I'm in the midst of my first kitbash and have hit a stumbling block.  This bash includes receiving motive power from a cut up Bachmann Gandy Dancer.  I'm running NCE dcc at home and thus do not have the ability to run a dc only engine.  How the heck can I wire this thing up with a decoder?  It will be completely hidden so when done the decoder and wiring will be hidden.   Right now I'm completely lost ( left and right pickups, engine wiring, etc ).

Is this possible?  Have any of you tried it and been successful? 

What is meant by the modern label on the Spectrum 4-4-0?  What is modern?  1900?  1920?  Obviously this is not a 1850 example, but can someone please elaborate?

At the last trip to my LHS I was told that adjusting the CV's could make my Connie sound more "realistic".  I know how to access the CV's thru my Powercab, but don't know which ones to adjust and to what number.  So can anyone help me out?   Give me a list of the CV's you have changed, the values entered, and what each one does?

Sorry for sounding dumb.  I'm still pretty new at this and don't want to screw up my loco!

Jay

Last night "down at the club" I started hearing some interesting sounds in my 2-8-0.  I'm assuming that after 10 or so hours on the track it's time for a good cleaning and lubrication.  So here is my question.  What do I do?  There are no directions included with the engine that let me know what and when to perform maintenance.

Is there anyone that can help me?

Is the same sound decoder installed in all the 4-4-0's, 4-6-0's, and 2-8-0's that come factory installed?  I heard a 4-6-0 on youtube and it sounded an awful lot like my 2-8-0.  Can these sounds be changed?  As you can probably tell I now little about the whole dcc and changing CV's.

Thanks.

So how is this done?  I'm obviously not in marketing or sales.  How it it determined that there is a need, or want, by the public for a particular road name or wheel arraingement?  This is not a rant of "why is there not some road name in this wheel arraingement" or "why is there not a HO Spectrum 2-6-0 Mogul" or anything like that.

I'm just curious if posting suggestions on this, or any other forum really makes a darn bit of difference.  Is anyone really listening to the Model Railroaders questions and suggestions out here?

My 2-8-0 has a factory installed Tsunami.  Is there a way of changing the horn and bell sounds?  I cannot find the info anywhere in the documents that came with it.  I like the factory ones, but I am curious as to what else "is in there".

Does anyone know when the new releases are supposed to "hit the street"?  I found on several different websites that they are due in 2008.  I found 4-6-0's, 4-4-0's, and three truck Shays that are sound and dcc equipped with the Soundtraxx Tsunami decoders. 

My LHS does not know but is guessing at this month?

I know I'm starting this early as the 2008 releases are just to hit the shelves.  But can we ask Bachmann for a 2-6-0 Spectrum?  I'd love to see it released at least dcc ready, but with the dcc and Tsunami would be a bonus ( I'd order mine now ).  The Mogul was huge up in this area ( the Boston and Maine ).  Sorry Roundhouse, your 2-6-0 is not "up to snuff" as long as a MRC sound decoder is installed.  So how about it?  These must be more Mogul fans than just me right?

How about a nice B-15 for example?

Have any of you had any luck witha  4-4-0 and 15" radius track?  My sons layout, due to my limited layout size, has 15" radius corners.  Now he already has an IHC 4-6-2 that has no problem with the 15" track.  It may look a bit funny, but it works and he loves it!

I've heard of front truck derailing issues with the 4-4-0?!

Here's a cudos to the Bachmann Service Department.  My dcc and sound 2-8-0 Connie was sent to Service for a full replacement.  It was signed for on February 15th.  I sent it Priority mail with a signature confirmation for tracking.  I called on March 19th just to check the status and was greeted very nicely and was given my customer ID number.  I was told it would be a few more weeks, and to give them a call in mid-April if I had not heard from them.  Surprise, surprise.  I recieved my new Connie yesterday afternoon.

I am thrilled.  It's going to be very hard to get me not to buy another product from them with service that good.

Is there a guess from anyone here as to the turn around time for Bachmann to replace an engine?  I sent my 2-8-0 Connie in for replacement a month ago and have not heard from them at all.

Is this normal?  I don't want to call CS and sound like a pain in the  caboose.

Thanks.

Where do they go?  Are they available anywhere for resale?

Has anyone had a similar problem to this?  The front wheel set is dragging.  I took the assembly off and have a difficult time turning the wheels by hand.  This does not seem to be a lubrication issue.  They are just hard to turn and not moving freely.  I can see marks on the wheels already from the lack of spinning.

I know that I can contact Customer Support, but I thought I'd try here first.

I need to know why the heck my 2-8-0 is derailing. 
It's the front truck on the tender that's doing it, I can see them getting lifted off the track going thru my 18" radius corners.  The wires from the loco to the tender are connected correctly.  The larger of the two which has the two protective sheaths and the knot tied in it I have going over the top of the bar connecting the loco and tender.  If I drop that down it gets snagged on the frogs or drags on the track.  Are the little protective sheaths supposed to drag?  If so how can I keep them from catching on the frogs?

Bending the drawbar is an option as it slipping the knot and stuffing more wire into the tender.  Has anyone else has this problem? 

As a side note: Why doesn't Bachmann simply make all the connections for us?

Anyone retrofitted their Thomas engine class with kadee couplers?

Bach Man.  Are there any long term plans to release ANY of the Thomas line with dcc?   

Is this available dcc ready?  I need a 0-6-0 or 0-8-0 plug and play for dcc and sound.

Ok guys convince me.  Why should I spend the same money for a Bachmann 4-4-0 that I need to spend an additional $80 - $120 to install sound in if I can get a Roundhouse 4-4-0 with sound already installed?