Hello All
I just installed a SoundTraxx Micro-Tsunami decoder in my Richmond. I bought the engine Jan 2007 and had installed a SoundTraxx DSD-100LC decoder. The Micro is a much better decoder for speed control and sound.
Bachmann is getting ready to release the Rcihmond with sound for $400.00 retail.
The loco cost me $130.00 over a year ago. Now they are going for $60 to $100, new.
The Bachmann tenders only pickup one one side of the trucks. I added pickups and now all eight wheels have pickups.
I painted the wires with liquid black vinyl tape substitute to make them look like hoses.
Right now I have removed the ugly couplers from the loco and tender and I am going to install the Kadee #711 old time coupler.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/TenderwithMicro-Tsunami1.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Tenderwithmicro-Tsunami2.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Tenderwithmicro-Tsunami3.jpg)
Rich
You did a nice job on that, looks like a fun little engine once you put it back together.
Rich
I'm a bit puzzled. The 2008 retail price for the Spectrum Richmond 4-4-0 with DCC is $275, up $35 from last year.
If you can find any for $60, I'll take a dozen. I have also seen several mentions of $100 to $120.
Are we speaking of the same loco?
Bob
Yampa, it's 100% true. Well, I don't know about $60, but $75-$100 is about right. The ebay store 'thefavoritespot' is selling them (all styles) in two ways, a 'Buy it now' option, which is $110 plus $12 shipping. Just that price is the lowest I could find them at. But they also are selling them auction style. Those are going for above mentioned $75 to $100 dollars (including the $12 shipping).
I purchased one a few days ago that cost me, with shipping, $81.99. The Russian ones seem to be going for the most.
I will get mine today or tomorrow and can't wait to get her set up and running. If you are interested in purchasing one, I can't think of a better way to do it.
Quote from: Yampa Bob on April 02, 2008, 12:41:33 AM
Rich
I'm a bit puzzled. The 2008 retail price for the Spectrum Richmond 4-4-0 with DCC is $275, up $35 from last year.
If you can find any for $60, I'll take a dozen. I have also seen several mentions of $100 to $120.
Are we speaking of the same loco?
Bob
To get an idea of what something is selling for on ebay, I looked in the Completed Auctions section and saw between 60 to 80 dollars at the time. A few nearer to $100.
I search the HO Scale section for Spectrum 4-4-0 in Completed Listings.
You need an ebay I.D. to do this.
This was a few days ago.
I have noticed that when an item starts to sell, sellers start to bump up the price a little.
Rich
The marketing of these things is getting more weird every year. Perhaps Sheldon can weigh in on this issue again. Realistically I don't see how "The Spot" can let these locos go for $75 and make any profit. Perhaps the lower overhead of internet selling allows a few bucks compounded by sheer volume.
The best price my favorite source has is $180 including shipping. I have always paid the normal $10 to $15 above other discounters for the benefit of their 30 day no hassle guarantee. My main concern has always been having to send a defective item to the factory instead of the dealer.
I can't help but think there must be a tremendous mark up on trains. Recently I have seen increases on Bachmann locos as high as 40% above last year.
Bob
Yes, there is quite a mark up.
Bachmann is going to be selling the HO Shay and Richmond with DCC & Sound for $400.00.
Micro Mark will sell them for $208.00
I wonder how many people will spend full price?
I wonder how many people will buy a Richmond with DCC of ebay and think they are getting sound with it?
Rich
TrainWorld is selling Richmond 4-4-0's for $99.99 - so there's not much change from a C note. ;).
But they have very good service, if you receive a faulty one.
Quote from: Mark Damien on April 02, 2008, 11:51:35 PM
TrainWorld is selling Richmond 4-4-0's for $99.99 - so there's not much change from a C note. ;).
But they have very good service, if you receive a faulty one.
My LHS will not take an engine back if faulty. Their policy is to use the manufacturer's warranty.
I am impressed that Bachmann has such a good warranty. I have used their service department and had no problems.
I have had contact with Walthers and was not at all happy with their service department representative I dealt with.
thefavoritespot probably buys directly from the manufacture. the reason i think so is because someone in china was trying to sell bachmann 4-8-4s with dcc for a buy it now of only $9.99 but shipping was about $120 so overall it was not worth it. also as for thefavoritespot, i would highly recomend them (i bought about half my engines from them).
I think my usual source will drop their price from $180 to $110, after I reminded them that I spend about $2,000 a year with them. In other words, I said either get competitive or Adios Amigos.
Anymore, when I want something, I decide what I am willing to pay, if they can't meet my price forget it. If you hear of someone willing to pay $275 for one, I have some ocean front property in Colorado to sell them.
Bob
Micromark is taking pre-orders for sound 4-4-0's for $208.
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=84158 (http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=84158)
Harold
Quote from: mattallen37 on April 03, 2008, 05:43:16 PM
thefavoritespot probably buys directly from the manufacture. the reason i think so is because someone in china was trying to sell bachmann 4-8-4s with dcc for a buy it now of only $9.99 but shipping was about $120 so overall it was not worth it. also as for thefavoritespot, i would highly recomend them (i bought about half my engines from them).
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120227035155&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=002
I doubt that the S&H charges are anyway near what the vendor was charging.
I have bought a few items from China and the postage was not much more than what it costs to ship between Canada and the US.
I also do not think the Spectrum engines are meant to be sold in China for resale as well.
Here are three photos of the nearly comleted loco. I installed a box headlight and Kadee old time 711 couplers. The Micro decoder is a big change from the DSD-100LC installed a little over a year ago. I could not wait until Bachmann was going to put sound in it.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Completedloco.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Completedtender.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Underneath.jpg)
Rich
How did the DSD-100LC fit in the tender? I just ordered a 4-4-0 from Micromark and have a spare 100LC. Was there any excessive motor hum sometimes common with the 100LC's?
Harold
Quote from: hminky on April 04, 2008, 04:10:53 PM
How did the DSD-100LC fit in the tender? I just ordered a 4-4-0 from Micromark and have a spare 100LC. Was there any excessive motor hum sometimes common with the 100LC's?
Harold
Hi Harold
This was my first conversion so I removed the PC board. It fit. Go to Two Guyz and Some Trains and login. Go to the DCC forum and scroll down. You will see the info there. I would have to put the photos on Photo Bucket otherwise.
I do not remember any hum. Maybe you can modify CVs if there is hum. I think I saw that somewhere but do not remeber where.
Rich
Rich
I put a diesel LC in an Atlas diesel and there was a distinct motor hum. If you don't remember there wasn't any, the hum in the Atlas was very distinct.
Thanks
Harold
Quote from: hminky on April 04, 2008, 04:33:35 PM
I put a diesel LC in an Atlas diesel and there was a distinct motor hum. If you don't remember there wasn't any, the hum in the Atlas was very distinct.
Thanks
Harold
I really cannot remember if there was any hum. My upper frequency hearing is not near what it use to be. Funny, 49 years ago the US Navy selected me to be a Sonar operator my pitch discrimination was excellent. Now it is all electronically done.
Rich