Thanks  Guys - odd there is no option to bring it up to "sound" version?

I purchased 2 of these great models - but could only get the "sound ready" version. Is there an upgrade "kit" to add the factory sound decoder? Could not see it on the site.

Hello,
I have 2 new DCC ready GG1's. (nice!)

Before trying to install decoders, I was wondering are there any guides to removing the bodies etc? Just like to avoid making any mistakes... and the product package only has warranty info and the exploded view?

Thanks
Rob

  Old age and decrepitude forces me to admit I was so taken with the new GG1's - messed up post... It is a GE E33 Electric Loco - sorry for the mistake.

I remember the assistant saying it was a GG1 - but I was a bit confused at the time due to the shape... I found a data sheet in my papers file.

Thanks for responding though - it is a shame I just cannot give it a "voice"
Rob

Hello,
some time back, while poking around a (now gone) local model shop, purchased (as I am an Electric loco tragic) a "Bachman Spectrum GG1"  - complete with 8 pin socket and LEDs! (so much for the myth about LEDs being so recent...  )

It was presented as a loner, old model - hence cheap! Albeit it does not look very prototypical - am sure I have not seen a GG-1 with a bull nose

My query is, would Bachman sell the sound chip as supplied with the (great looking!) new GG1's? 

Sound and Loco's with Pantographs is a really missing component of the DCC world!

Cheers
Rob

Does anyone have a suggestion for this?

I would also like to know if there is a preferred speaker for this loco?
Thanks
Rob

There is a place here in Oz called Chucks Ballast.(www.chucksballst.com.au) where the owner actually goes to the same quarries as the railroads and grinds rock to suit model scales. I use his stuff on my HO layout, fixed to the track bed using watered down PVA glue - looks very "prototypical" 

However, to be accurate, you need to match the ballast on your prototype's area to your scale stuff - an example is the very "red" stone used in areas of Queensland (and one of the colours Mr Chuck supplies.)

HOWEVER! I would have to be concerned at the economics of shipping rocks from Oz to the continetal US... 

I recently purchased 2 Bachman Spectrum locos,  with DCC and sound (as I had heard so much about their quality and sound files).

As a fairly new "convert", I started out small with some Hornby gear, including a Select DCC controller and some Australian designed rtr locos which I added (Hornby) DCC chips to.

While my new Bachman models look superb, in both cases they won't respond on my programming track.

The headlight flashed 8 times (am thinking this may be an error code of sorts?), but despite several attempts, including resetting the controller and trying to re-program the loco address, they neither move nor respond (to sound functions)

My older locos (including 2 x Bachman 3truck Shays, non DCC) respond OK - so my long winded question is: Is the Hornby Select controller not compatible with NMRA standards/Bachman DCC EZ chips? I noticed it uses Xpressnet which seems to be a European networking controller standard - but it does not state specifically it is NMRA compliant?Any thoughts???