I had to buy one of the Bachmann DD40X's even though I model the Canadian Pacific in the 1950's. I had to have one because they look great. This was also the first DCC on Board Loco I ever bought and I must say I was not impressed with the running of this unit.

This weekend I was putting a decoder in another loco and it dawned on me that maybe a different decoder would make a difference. I took out the Bachmann decoder and dropped in a Digitrax unit. I also wired the roof strobe light to the F1 output so I could turn it off and on. Then I tried it. It runs much better now. I was supprised at the difference just by changing decoders. Plus the seperate strobe control is a bonus.

Maybe I'll now have to have a CP/UP exchange now. Hmmm.

Granted, the Canadian market is not as big as the American but that doesn't mean that manufacturers should not make Canadian painted units. As far as being prototypicaly accurate I don't think that these units will be prototypicaly accurate for any of the road names offered. They are however, a great starting point to get you going.

Besides my layout has a lot of "what if CP had one of these?" on it so if it is not exactly prototypicaly correct I'm okay with it. 

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. I went through the same thing a few years ago. The loco looks great. That was a great idea as a memorial.

The new GP7's look great but I have one beef! Why no Canadian road names?    Just think how good those babies would look in the Canadian Pacific maroon and gray paint scheme or Canadian National geen and gold. Come on Bach Man, don't forget your nieghbors to the north.

Generaly they can be installed in any loco. You must make sure that the loco doesnt draw a higher amperage than the decoder can supply though. If it draws too high of a current you will release all the smoke that manufacturers hide in their decoders. Once that smoke is gone the decoders dont work anymore.

They are called pancake motors and are generaly used in less expensive older locomotives such as Life-Like and Tyco etc. I dont know if they are available from anywhere though. I've only seen them in these older loco's.

You may want to save the money you would spend on this motor and pick up an Athearn, Bachman or similar newer loco as they have all wheels powered and all pick up power from the track. They will run much better and will be much more reliable than these older pancake motored locos.

Quote from: Pacific Northern on April 22, 2009, 08:05:43 PM

Quote from: jdvass on April 18, 2009, 04:24:11 PM
Welcome to steam!

I bought my first steam engine about a month or so ago at our local train show. I picked up a mint Spectrum 4-6-0 in HO lettered for Canadian Pacific. It was used but in mint shape and I got it for $85.00 and this included a DH123 decoder! 

I got it home, put it on the layout with all my diesels. I kind of liked all the details, and all the moving bits and pieces looked cool. My wife thought it was cute.

One month, 5 more steamers, a planned addition for a steam service facility, and, a Walthers 130 foot turntable later, my wife doesnt think it's cute anymore  . But I'm hooked. Steam and diesels get along just fine!

But now I'm off to buy some jewelery.  Gotta keep the peace you know.

YAY STEAM! 

I noticed in a magazine ad some time ago that Bev Bel has painted a number of Spectrum steam engines in Canadian roadnames. Last ad was for the Shay decorated with CPR markings. At least that is to prototype as CP had a Shay stationed in Nelson BC for a few years.

You do know that the Spectrum 4-6-0 is available in both a 57" and a 63" drivers version? They are super little engines I have a couple of each and am facinated just watching the valve gear move.  The best puller of all of the Spectrum is their 2-8-0 another great little engine.

My 4-6-0 has the 63" drivers. I agree, it's a super little loco and sure looks great running. CP did also have some 4-6-0 D9c Tenwheelers.

They had 21" X 30" cylinders with 63" drivers.They ran a boiler pressure of 190 psi and gave 34,000 lbs. tractive effort with 160,000 lbs. on the drivers. There were both oil and coal burners. they carried 5,000 gallons of water and 2,500 gallons of oil or 10 tons of coal. A few of them stayed around right up to the 1950's. That shows what great loco's they really were.

I now realize I was born fifty years to late. It would have been great to get to watch these great locomotives doing their thing. Oh well, at least I can watch them in miniature.

Welcome to steam!

I bought my first steam engine about a month or so ago at our local train show. I picked up a mint Spectrum 4-6-0 in HO lettered for Canadian Pacific. It was used but in mint shape and I got it for $85.00 and this included a DH123 decoder! 

I got it home, put it on the layout with all my diesels. I kind of liked all the details, and all the moving bits and pieces looked cool. My wife thought it was cute.

One month, 5 more steamers, a planned addition for a steam service facility, and, a Walthers 130 foot turntable later, my wife doesnt think it's cute anymore  . But I'm hooked. Steam and diesels get along just fine!

But now I'm off to buy some jewelery.  Gotta keep the peace you know.

YAY STEAM! 

I think this is the article your looking for.

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/sgratke/sgrr/trains/matt/

Welcome back to model railroading Taku  A 4-8-4 is about the biggest you'll run on 18" curves.

You bet #94. I found a set of Canadian Pacific heavy weight cars for the Hudson. And well I was at my LHS yesterday I came accross a Roundhouse 34 foot Canadian Pacific passenger set. Had to buy them. They're too short to run behind the Hudson but they look okay behind my Spectrum 4-6-0.

Now I found another of those green CN Hudsons under the bench! I can see it now. All done up in CP gray and tuscan. I got to get to work!

I would give anything (almost ) for an affordable, accurate CPR Royal Hudson in HO. I wouldnt even care if it had DCC or sound, I could install that myself. Bach Man you have the power to make a lot of us Canadians very happy. We would all put you on our Christmas card list!

I was at our local model railroad show last weekend and at the used table I found a Spectrum 4-6-0 lettered for Canadian Pacific, complete with Digitrax decoder for $85.00. It's in mint shape too. I dont have any steam on my layout but I thought it was a good deal so what the heck, I bought it. And dang it looked good running around the layout!

Then I pulled out this IHC  Canadian National Hudson 4-6-4 that I had laying around under the work bench for a couple of years-


and redid it as a Canadian Pacific loco (I know that Canadian Pacific Hudson's never looked like this but I like it).


And now I'm hooked. I model the Canadian Pacific in the 60's. Now I'm going to move time back to the 50's and model the transition era. Just when I thought that I had about every loco I needed. Yay steam!

Those arent decoders just circuit boards with resistors for the low voltage lights. Digitrax makes a drop in decoder for them or any 8 pin decoder will plug in when you take that circuit board out.

My all time favorite would have to be an F7 from Canadian Pacific in their maroon and grey paint scheme.