BACHMANN announces new 2-8-0 connie with sound at NMRA

kewatin Jul 8, 2016

  1. gatrhumpy

    gatrhumpy TrainBoard Member

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    I didn't pay anywhere near that price. I paid $179 for the K4 Pacific online
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 10, 2016
  2. JoeTodd

    JoeTodd TrainBoard Member

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    399.99 list price. Not bad for DCC &Sound.
     
  3. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Was it a Bachmann K4 or was it a model Power 4-6-2? On their website K4's are $220 while the MP 4-6-2 is $180 with sound and 140 without sound.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 10, 2016
  4. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Relax. First of all the decoders can identify whether they are operating on a DC or a DCC layout and adjust accordingly. You can also operate a DC locomotive on a DCC layout provided it is not controlled by a MRC DCC system. MRC states in their instructions that their system is not compatible with DC locomotives. I know; I got an MRC system. But it is no big deal as I don't mix the two.
     
  5. Mike C

    Mike C TrainBoard Member

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    I don't object to sound decoders in the locos , I'm putting sound in all of my steamers . What I object to is the stripped down sound decoders that they use . There are a few key features missing form the SoundValue decoders . The missing features are a big enough deal to me that I replaced all of the stock decoders with real Soundtrax decoders . Should have been a simple matter to have put them in there in the first place .....But I DO like their locos !
     
  6. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    If it happened, and your TV actually moved, this would rival an "I saw a UFO" story......
     
  7. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Making them "plug and play" would go a long way to satisfying everyone. A DC locomotive with the motor isolated from the frame and provision to plug in a decoder much like replacing the light board in Atlas and Kato's recent releases albeit they were diesels. Anymore everyone has their favorite decoders and the discussions as to which is better remind me of the old Ford versus Chevy arguments. Let the modeler choose which decoder they want if, indeed, they want any. I thought the NMRA had a standard already for such a plug.
     
  8. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    I know Atlas and FVM use a 6 pin socket on thier boards in their diesels. My S2 came with a DC chip installed. It was really easy to pull that chip and plug in a DCC chip
     
  9. glennac

    glennac TrainBoard Member

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    Which is the best argument for manufacturers not to force decoder down the throats of buyers. Provide a DC version of all locos so that those with smaller pocketbooks, or those with specific decoder needs, aren't saddled with the cheapo decoders that all of these pre-installed s come with. Either the modeler is going to want DC only, or is going to install a better quality decoder - why bother with these less than satisfactory options?
     
    Maletrain and mtntrainman like this.
  10. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Exactamundo!!! I think we are there with diesels where we replace the light board with a decoder but getting a speaker in remains a problem. With steam it should be easier as you have the entire tender to work with. Now to get the word to the manufacturers.
     
  11. Thieu

    Thieu TrainBoard Member

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    I don't care about the quality of pre-installed decoders. For me, they are just fine. They run that train forwards and backwards and that is enough for me. Giving me the 'freedom' of chosing a decoder by myself, doesn't feel like freedom to me.

    Can't they put the plug in the fuel tank at the bottom of the engine? That would be the easiest place to plug in a decoder, without the risk of breaking handrails or couplers.
     
  12. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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  13. mg_thomastx

    mg_thomastx TrainBoard Member

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    Shades of "The Twonky".


    Mark
     
  14. gatrhumpy

    gatrhumpy TrainBoard Member

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    It was the K4 on sale.
     
  15. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Bachmann shut down the discussion on the new 2-8-0 on their forum. Basically they said they produce what their distributors order and they do not order enough analog DC engines to make production worth while. They don't want to have a lot of product laying around in inventory. They ended with this comment:

    "As far as producing a 2-8-0 that is ready to run with DCC/Sound is concerned - there are folks out there who do not want to or are uncomfortable doing a decoder install. If you are an experienced model railroader you can certainly pick up an older model and install whatever you want into it."

    That explains the DCC and sound but what about the choice of locomotive? I guess we will have to wait and see how well these sell. If they sell well then we won't see these being dumped on Ebay or elsewhere for ridiculously low prices. But if they are being dumped, well, then who knows, I might buy one.
     
  16. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    In the case of DCC-only locos, it would be interesting to know what percentage of buyers eventually replace the factory-installed decoder with something else. As for the K4, how many were sold simply because it's the only model of that type available versus how many more might have been sold if it was also available without sound and/or in a basic DC version.
     
    mtntrainman likes this.
  17. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Right now every new locomotive that is made comes with either DCC or DCC capability. As the sound quality improves we can expect all new locomotives will incorporate that also. At some point in time we all have to face the reality that analog DC is history. Most people are there already. There will probably still be some analog DC engines around. After all you can still find some of the older Trix, Atlas, etc. locomotives from the 60's and 70's. Our club grudgingly bit the bullet and is in the process of going DCC. We were faced with the fact that due to lack of demand, our Aristo wireless analog controllers were no longer being made and repair or replacement would be a big problem going forward. Still we have some members who still run DC. Fortunately going from one to the other is as easy as flipping a DPDT toggle switch.
     
  18. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Pretty much have purchased my last steam so I won't be in the market for these. And my old timer 2-8-0 handles my tighter radius and turnouts better that my original Bmann 2-8-0s. Now if once again those little small drivered 2-6-0s come on the market I might be tempted there. As far as DC or DCC I run DC. However the newer batch of locomotives I have recently acquired with decoders are dual mode and run fine on DC. However I do agree for those folks that are into DCC that there is no reason to have hard wired installations when they could just as easily install a plug. And taking a page from Bachmann and their tender for the J they went so far as to have holes in the bottom of the tender for the speaker sound. I don't know if they have done that with any other of their tenders but I don't see why that can't become a standard.
     
  19. glennac

    glennac TrainBoard Member

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    Thankfully, the club I run at occasionally can do DC & DCC simultaneously so no pressure to commit here.
     
  20. Mike C

    Mike C TrainBoard Member

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    All of the Bachmann steamers I bought got new Digitrax decoders . The motor control was much better , and the original Bachmann decoders were missing support of CV and 6 . And eventually all of the Digitrax decoders get replaced with Soundtraxx decoders . Even the SoundValue decoders get replaced with full function Soundtraxx decoders . Not to say the original decoders were "bad" I'm probably just a bit pickier than most ....:D
     

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