It is my preference to purchase good quality lococmotives, mainly I have Atlas, Kato, Stewart/Bowser a couple old Proto 2000 models. But, sometimes if I’m looking for a model that I’m not going to run a whole lot or if I’m willing to accept a lower level of detailing I will look at some of the “off brands” like a Bachman. This has proven to be quite a frustrating experience. A while back I was having trouble running two Bachman FA-2s with sound in a consist. Simply wanted to run them back to back. Quite a few people on this forum tried to help me. I have tried any and all suggestions, went on You Tube, looked at the soundtraxx website, spent hours trying different solutions. I was never able to sucessfully run these two engines together. They run fine seperately, no complaints. So I thought maybe I could run one sound unit with one that doesn’t have sound (only DCC). Had a pair of older Bachman “Sharks” that I could try. They had been sitting on the shelf and I had forgotten the decoder address (Bachman did not put numbers on the sides of the engines), but I had just forgotten although I could have sworn I had written them down somewhere. Oh well I’ll just reprogram them. Trouble is, I can’t seem to reprogram them. Followed the normal procedure that I have done many, many times and they just will not accept any address (long or short). They just sit there! Tried resetting the decoder to factory settings, tried unlocking the decoder and reentering the CV values off of Bachmans website. So I’ve wasted a good part of last evening and a good part of this morning trying to get “cheap” locomotives to work. Now maybe it’s just me, I may be doing something wrong and I just haven’t figured it out yet, but it’s very frustrating. I have never had these problems with other brands of locomotives. I don’t want to say Bachman makes junk, but clearly I’m not satisfied with the products I currently own. Thanks for letting me rant!!!
Bachmann does not make the decoders. They are a low-budget version of Soundtraxx decoders. Bachmann just installs them.
I’ve got two Bachmann engines, and both look and perform just fine. One is a small Mikado, and the other is “Gigi,” my GG-1. They are both equipped with the Soundtraxx “Sound Value” decoders. The only issue I have is that they don’t recognize the normal start and momentum CVs, so they would both take off like a jackrabbit at speed step 1. I don’t run my trains fast, so my solution was to greatly reduce the Vhigh CV, which scaled down the running voltages to the point where speed step 1 was much lower and the startup curve was much better.
I have had mixed results with Bachmann. The 44 ton switcher, from the Spectrum series, never ran right. On the other hand, the GP9 I got runs fine. I have learned to check the online reviews before going the Bachmann route.
My take is: get them without dcc, and then install non sound or sound. By themselves, they are quiet runners, although their deisel locomotives are obviously lacking in detail. From what I have seen at the club and on reviews, their steam locomotives are way better.
By themselves the FA-2s run fine, no complaints. It’s when you try to consist them that things go haywire. I was actually content to disable all the sound functions on one of the engines and just use it like a non sound model. Just wanted the headlight to work. Even that was too much to ask! I am considering removing the sound board and just installing an inexpensive decoder.
Great idea. Several people do that. Bachmann=ok. Bachmann+their decoder=[:(] Bachmann+soundtraxx sound value=[+o(]. Get an econami if you still want sound. They generally go for under $80, and I am quite happy with mine.
Wow! I have a pair of Bachmann A&B F units NYC with sound. They run fine together in consist. What did I do to make them to play well together? I gave them BOTH the same address. Since they don’t have a road numbers on them (another topic for another time), they only run together. I have many of the Bachmann DCC equipped and for the money they cost, they’re just fine. Definitely not an Atlas or Athearn, so for the basic engine and whatever decoder they put in them, I’ll buy them to add to the fleet. One of the train stores advertised some Bachmann GP35 DCC equipped for $40! For that price, I’ll splurge, bought a few and repaint them for my private road. It’s basic, not top of the line. And as always YMMV!
Sounds like the OP has a pair of A units, not an A and B, so consisting them back to back is not a simple matter of giving them the same address. One has to have NDOT reversed with CV29. Or in some other way be set to run the oopposite direction. Don’t know what DCC system, but when consisting with NCE you just tell it the unit is runnign backwards and it adds 128 to the consist number in CV19. With Digitrax it doesn’t even have to set anything in the decoder, the command station just runs it in whatever direction you had it running when adding to the consist.
Using the NCE system. Actually set up a programming track using the PowerCab. On the programming track I could pretty much get the engines to do what I wanted them to do. On the lead engine I left eveything at factory defaults. On the trailing engine I disabled the bell and the horn. When I went to program the consist I used the “Avanced” option and it assigned the number 126 to the consist. Tried it out and everything appeared to function. Set the engines on the main line and selected 126 for the loco and she moved, but I lost some of the horn functions (horn button on throttle did not work) pressing button 2, nothing. Pressing button 3 gave a very brief horn. Also lost headlight function. As I said before, when I run them seperately they function very well, consisting them causes the issues. I realize they are inexpensive, but I really shouldn’t have this much trouble. It’s very disapointing.
I’m still in the construction phase so I have not tried a consist. All my locos, not that many, that have sound are loksound and I have an NCE Powercab.
On occassion, I have lost headlight or horn functions and resetting the decoder always worked. The engines weren’t Bachmann and the decoders were 100% loksound selects. I have 2 Bachmann steamers, but they have’t been run enough to say, one way or the other.
My BM 45 tonner does forget it’s programming. I don’t have to run it through a turnout set wrong, I just have to park it for 2 weeks and it loses it’s mind.
I don’t think we can blame NCE either. You and I share the same polterigeist.
You need to loook at CV21 and CV22, these controls what functions are active in advanced (CV19) consisting. You shouldn’t have to mess around with individual locos enabling and disabling functions prior to consisting them. NCE takes care of this by sending the horn and bell commands to only the lead loco in the consist, you shouldn;t need to fiddle around with this manually.
What you’re doing wrong is manually proogramming CV19 on the PowerCab and then taking the two locos to the main and selecting the consist number as the loco number. You need to create the consist on the same system you are trying to run them oon - they get programmed ont he main, no program track needed, and the bahvior will be more like expected. Full NCE consist functionality does NOT move with the locos.
If you’ve tried a lot of other things, first thing I’d do is reset the decoders, then set the desired address in each one. Then, using the layout system, build the consist you are trying to build, following the NCE instructions.
You can TEST it on your PowerCab program track by building the consist in the PowerCab - but break it up before moving the locos to the layout and build the consist again there using the layout system.
Well, I did as you suggested and actually disconnected the layout DCC system and installed the Powercab. This is how the layout was originally wired when I first got into DCC. Reset the decoders, gave each engine an address, then tried to build a consist. First I tried using the “advanced” option on the controller, it assigned the consist number 119. Using the Powercab throttle engines moved but lost horn function and headlights. More ominous was when I tried to use another throttle to control the train, it took off at full speed and didn’t respond to the throttle. Tried suing the “old style” consist option. Entered in addresses using the Powercab, this time it assigned the consist the number of the lead locomotive which I believe is normal and it performed normally. Bell, horn, lights, everything functioned. However when the train reached a section of the layout that was beyond the reach of the Powercab (it’s on a 6 foot cord) and I tried to use another cab (NCE POWER PRO Cab-06) things went downhill. I entered the consist number but the throttle didn’t seem to understand it was a consist and contolled the lead engine and left the trailing engine unpowered, just dead weight for the lead engine to try to pull. Interesting, is a loco issue, a throttle issue, or a little of both.
One of the posters who replied to you stated that you need to consist on the track / layout you will be running on, not the program track since its separate from the layout. The consist number is stored in the NCE PH PRO system you are running the train on. The Power CAB will only work on its own system/unit. You can’t take it from one system to another with the same consist, or any consist for that matter. You will be dead in the water. I learned that a couple years ago; just forgot to take it out of consist on my layout to bring to someone else’s layout.
Tried that. Maybe the simple answer is they were never designed to work in this manner. Perhaps the people who designed the decoders never thought that someone would consist two sound equipped locomotives together. At least not the inexpensive type of decoder this is. Maybe you can consist several Bachman engines together, but only one can be sound equipped. Perhaps the cost was a factor and that feature wasn’t included. When I bought them, it was actually cheaper to buy two sound equipped engines then to buy just one sound equipped engine and then another DCC ready one and buy a seperate decoder. At worst I hoped I could disable all the sound functions on one of the engines and just use it as a trailing engine without sound. Basically just headlights was all I needed for one of the engines. Maybe I can contact Bachman directly for some answers.
I have a few saved searches on eBay I use to keep me informed when something I’m looking for gets listed. All of them include “-bachmann” to exclude them from my results.
That is indeed the case. DCC doesn’t know which is the lead engine, so you have to program the CV’s on each engine to tell them their position within the consist, or which functions are active in the consist. Soundtraxx is the later. I would grab a copy of their DCC manual and read through the CV list. It will solve many of your issues.
IF you are having issues getting the consist to run, directly program the consist number of each trian into CV19. And if the train is running backwards, add 128.
Then just type in 112 into the address on the NCE controller. If I remember correctly NCE makes you specify if you want short address or long when the value < 128. Be sure to use SHORT address.
BTW: Not all mfg’s accept 3 digit consist address. Some only allow you to go to 99. I like to use the last two digits on my lead en
Well, perhaps you can enlighten me on how to correctly build the consist. A number of people have offered me suggestions on how to solve the issue and to them I’m truly gratefu. This is my first experience with Bachman DCC/sound equipped locomotives. As I said previously, by themselves they function very well and I’m quite pleased. However, based on my experience with other brands of locomotives I’ve never experienced this issue and I have exhausted my somewhat limited knowledge on the subject. So, that being said, if you have some knowledge or information that would be helpful I would be delighted to hear it.