John: 'You can also run the medium tenders with the Spectrum 2-8-0. That would give you more room for a sound decoder, capacitor and speaker.
What decoder do the new DCC ready tenders take? I'm going to try a Digitrax DZ125P on my Walthers 0-8-0, and thought while I'm at it I'd try to get my 2-8-0 converted to DCC (if it is not too difficult).
Are you talking about a sound decoder? Or the drive? If drive, I used the DZ123's in my spectrum consolidations. The loco is a very easy upgrade with a space already milled for a decoder. It is a hard wired decoder, but if you can solder, it is not a bad conversion at all. If you are talking sound decoders, I don't know.. I dont do sound in the locos, for me, the sound quality is just too "toyish" to worry about the expense IMHO..
You can install a Lenz silver mini decoder in the engine. After you remove the boiler and a weight on the frame, the Lenz silver mini decoder fits in the space where the weight originally was. The six wires for the decoder are within 1/2 inch of the space where the weight was. Here is an old tutorial of a decoder installation in the Spectrum 2-8-0. They use an old Lenz decoder which was 50 % larger than a Lenz silver mini decoder for the installation in this tutorial. It's an easy installation. http://mvns.railfan.net/dcc/bach280_dec_inst.pdf Have fun....
I have three of the Spectrum 2-8-0's. They are everything that you've seen written about them. However, not only do they need a relatively long break-in time (mine took 3 to 4 hrs. before they smoothed out) but also all three had drivers that were out of guage enough that they wouldn't run through my Atlas code 55 turnouts without stalling. Once the guage was set properly and they were broken in, they became smooth running little engines with amazing pulling power. I use them for branch line service, but they pull as well as my Kato Mikados on the main line.
The closest thing you will find to that tender is the Model Power Vandy which is available seprately. Unfortunately, it only has half axle pickup. It would be possible to bash the trucks and drawbar from the stock Bachmann tender onto the Model Power tender but it is not a direct replacement. http://store.modelpower.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1377 The Bachmann Vanderbilt is a model of a C&O prototype. Bachmann has made an SP/UP style Vandy that has come with their old 2-8-0/2-8-2 and now comes currently with the SP variation of the Std. Line 4-8-4 Northern. It does not have any form of pickup though. These are not available seprately. You need to pick up a junker to get the tender. http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=807
I think I'm going to order 1 of these. If they are half as nice as they sound, I'll be happy. I have read about these before and I always here those two common minor complaints (long break-in time, and wheels out of gauge). Question, if I am unlucky enough to buy one that the wheels are out of gauge is that something I can fix on my own? Does it require special tools/skills? Matt
Thanks for the info, everyone. I ordered two of these today; they sound like they are too good to pass up. John C.
Matt, Its a pretty easy fix. You will need an NMRA gauge though. Just line the flanges up on the gauge notches of the gauge. It they are wide, CAREFULLY squeeze the wheels together. I say carefully because you don't want to bend the siderods. If they are too narrow, insert a small flat blade screwdriver between the frame and the wheel and twist. Another word of caution is to make sure the wheels are still centered on the axles when you gauge them ortherwise the loco will derail and cause you head aches. Eric
Most of the Spectrum 2-8-0's come from the factory out of gauge.Most are under gauged. So there are some adjustments to make aligning the drivers. This steamer requires an extensive break-in time of three to four hours. The steamer should be run at various speeds in both directions. Initially there should be no loads on the steamer. After about an hour, you can add some cars behind the tender. Micro Trains Z scale couplers can be inserted on the front pilot. The MT Z scale # 905 coupler can also be body mounted on the rear of the tender. You'll need some plastic shims when using the MT # 905 coupler on the Spectrum 2-8-0. The results are worth the effort as there is less surgery to do on the front pilot to mount the coupler box. The Z scale coupler also looks more realistic on this steamer. ** When this steamer first came out, we used a MT #1015 coupler in a 2004 coupler box to mount the coupler in the front pilot. This required a lot of cutting of the intricate grill work of the front pilot to make this happen. Progress is wonderful! To make the tender track better, you can make a tool box using a seven gram A-Line weight and some styrene strips. The tool box can be painted grimy black and cemented in place on the underside of the tender between the two tender trucks. I usually add a tool box to most of the tenders on the JJJ&E to improving tracking, which in turn improves performance of the steamer. Have fun....
Thanks guys. I'm going to buy one of these 2-8-0's. Might be now, might be a little later, but I'm going to get one (or more) LOL!
A sound decoder and speaker can easily be installed in the tender if you use a Spectrum medium tender or a tender than comes with the Spectrum 2-6-6-2. The original tender that comes with the Spectrum 2-8-0 isn't large enough to house a sound decoder and speaker.
Got my engine in the mail today and am runing it now It is kinda jumpy so I am wiping the thin layer of oil off the railhead and it seems to run better. Tried a Bright Boy and it just got all gooey and black so I am taking my shirt and wiping the rail, then I go over it with my finger to see if it needs re-wiped. GREAT LOCOMOTIVE!!! now if I can get a vandy tender that dose not look like it is from the late 70's Bman or Con Cor
I noticed that the front driver seems to kinda be pushed on crooked it still runs ok... Also how might a person go about cleaning wheels on such a delicate thing?
