I recently purchased a Rio Grande E-Z App RS-3 at a very good price, and would like to replace the shell with your Seaboard #1633 (HO RS-3) Shell, but thought it would be prudent to check for possible interchangeability issues before jumping in blind.  So my question is: will the older shell fit the newer Bluetooth loco without surgery.  Thanks in advance!   

I would like to lobby for producing a new RS-3 in the purple & silver ACL color scheme.  May not be prototypical, but I'll wager you could sell more than one or two of them.  Even just a shell would be nice.    Just dreaming?

Thanks to everybody - much appreciated! 

Can anyone tell us what era the Nickel Plate Road - 50'6" Drop End Gondola w/ Tire Load is dated for?  Hoping it will work in the Transition Era.  Thanks in advance! 

Greetings!

I just read the following post on another popular forum, and must say I agree 100%: 

"I like the new cars but wish Bachmann would give us more common cars in multiple numbers, instead of the circus train of colors with one car number each? Doesn't it occur to their marketing people that tank cars ran in long strings or even solid trains and selling four packs, six packs or even dozen of common black cars maybe good business? Geez..."

That really hits the nail on the head!  Is anybody listening? 

Quote from: skipgear on May 02, 2012, 05:53:42 PM
Yes it is...........



....if you are connecting it to another Bachmann loco that has the 6 pin umbilical cord already. You install the decoder on the 7 solder pads jumpered by brass clips in the picture.

The tender will not magically make a non DCC ready loco, DCC ready.

Thanks Tony!  I think that pretty much answers the question.  Cheers!

OK, I'll jump in.  I want a nice Heavy/Light Pacific (4-6-2) w/DCC, and a PRR K4s version, which could share the boiler with a future Heavy Mikado (2-8-2).  You'd make a lot of people VERY happy with these!

I found a SPECTRUM-89853 USRA LONG TENDER on eBay, and it is advertised as being DCC ready, but I have doubts.  Is this particular tender actually DCC ready??  The seller is also anxious to know.  Thanks for any help!
Ron

If their toolmakers are worth their salt and very clever, they should be able to make the Belpaire firebox area an interchangeable set of inserts in the tooling for a basic, high-quality Heavy Pacific.  The raised headlight and domes should not present any significant problems.  Us Pennsy fans can't be the only ones screaming for a nice Heavy Pacific, can we??  Put me down for 2 or 3 when reservation time rolls around!

Precisely what I assumed - Thank You! 

Ron

  This is a bit embarrassing, but i need to know if a new B'mann loco is pre-lubed and ready for the break-in runs out-of-the-box.  I assume they are, but we all know about assuming.  I have several newly purchased steamers and a couple of diesels ready for the test track, and don't want to screw up first thing out.  Thanks!! 

Thanks skipgear!  I was hoping it would be that simple, but didn't want to take them off if not necessary.  Hope a nice little sound only decoder will fit in there.  Will be mounting a motor only decoder in the boiler.  Thanks again!

Ron

Are you talking about the driveshaft assy. from the electric motor to the powered truck?

I have a couple of the DCC-Ready 2-8-0s and cannot find or figure out how to safely remove the tender shell to do a little recon for possible sound-only decoder installation.  Can anyone - like the Bach-mann, maybe, give me some sound advice (pun intended) on this seldom-mentioned subject.  Any help will be most appreciated.