ready being made to go with their engines. It wouldn't take much to produce a few more by themselves at no added cost
Third: Bachmann is the only player without diesels that have sound. Athearn has sound, BLI, Atlas, Walthers do too.
Forth: They have bean counters too.
I would certainly support the request for producing as separate items the tenders with the sound and dcc installed.
Now that I have bought a few of the Spectrum steam engines with DCC/Sound installed I would like to upgrade some of my existing Bachmann steamers that do not have sound. I am sure that more than a few owners of Spectrum steamers would agree.
Bachmann "Diesels" being sold with the sound installed will, I would speculate, will happen. As stated, most of the other manufactures now offer sound. Bachmann will have to follow or miss entirely a portion of the market.
well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad!
Quote from: richg on April 09, 2010, 02:18:12 PM
Quote from: pdlethbridge on April 09, 2010, 01:31:06 PM
Are you working at Bachmann now?
Bean counters run most model railroad companies, not model railroaders. That is the reality we live in.
Rich
An unfortunate truth, "bean counters" have and do run many companies, including not just model
railroad companies, but, the "real" railroads, which is why we(the U.S.) is nearly at the bottom of list when
it comes to passenger rail service.
The real reason that passenger rail service is not as good as it could be is that the federal government subsidized airport and interstate highway construction but never subsidized railroads . Also the American public is always in such a hurry to get everywhere . Energy prices for fuels ( gasoline & jet fuel ) were cheap then , those days are probably gone forever . If we don't get the economy back on a more rational footing again the highways and the airports won't get fixed either.
Quote from: Jhanecker2 on April 09, 2010, 04:16:46 PM
The real reason that passenger rail service is not as good as it could be is that the federal government subsidized airport and interstate highway construction but never subsidized railroads . Also the American public is always in such a hurry to get everywhere .
Sixty years ago and more, this was probably accurate. The reality, today, is quite different. Today, passenger rail is subsidized. In fact, passenger service today is owned by the federal government. So, to say that the railroads were never subsidized is not quite accurate.
Today, the prime reason for the lack of good passenger service is that 99% of the track in the country is not usable for modern, up to date, passenger rail service; because it was not maintained to that kind of level.
This was a decision made by those same "bean counters" to increase or maintain profits.
The same reason that we are not likely to see many of the items that we would like to see improved or added to model railroading.
Off my soap box ;D
If I remember correctly, when I had my Chessie GP7 appart to replace the pee yellow LED's with golden white ones, the fuel tank is dimpled on the inside for a speaker and the chassis has room for a sound decoder to preplace the factory one. I have two of them now, one Chessie and one Clinchfield. What I want to see is either an unnumbered one or other road numbers. But no number and blank numberboards with the correct white/black background would be perfect. I would also love to see Bachmann offer a low nose GP7 along with more modern shortline road names. Both of my GP7's run as quiet and smooth as my older Atlas/Kato GP7's Excellent job Bachmann, now expand on it with low noses and more modern road names. Many shortlines still use early EMD's! Mike
airline own no airports.
Truck lines or bus companies own on hi ways.
most railroads own the tracks they run on.
no airlines, truck company, or bus company
pay for the upkeep of the railroads.
Railroads pay taxes to build airports, and roads.
Quote from: RAM on April 10, 2010, 10:30:42 PM
airline own no airports.
Truck lines or bus companies own on hi ways.
most railroads own the tracks they run on.
no airlines, truck company, or bus company
pay for the upkeep of the railroads.
Railroads pay taxes to build airports, and roads.
You failed to mention a couple of things.
Airports are open to use by the public.
Highways are open to use by the public.
How many railroad track systems are open to public use?
The fact is that the railroads made a conscience decision to give operational priority to freight business because it was more
profitable than passengers.
When that was done, their passengers deserted them, for the airlines, the buses and the private automobile.
There is a fine line that any company must ride; between staying profitable, and not alienating their customers in the process.
This also true for Bachmann. So, what would model railroaders prefer. Getting every model they hope for, and every feature
that they would like to have; or a Bachmann that remains profitable and in business?
If Bachmann were to spend some of their profits, I would prefer a bit more quality control, rather than a few new models or
features that have a limited market.
I think that sound tenders, by themselves, and diesels with sound are still a good idea.
Sorry to break it to you, but Bachmann appears to disagree with you on the tenders as they are discontinued. Why don't you just buy a sound decoder and speaker and install it in you existing tender if you want sound so bad. The diesel idea although it sounds good at first is not a very good idea. It would yield higher prices for all diesel locos because Bachmann would have to redesign most of the diesel locos to accommodate a good sized speaker (with a good sound quality). The tenders however have a bit more room making sound equipped steam engines a better choice that sound equipped diesels and electrics. Asking for sound equipped diesels is asking for the prices of all diesels to increase to cover whatever the cost may be to redesign them to accommodate sound.
They may not be in production as individual items but they certainly are in production to go with the steam locomotives. It makes more sense to continue production of sound equipped tenders as that would be a very hot item off the shelf. Tenders, if you have noticed, have been sound ready for a while. Their going out of production could very well be a good sign of things to come. I would buy at least 2, and others here are dieing for the chance to upgrade their engines.
The addition of sound to a diesel, of course, will cause higher prices. But because to spectrum diesels are such good runners, it would make sense to go the next step. Maybe not this year, but next year. The redesign would probably only involve the cast weight being made smaller and the speaker would go in the modified fuel tank.
Quote from: pdlethbridge on April 12, 2010, 12:06:33 AM
The addition of sound to a diesel, of course, will cause higher prices. But because to spectrum diesels are such good runners, it would make sense to go the next step. Maybe not this year, but next year. The redesign would probably only involve the cast weight being made smaller and the speaker would go in the modified fuel tank.
It will not only increase the price of sound equipped models but also the price of non-sound equipped models, thus decreasing the likelihood of a beginning modeler purchasing one of their locos because the price will not be as competitive.
The tenders are more plausible, and could happen within the next 5 years.