The Hogwarts Loco is an ex BR/GWR Hall class loco and this was the model supplied by Bachmann UK in their sets. The loco supplied by Hornby in their sets was a castle class model.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

I have given up trying to be practical. I have 6 bachmann K-4's, 3 PFM 's and unfortuately I still have 2 proto K-4's. I have 6 T-1's from various sources. It's my british collection that gives me the most grief, 96 locos and still rising. They keep bring out new ones and I can't resist. It's going to be even worse now that there are a couple of sound decoders available for my favourite locos.

regards
Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: SteamGene on September 25, 2008, 06:58:28 PM
Charles,
I'm trying to be practical!    I have four K-4s - one Bachmann, one PFM, and two Proto 2000s.  I have a Mantua 2-8-4 lettered for the VT&P.  That's five Kanawhas!  I have over 50 locomotives - far more than I need.  But $99 for an undec is a good price.
I'll be interested in your attempt to install a footboard pilot on the Bachmann. 
Gene

Which GWR tank engine are you after, praire tank, pannier tank or those heavy 2-8-2 tanks. I'm not a great fan of GWR locos as I model the BR period for steam 1948 to 1968 when everything was black or green . Mind you they can cause a bit of a stir when you see an  Allegheny parked next to a 56xx.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: PRRThomas11 on September 22, 2008, 04:56:27 PM
I think it would be a great idea for bachmann to make them avalible to the US. I would buy them.

Gene, you should. I bought 4 undecs and the two lettered C&O locos. I have taken one to bits and have started fitting a combination of bits from Bowser, Cary, Cal Scale, Overland to better make a Lima example of the loco. Time will tell hoew good it is.
Regards
Charles emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: SteamGene on September 24, 2008, 09:17:20 AM
I have one and really like it.  I'm debating buying an undec version for the VT&P. 
Gene

Don, these aren't Spectrum models they are blue box models hence the lack of detail and the cheaper packaging. I have bought 6 of these models and have fitted sound to them all. I now have one in the process of being modified to better represent the prortotype I model. The drive train in these models is much improved on the old models as is the chassis which is now of a monobloc construction instead of the old split frame.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: grumpy on September 22, 2008, 01:29:22 AM
I just received the 2-8-4 and was a little disappointed The loco operates quietly and smoothly but it lacks detail . The cab and firebox have absolutely no detail. It looks to me as if they have changed mfg's considering the packaging was not up to Spectrum std using only a plastic envelope fitted into a light cardboard container . Then warranty is only for one year and not lifetime which makes me a little nervous. I hope the quality of the internal parts is not a reflection of the external appearance . If someone else has purchased a 2-8-4 please voice their opinion.
Don

Gene, I wasn't going to mention the glaringly obvious and if it were possible I would fit a PIA front pilot but you can't get them any more. I did hear a rumour that a similar, if not the same under a new name, pilot was coming out but I haven't heard anymore. I did get some Cary parts to add but I haven't had time to fit them yet.

Regards
Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: SteamGene on August 31, 2008, 08:53:58 AM
Actually, Charles, the biggest error is the pilot.  The Kanawha has a footboard pilot like all C&O freight engines.  Of course the Life Like model has the same problem. 
Gene

I now have 6 of MrB's Kanawah's and if they are noisy then I'm deaf as a post.  You do get a little gear train noise but changing the grease did the trick, I use a Lithium based grease for use in food machines. If I had a quibble it would bethat there aren't enough sand lines coming from the dome. There are differences between ALCO built engines and LIMA built engines and it needs a bit more pipework. Once you add sound  well who cares about quibbles.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

I guess it depends what you mean by deep. I used a medium steam tnsumai with a pair of QSI high bass speakers in the Kanawah and a pair of Panasonic ovals in the mountains. To get a really bass sound to the loco you have to get into the equaliser CV's and start playing with them and the reverb. I have done this with several locos of the same class and I can get them all to sound a little bit different from each other. It's a time consuming effort but worth it.

Charles merson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: Rashputin on August 27, 2008, 07:58:52 AM
     I have several Heavy Mountains that I want to put decoders in as I got them prior to Bachmann offering them so equipped.  Do you know which decoder they have in the factory equipped ones?  Your description of the sound got my attention as the only decoder I tested was anything but deep and didn't seem to fit the bill for an engine as large as a Mountain.

  Regards

Jim you may have to check the programming. There should have been a CD that came with the loco. On that CD you'll most if not all the programming information you'll need. I don't have list with me at present, I'm at work but as you go through the CD you'll find the relevant information on what CV's need setting.

Regards
Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: Jim2903 on August 26, 2008, 11:59:05 PM
D'oh! I'm embarassed to admit that this was the problem. Careless me ... but the loco runs perfectly now ... however, headlamp and backup light still don't work (didn't mention that in my original message) ... thanks for the kick in the pants, Charles 

Jim

Quote from: Ozzie21 on August 26, 2008, 02:19:57 PM
Check the two plugs under the cab. They may not be pushed fully home.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: Jim2903 on August 26, 2008, 01:56:38 AM
I'm having trouble with a factory sound-equipped Spectrum Heavy Mountain (SP with Hicken) that I recently picked up second hand. The sound is fantastic -- beautiful, deep, throaty chuffs, which continue even after the loco comes to an abrupt halt without cutting off the throttle (I use a Digitrax Zephyr). A shove gets the engine moving again, but not for long. Since the sound stays on, I can be sure it's not an electrical problem. I'm guessing there's a bind in the side rods or the gears. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who may have experienced a similar problem and can recommend a solution. Thanks ...

Check the two plugs under the cab. They may not be pushed fully home.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: Jim2903 on August 26, 2008, 01:56:38 AM
I'm having trouble with a factory sound-equipped Spectrum Heavy Mountain (SP with Hicken) that I recently picked up second hand. The sound is fantastic -- beautiful, deep, throaty chuffs, which continue even after the loco comes to an abrupt halt without cutting off the throttle (I use a Digitrax Zephyr). A shove gets the engine moving again, but not for long. Since the sound stays on, I can be sure it's not an electrical problem. I'm guessing there's a bind in the side rods or the gears. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who may have experienced a similar problem and can recommend a solution. Thanks ...

Gene, I had a phone conversation with an old C&O hogger and I did ask about the dislike shown for the h-5 mallets. he reckoned they were too light on their feet, were fuel hogs and wouldn't pull as good as an H-4 or 6. It was a very interesting converstaion that covered nearly two hours and his fifty years in railroading. It was all the more interesting as he came from Alabama and I'm from Scotland, we nearly had to have translators.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: SteamGene on August 25, 2008, 09:55:21 PM
Charles may be right, but I'm thinking the H-5s never got back up lights, just like they didn't get upgraded tenders.  The C&O didn't like the H-5.  My personal theory is that they were just too close in performance to the H-4/H-6 and the C&O was miffed. 
Gene

To BnoBob, A little research may solve you dilema. The model Bachmann produce is of the USRA light mallet. C&O purchased about 25 of these locos and the came without backup lights. The backup lights were fitted later in the locomotives service life as tenders were swapped about but as originally recieved they didn't have any. The H-6 class recieved from Baldwin in 1948 did have backup lights but they were ordered that way.
As for the sound well it's a default setting that allows you to tune the loco to suit.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Okay if itis the Bachmann one you will need a tender from a Hall class model. You could try contacting Bachmann's service department in the US as the model was manuafactured specifically for them.
As for a UK model I'll get back to you with a part number.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: J on August 24, 2008, 04:19:02 PM
Wow, you all seem very knowledgeable and after years away from the HO train seen, I am very, very green.

As for the Hogwarts train I believe it is the one that Bachmann US made but all it says on the bottom is "Bachmann", "Made in China" and a blurb about the rights.  Also, yes the tender is completely missing but the train runs without it so it is not one of those conjoined units.  Additionally, some of the train couplings need to be replaced.  I am not at all familiar with the style of couplings.  They are very delicate looking, consisting of a horizontal almost D shaped loop with a pin that lifts and drops in place when another coupler mates up to it.

The real Hogwarts locomotive is 5972 Olton Hall which is a Great Western Hall class loco built in 1937 at Swindon works. The loco was built to the design of Charles Collet and is based on the modified Saint class.
If you have the Hornby model then it's a Castle class model which was a 4 cylinder express passenger loco and not a two cylinder like the Hall class. I think where people get confused is the name plate "Hogwarts Castle" so they think it's a castle class and as the model is a castle class the confusion gets worse. Hornby don't make a Hall class model but Bachmann Branchline do. I think the Bachmann Harry potter set was a special set for sale only in US as it never appeared in the UK catalogue. You would have get a tender from either Hornby, if you have that model or Bachmann UK if you have that  model. The two tenders are quite different ans the Hornby tender has pickups where the Bachmann tender does not. The drawbar is on the Hornby loco and it's on the tender on the Bachmann model. The tender is also a rigid 3 axle tender so a decapod tender wouldn't come close.
Sorry Gene it's not a county class. The original loco picked for the harry potter movies was ex Southern railway  light pacific Taw Valley SR number 21C127/BR number 34027. Chris Columbus decided after the loco was painted red that it looked to modern, Taw Valley is a rebuilt light pacific and not a spam can, so he opted for Olton Hall instead.

Regards
Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: J on August 17, 2008, 05:05:52 PM
I need to replace the tender for my Harry Potter, Hogwarts, HO train.  If necessary I can paint it but am not sure which of the tenders you have for sale would come the closest to the correct look.  Any suggestions?

I have done several. This one was different as it was a reverse engineering job. I was taking a Bachmann OEM decoder out of a rectangular tender 2-6-6-2 and fitting it into a 21VC vanderbilt tender. You get this with the J-2 class mountain but not for the 2-6-6-2 and C&O had more than a few that used the 21VC tender. the following pictures show how I installed the twin speakers, 1W 40x16 rectangular panasonic speakers, in the tender.


Test fitting the speakers to ensure orientation is correct.


Speakers now mounted. I used a latex bathroom sealant to glue the speakers to the chassis. This sealant provides a nice flexable membrane that seal really well.


Wire added . Speakers are mounted in series.


End seals fitted using the latexant sealant. It's important to make sure the back of the speaker is sealed off from the front. I don't use baffles or sound boxes instead I use the tender shell as the sound box. I just ensure the tender has no air leaks.


Finished loco sitting under my coal plant.

Regards
Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

Quote from: steamman64 on August 21, 2008, 03:48:34 PM
HAs anyone bought or installed soundtraxx sound in a bachmann DCC no sound loco? What is required besdies the decoderr and speaker? Can you attach it to current DCC board in tender?