Found a decent price on a Bachmann Russian Decapod 2-10-0 and 4-6-0. Any opinions from those of you who have either of these? Thanks.
Tom
I have the Ma and Pa 4-6-0 It is a keeper. It does not run much but when it does it runs well. I will be installing DCC and Sound into it. I did own the Russian Decapod but sold it off for seed money towards a 2-10-0 L1 from PCM. That Decapod does ok but think a bigger and beefier engine will serve the railroad well.
That 4-6-0 is a lil sweetheart. Crack the throttle a little bit and off it goes smoothly.
Sounds great!
Do you have an idea how easy it is to install a DCC chip and the speaker? [?] I’d love to see a post of how you did it.[:p]
Thanks!
Tom,
Both are top notch, and small. The 2-10-0 was 52" drivers, in is actually smaller than a Spectrum or Bowser 2-8-0. The prototype “Russian” has less than half the tractive effort of the PRR I1.
You mean I1. The L1 was a 2-8-2, about the same as a USRA Heavy 2-8-2, except for the Belpaire firebox.
Yes I did mean the I1 sorry.
I am not sure about the install in that very small tender. Am seriously considering having that work sent out. It will probably get the Tusnami Light steam decoder and speaker if I can find one that small.
I’ve got both and fitting sound is possible but tight. If you search previous threads there are a details on fitting tsunamis to these engines in the last couple of months as well. I would recommend the soundtraxx tsunami for the options and sound quality. Download the installation and Steam programming instructions from their website and you’ll be guided through very well. It’s a lot of pages but well written and includes how to test your loco wiring.
good luck
Paul
Just be sure to test drive them before purchase. I had to audition 7 of the 4-6-0’s to get 4 keepers, there are iffy ones out there. Problems included headlights out, non-runners, and out of quarter drivers, plus cosmetic problems with the paint and finish. Once you wade through the chaff, the good ones are very nice.
I think I got one of the “iffy” 4-6-0s. When it starts moving it runs smooth, but it starts at about 20 smph. Can’t throttle it back down, either. I haven’t worked on the mechanism yet, though. Maybe when I tune it it will show better slow-speed characteristics. Meanwhile, I’ve learned to test-drive all Spectrum steam (this is my first one).
How were you able to audtioin them? My Local Hobby Shop would have a FIT if I asked him to put several copies of a engine for me to pick and choose.
Sorry to hear about the iffy ones. My BLI T1 was that way (Big engine big problems LOL) but it got fixed right.
Strange - I have one of the ‘high boiler’ versions of the 4-6-0 and it runs sweet. Several friends also have various versions and they all run great. Mine has a Soundtraxx LC decoder in it and sounds good.
Jim
The Grizzly Northern operates three “Russians”, three 2-8-0 Consolidations, a 3-truck Shay and just entring service a 2-10-2 Santa Fe, all Bachmann Spectrums, (plus a Life Like Proto 0-8-0). I’m happy with them all. The Spectrums are good value for money.
You’ll find photos of them at the modelrailroadphotos.com link below.
[:)]
I have 3 of the “Russians” and have no problems with them. The real Russians were good engines for a shortline with light rail and weak bridges. That’s why the shortline I’m modeling had 10 of them. They had an old wooden bridge with light weight limits, and needed more tractive effort without overloading the bridge. The Russians joined a few old Consolidations, and (I think) a Ten-Wheeler. I remember seeing an old timetable that instructed train crews not to operate the crane and a few other cars over that bridge without permission and authority from the section foreman (or something like that).
On my line, I have a mine branchline that crosses a covered bridge, and has similar weight restrictions. So, my Spectrum 2-10-2 is off-limits for that bridge. So, I can run a 44-tonner or an SW1, or even the F units or RS3’s. I’ve imposed a limit of 110 tons on the bridge at a time, so heavy locomotives must go across one at a time, and must use an empty car as an idler to avoid overloading the bridge. The Russians weighed in at about 105 tons (engine only), so a speed restriction would also be in order.
Brad
We have a very good bunch of guys working at the local Hobbytown USA here, all long time modelers with a handfull of options for any question you ask, and a large area devoted to model trains only.
I always ask to see a loco run before purchase, and they have a nice DC/DCC/?? test track set up, it’s never a problem. The head guy has a knack for making customers happy. When you order items, he often picks up a couple for the store at the same time. I’m pretty sure he did some hard core net searching to find the passenger cars I needed, and it was his idea to order three of the ten-wheelers when two orders came in dysfunctional. He sent back an NYC unit that didn’t run at all, a Southern unit with a bad headlight, and set the third of the three unit order out on the floor after I took two of them, where it was gone in about a week.
I buy everything there except for out of production stuff that he doesn’t have a mechanism to get, because it’s become clear to me that a hobby store like this is not something to be taken lightly. Many times I’ll walk in there and find things I need that I know are not in their usual stock, they’ve ordered items not in my name but things they know I need all the same. Listening to some o
Every hobby shop I have purchased a locomotive in has had a test track and was willing to test the loco I was interested in before I plunked out my hard earned cash.