I have a bunch of Bachmann sound value and never had a problem with the steamers, once got a lemon from the sound value diesels though, tried to get that one fixed by Bachmann and they should have just gave me a new one.
The truck arrangement is the all-time worst that I think has ever been – you could imagine the wrong ways to do trucks and these would still be worse. And there is no way to fix them other than replace them completely and adapt the tender floor to suit. We have had a number of discussions on various aspects of this Lovecraft-grade horror.
If you are willing to buy or make the appropriate superdetail parts, I also recommend the Mantua Pacific. I can still remember getting one at age 3 and being impressed by the proportions; I find, looking at it in storage a couple of weeks ago, it’s still attractive.
The Mantua loco is proportion wise, and detail wise (what there is) a very credible P7c as many of them appeared after the post war modernization.
They did reach a point where none of them were really the same, so the Mantua maybe best reflects 5317 as she looked around 1950.
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-s5317bhn.jpg
The cab is a little small, but other than that they do measure up pretty close.
Sheldon
I just won an auction on a BLI Pacific (Paragon 2). Should arrive Monday. Hopefully it will at least begin to address my needs.
Hey, that’s great. Keep us posted!
Simon
Mark,
I had a BLI P2 Pacific that ran great. I only sold it as I wanted a CNR speciic loco and that meant buying brass. If you need to do a decoder reset there is a small button in the tender but you have to press it and power up your system at the same time. It won’t work if you press it when the power is on. Just found that out with a mike I have.
CN Charlie