Quote from: DAVE2744 on October 25, 2014, 02:00:36 PM
Before doing anything drastic yet, try a reset of the decoder. Set CV 8 = 8. Turn power off.  Restore power.  Address the loco as 3.  See if it works.  The FT as new is a very smooth running unit.  If you didn't pay too much for it, then a new board could be worthwhile.  Good luck. Dave

This is exactly what I was going to say..So common fright when new to DCC. Gave engine Address 5205 say. Did some other programming. Inadvertently returned loco's address to factory default '3'. But still trying to run #5205..no response ...!

 

Quote from: rogertra on October 14, 2014, 12:44:11 PM
The question should be: -

"Why are you purchasing equipment that old and that doesn't come up to the standards expected today of model railroad equipment?"

Buying for price in old model railroad equipment can only lead to disappointment, as we've seen numerous times on this board, especially when it comes to what were considered "entry level" products.

Cheers

Roger T.

Dan, Roger is spot on here ! If you think buying old old MRR rolling stock with horn hook couplers is a good way to save money, you are sadly mistaken.. Not only do old cars and engines have those horrid couplers, their wheels have flanges we now call pizza cutters. A real flange is about 1.5 to maybe 2 inches above the wheel tread. Pizza cutters scale out  in HO to be around 6 to 8 inches deep. If you begin buying modern Atlas or more expensive track your flanges will hit the spike heads if not worse. You've been out of touch for 30 years ! Forget that old clunky stuff and ease back into the hobby following today's standards: In HO, buy code 83 or smaller rail height track. Buy contemporary cars and locos which have way way more realistic appointments and detail on them: Engines with great motors and pick up, well rolling cars with operating knuckle couplers like the 1:1 scale has, and all having today's flanges. Even analog power to tracks and motors is slowly disappearing in favor of digital command  control, DCC. Too much to explain this here so I'd advise you purchase a few 'how to' books or mags at the train shop or on-line so you are up on the current state of the art..No put down meant here. We are giving you a heads up so as you don't make too many disappointing decisions; decisions most of us have had to learn the hard way from, too.. Welcome aboard, Mark

Even if engine does make it though OK, with a 10, 15, 45 car train it's likely to have so much drag engine will either spin wheels in one place, or at speed whole train could pull strongly toward inside and derail or have a string drop down to floor or into the scenery. Small engines. Short trains. Slow speeds OK. A 2-6-6 2 T or S4 switcher, interurban, OK. NYC Hudson forget it ! It's simple logic. track physics are no different for the model than the 1:1 scale.. Related : If you have track ascending on a curve, what measured out to be a 2.5 % grade will make train behave as if it's a 3.5 to 4 % grade also due to drag from the curve and engine, again, will slip in place (until the day when we have operating sand domes !).

Joe, thanks for studious reply. Not sure if I understand it all. I was getting at why is the whistle anemic in one HO Bach engine and strong in another. Gosh, when you put those youtube videos of 1:1 steam you really get a blast of what it should sound like. I love the type which starts low and long then bends up to an elongated toot(high pitch but drawn out) OOOOOOwheeeee ! Or the staccato toot toot in yard or station stops. And, to me the whistle should be the loudest sound effect, followed by chuffs/clanks, then bell.....
Anyway, I still don't get why my Koss ear buds can sound like you're at some disco club in the 70s with that real deep boom boom boom boom bass pounding all night. Their speakers are smaller than the ones in most HO engines. I do know that it is also contingent upon the type of amplifier/circuitry too, though.
Your suggestion would be great if I didnt have to demolish my 35' HO switchback RR branch line in about 8-9 Mons. due to newest landlord using the Ellis Act to vacate me (please search Ellis Act to know what's unfairly happening to me after 19 years in this apartment by a landlord 30 yrs my junior and owning building only 1-5 yrs. !) I don't know where am going to wind up. Other than a large relocation fee for me now in escrow, I get very little social security and I don't have a rich girlfriend. But thanks for ideas. I think I see what you mean. Bass spreads far and wide on the ground almost, where treble is piercing and clear. So speaker in mid of layout can be made to give that low rumble of an engine and thus doesn't need to be on the engine itself to give the necessary illusion....But, what happens when 2 or more engines are running and are using the transmitter/receiver set up ?! Especially if one is in front of you and others are across the the river a scale 2 mi. away say ?   

  Yeah, I lowered chuffs and slightly lowered bell ( which several already now; mine came with NO Bell !). Then I also changed whistle type, CV115> 2. It's better. I know big old O scale Lionel whistles really are loud and tonally correct as I/we've heard them in train stores..But I think this is mainly due to having a huge speaker/s and more logic in the decoder. But then why is it my Koss ear buds enable THEE deepest and loudest bass notes as if I'm in front of an 18" stereo woofer ! These speakers surely would fit in an HO shell/diesel/tender !! Instead, in engines they are the cone in a round or oval 1" metal frame type, like early car or home radios had; little bass !

Again thanks for replies and advice. Yeah, I thought same thing; lower the chuff and rod sounds to hear whistle better. Then chuffs become anemic. But I guess I'l go that way...

Thanks much fellow hoggers ! I will do just that in morning. Man 'O man I am getting really fraid and frazzled over the many repair problems I have gone through since my first HO Bmann loco/sound..Here's even another one ! : This same engine, Mod.4-4-0's whistle is anemic..I did the CV 30-2 AND 8-8 dance. the default whistle volume is at 255 ! The master volume is 244 and whistle is still quieter than the chuffs ! So I raised CV 129 to 251 ...4 more to 255 ain't even worth trying !! I feel like a guinny pig for them. I am so not a satisfied customer ! Engines I wanted to keep have gotten sent back expecting a repair done. They advertise 'repair' or such, and instead confiscate the engine (for decoder and who knows what) after I've paid a second shipping fee (first was at on-line dealer for) then inform you it can't be repaired..Yeah, right. Then offer choices of completely different engine types and eras that you never were lusting for in the first place ! Ugh ! Ive typed dozens of posts like this. The consolidation I lost to this one now looks like it's available again ! The 4-4-0 is a very nice engine and runs smoothly. But it' not heavy enough to not slip with 5-6 standard cars up a 3%..AND it has no bell !!  [exhale here]: PHeeeeeeeeew........

Gents I got it from Bachmann because the said they couldn't repair my torn wires on my 2-8-0 and thus offered me this. If you look at the Bachmann Spectrum steam list in their on-line store you can see the undeco ones have no bell ! l could have chosen a deco one and should have. I just didn't catch it in the pics. I suppose I deserve the NOBELL PIECE PRIZE !

Thanks, But what about the missing bell on the non decorated one ? The adds show this but who's going to notice. Why does Bmann do this ? It's not fair. At lease put it in the box with the other choices of trucks and pilots .....

Newguy ! What did you pay for it ? If it was under say $30 best chalk it up to being one of many coulda woulda shouldas in model trains we all have experienced, and move on. If it was say $80 or over $100 I'd look into reporting it to ebay or paypal or however you obtained it and get your $$ back even if you must ship it back for $5-10 shipping. I doesn't sound like it's worth the headache of trying to fix it or take it apart yourself being you are a new guy..Then either go to ebay and to HO (I assume it is ) locomotives/trains. Good diesels are less expensive and less problematic than medium to expensive steam engines. If you are still running  them with an analog power pack or have bought a DCC control system make very very sure the engine you buy is designated for it before clicking the 'go to checkout' button ! Buy a mint condition brand new under warranty item. Athern, Atlas, Bachmann all have great diesels starting at about $80 (+-). Dcc equipped means 'no sound on board', Dcc/sound is obvious. No Dcc stated in ad means it's analog which they almost can't give away these days. If you are new to it, please get a 'how to build a model RR' type book with order. OR, if you have a train store close enough, start there....

Thanks for replies. As I said I haven't been too active lately. But I do recall those resets. Other is CV 30 to 2 if I recall. I may have even tried that a half a year ago. It's the pretty good chuff rate I  don't want to mess up in, was it, CV 116 ...But i'll get read outs for things I have set, first, then do the 8 > 8 trick. Something tells me it ain't going to help. Boy, yesterday I happened onto the Sierra Valley RR on youtube. If you want to see and hear real steam toots and whooooos check that out ! Mark
PS I asked why mine has no bell. Since found for some reason Bmann doesn't add a bell to the undecorated model which I have, but didn't catch this when I bought it. Odd though.

Hi. I know I'm jumping in late. But even if you have completed all your structure and municipal lighting here's something I happened upon which could use some studying. Even when the room lights are on I still find it difficult to find the center of the 2 coupler knuckles to open them (I use tooth picks). So I bring my small LED flashlight (the kind with the button on the back or the cylinder) to light up the area between cars. Every time I do this it looks like the light from a full moon or tall lamppost shining over the area of the dark rail facility or way out in the sparse country in the moonlight. you may want to look into this as above lighting in the night.  Though I don't know how I'd do it on that large of a scale, and particularly how to employ 110V power to do this. Maybe the 'accessory' posts on back of an old power pack or its DC current from the throttle. But do darken the room and hold the flash above a scene. It's quite dramatic.

Hi gang. I haven't been active for a long time as am in a funk about being forced to vacate my apartment of 19 years including of course ripping out my beloved 35' long HO standard gauge switchback RR. due to landlord employing the Ellis act (search Ellis act and you'll know what it is easier than my explaining it here ). Anyway, I have been running a little lately and aside from this loco being too light weight (slips on a 2.5- 3% grade if more than 4-5 cars) I just noticed that it has no bell. Is this correct !? Also I have whistle volume CV at 254 and master volume at 255 and yet the whistle remains way too low compared with cuffs, blow down, bell. Are they all this way ? While underway the whistle is too anemic. Is there a simple modification or is mine damaged ?  Thanks, Mark

Yes, but they are supposed to snap in place. Mine don't even land flush with beam. Either the holes are wrong or the pins are wrong, switcher pilot hangers are not up against beam. Yet cow catcher type I is on beam in box but looks too small for this engine.. ..

I have tried with tweezers to squeeze pilot against beam.. It will not land. I don't think I should have to now do some drilling or reaming when I've already lost my 2-8-0 to Bach repair for this, a replacement for, the time and money over this $45+ $15 shipping...Finally, I thought loco came with a shovel or plow pilot. Not in box....