I have got my first Bachmann Value Sound engine today (GP7 B&M). It is a great running engine but it has one very unusual DCC problem.
The front and rear lights (CV 33,34) are simply not functioning at all if the address is not 3 (CV 1).

I can not imagine any logical relation between the F0 output controls and the decoder address.

Further testing shows even more strange results. Changing CV1 changes some other CVs too. e.g. the low bit in CV 29. May be my Intellibox II is not fully compatible to Tsunami programming specs?

My two CN GP38-2 #4723 arrived today. The models are very smooth runner
I did start to think about the changes necessary for the CN specific details. Things like bell, front light in the hood etc. until I had a look at the roof! Bachmann put the roof section with dynamic breaks on the model!

Why did you do that to me Couldn't you have a short look at the prototype and snap the other roof without dynamic breaks on that very model? It is a lot of sanding to get the breaks of the roof and the surface will never be a perfect match

Bachmann's GP7 and GP9 have a drive with a very good price performance ratio with a new DCC decoder added. The shell is good enough to be used at operating sessions and simple enough to be used as a base for not so gifted kit bashers (like me). In case of failure is the ruined engine still affordable.

The only uncertainly are the handrails. They were easy to remove at the GP7 used for the SP but glued like hell at the GP9 used for the Corman.

I did two Corman and two SP Geeps. The Corman paint job is done with the rattle can. The SP was done with Polly Scale, airbrush (gray) and handpainted (red). Nothing exceptional but nice work horses running smooth.

Did someone convert a Bachmann H0 Doodlebug into one of the many versions owned by the MStL?

I would be glad to learn from previous conversions.

Reinhard

I've got two high boiler 4-6-0. Both have a yellow and bright front lamp.
My first low boiler arrived today.

1. The front lamp is ice cold blue and very dim. It is so dim it is close to useless.
Can I do something (except disassembling the whole engine and install a better LED)?

2. The draw bar of the front truck is too thick. The front truck is forced too low and the engine rides on the front truck and the last axis only. I had to build a custom draw bar that respects the reduced space of the low boiler version and lets the front truck swing further up.

There is a second low boiler on order. I will see if my first unit is an exception.

ps. I have not quality problems with the other 4-6-0, 4-4-0 and 2-8-0 of Bachmann Spectrum.

I plan to install sound ( Loksound 3.5) decoder and speaker in the small tender of the Spectrum 4-6-0 low boiler and the Spectrum 4-4-0.
Did someone do so and has some tips and hints how to do? Some nice pictures would be great too.

The "huge" tender of the 4-6-0 high boiler was no problem at all.

Thank you
Reinhard

I've two Spectrum 4-6-0 high boiler, one 4-6-0 low boilder and two Spectrum 4-4-0 black undecorated.
I would like to letter them as close as possible to NYC prototypes. Can I get some help what road numbers would be the best choice at about 1930? That should be the old number system of NYC and some 4-4-0 should be still in service.

#NYC road number? 4-6-0 high boiler
#NYC road number? 4-6-0 low boiler
#NYC road number? 4-4-0

Thank you
Reinhard

ps. I found #1233 used for a 4-6-0 high boiler by Bachmann but that number finds no match in the book "Guide to north American steam locomotives".