After mentioning that I’d sure like a smaller steamer like a Pacific or Consolidation with DCC and sound, my buddy said that Bachman had released a Con. with DCC and sound a while back and I might be able to find one. Well, no luck. Anyone know a company that still has one in stock?
Thanks, I saw the first one…the description says he couldnt get it to run using #3 or the road number. I sent a message to him for more info. I forgot to say in my post that I was looking for a Santa Fe, sorry. I did not see the last one you posted…very interesting. Is that a good price?? What was the original MSRP?
Those models have a seemingly permanent spot in Trainworld’s ads. Look at their website or their ad in your MRR mag. http://www.trainworld.com/5_10TW1HO_Layout%201.pdf
I bought a New Haven 2-8-0. I wanted a New York Central loco. I removed the name and number and redecaled the loco. If you don’t want to do that you may never get one. Don’t buy one that the seller admits he has a problem with unless you get it for next to nothing.
As mentioned, try Train World. Another good place to look/call would be Star Hobby in Annapolis Maryland. They have very large stock of Spectrum locos.
I’m sure there are still hundreds of sound equiped Spectrum 2-8-0’s out there for sale. A little web searching, a few phone calls, should round one right up.
Sheldon
Try looking at Micro-Mark’s website.
Hi!
I was in your same position about 6 months ago, trying to find a Spectrum ATSF 2-8-0 with DCC & Sound. I did get one with DCC, but no sound as none were available. I now have two of them. I have seen some on Ebay in recent months, but the price and competition put it out of my desire.
May I add… There have been a number of postings on this Forum about the decoder used on these Spectrum locos, and how many folks immediately replace them with NCE or Digitrax. In my experience, the Spectrum original equipment decoder works, but it is not the same level as my other locos. Sooooo, I picked up replacement NCE decoders for them.
Regarding sound, there have also been a number of posts about installing sound to Spectrum tenders, and I recall specific ones for the 2-8-0. Apparently - as I read - the aftermarket sound systems are much better than the original equipment.
All that being said, to you they might be just fine.
For what its worth,
Mobilman44
DOn’t know if this fills your bill, or what road name you want, but I found this at wholesaletrains.com:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?Scale=HO&Item=160S280&ID=200469784
The whole page of listings is here:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/HOProducts2.asp?Scale=HO&Item=160S280
The OP raises a point about Pacifics. Where can one find a non-PRR K-4 4-6-2? This was one of the most ubiquitous wheel arrangements ever made, yet there just don’t seem to be any non-brass models of it out there. Athearn did briefly offer a Genesis Pacific, though they were of dubious quality (I had one for a while - beautiful looking engine, but cracked gears kept it off the rails).
I found these here at wholesaletrains.com, but won’t be delivered until fall from Athearn Roundhouse:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/HOProducts2.asp?Scale=HO&Item=RNDPCFC
Hope it helps, as I would like one too!
Thanks, Galaxy. That looks ideal.
Great, just what I need. Something else to tug at my checkbook balance. Don’t do me any more favors, okay? [sigh][(-D]
You’re MOST WELCOME!! [;)]
The Pacific was the classic passenger steamer. They had enough tractive effort and steaming capacity to pull a decent length train of heavy weight cars as fast as anyone dared to run them. The PRR K4 Pacifics offered by several makers are fine locomotives, but the K4 is a distinctively Pennsy design and many model railroaders feel it looks a little strange running on any but Pennsy based layouts. For Pennsy fans it’s great but many non Pennsy fans would prefer their Pacifics not to look like Pennsy refugees.
The old Mantua Pacific is a smooth running, heavy Pacific that looks right at home anywhere. A lot of them were made and they show up at train shows starting at $30. The mechanism is simple and very good. With a fresh paint job and a few decals they look very good. Throw in a few Cal Scale cast parts and they can look as good as brass, and run better.
I believe Mantua is being revived and they have the Pacific back in production, but the price is kinda high compared to what you can find at train shows.
Replying to the remarks on factory equipped sound, I have a number of factory sound equipped Spectrums and the sound is superb.
The only thing to note is that the Bachmann Sountraxx has fewer function keys. The quality of the sound is great, the running characteristics of the decoder is second to none. Excellent low speed control.
These people show some baldwin 2-8-0-s with sound. Note a couple are AT&SF [:)]
http://www.nicholassmithtrains.com/store/product/39949/BAC-C%26O-BLDW-2-8-0-WSOUND-DCC/
http://www.nicholassmithtrains.com/store/product/39029/BAC-ATSF-BLDW-2-8-0-WSOUND-DCC/
http://www.nicholassmithtrains.com/store/product/39029/BAC-ATSF-BLDW-2-8-0-WSOUND-DCC/
Santa Fe…
The Bachmann Connies are almost always available on the Auction site, w/ DCC/Sound. BTW, Graffen’s #3 isn’t a 2-8-0, contrary to what the listing says. It’s a “Russian” Decapod (2-10-0). Nice little engine, but not as strong as the big Baldwin 2-8-0.
I’m definitely liking that re-issue of the Genesis 4-6-2. After I replaced the main driver set on mine with the replacement from Athearn (brass gear - that puppy ain’t never gonna crack!), she’s one of the smoothest locos I’ve got. If they’ve upgraded the chassis, as is indicated, that’ll be a sweet little Pacific.
As some others have said, it’s fairly simple to take a steam loco with the wrong decal set and re-decal it to your favorite road. You may have to settle for a less than perfect model of your railroad’s prototypes, unless you have a good reference book and want to get into a lot of superdetailing.
Several days ago, I e-mailed the seller of the 2-8-0 #3 to tell him that it was actually a 2-10-0, but he obviously did not change the description (“60 years in the business”). I actually favor the Bachmann 2-10-0 Russian Decapods over the Bachmann 2-8-0 Consolidations; I own two of each. The 2-8-0 is a bit stronger, especially on inclines, but, IMHO, four coupled axles just do not look as good as five. Perhaps this is my European (German) heritage. In Europe, the 2-10-0 was the prototypical freight engine until the end of the steam age, with tens of thousands built.
FYI: This is an update of the Genesis engine. And by Update, I mean that Athearn claims they fixed it.