This review is on Bachmann’s HO scale Spectrum 0-6-0T switcher.[:D]
Bachmann did a great job of packing just about every detail and feature possible into this little engine. All the major parts are cast very finely, with nice, clean detail all around. There is a fine seam going across the top of the boiler, water jacket and domes, but it’s not enough to make the engine look bad. The handrails and piping are fine blackened wire, which look better than plastic parts, and are also much durable. The bell and whistle are brass parts, which help give a more realistic look to the engine. The front, rear, and cab steps are finely molded black plastic parts. They can be removed to make changing the couplers or removing the boiler easier. The coupler lift bars are movable blackened wire parts, and look very good. The pilot beams have detailed wood grain cast into them. The cab has a full interior with crew, which looks very nice. The boiler backhead helps hide the drive mechanism, and the rest of the gearing is in the firebox, making the whole drive hidden completely.[:D] The wheels are all metal and look excellent, with blackened nickel rims and RP-25 flanges. The siderods, crossheads, and crosshead guides are all detailed blackened nickel parts. The firebox is part of the diecast metal frame, and except for the gear pins, it looks great with clean, even rivet detail. The coal load looks pretty good and has a gloss finish. The lighting is directional, and instead of putting light bulbs in the light housings directly, Bachmann used light bars to completely hide their presence.[:D] The front light is in the middle of the boiler, and the rear light is under the cab floorboard. The paint is all very smooth and sharp, with clean separation between colors all around. The lettering is also very sharp and contrasts nicely with the black paint,
Excellent review. I agree completely that Bachmann did a superb job with this locomotive. I have three undecs. that I’m detailing, and they all run beautifully and look even better.
The 0-6-0T has a pretty low frame that extends almost the entire length of the engine. The way it’s designed doesn’t really allow for modification, so converting it to a 2-6-2 would be extremely difficult. And if you want to keep all the detail, it’s pretty much impossible.
Any idea of any possible conversion? How bout adding piston valves, new valve gear, lengthen the tank, heighten the fuel box? Anything, I’d really like to buy this engine, but I can’t stand it when I have the same engine as 1000+ other people out there.
Get a Precision Scale Co catalog if you are serious about changing the way this loco looks. I have bought those catalogs twice over the past twenty years for reference. They have brass and plastic super detail parts. I usually call direct and order over the phone as some LHS’s can take time getting parts from them.
You can also do an advnced search of Walther’s for the part. The manufacturer number is, 585 for PSC.
The prototype was an Alco ‘catalog’ loco - a stock design that they could whip out for a customer without having to do any fancy planning. As such, it was probably sold to several dozen (or hundred) industrial/mining operations without significant difference other than the name on the tank, the number on the cab side and the color of grunge accumulated in operation.
Just looking at mine:
Has a coal bunker with depleted supply. Oil tank would be an easy installation.
Has oil-burning lights. Could cut off the top vents, install a turbogenerator behind steam dome and convert to electric lights.
Small sand domes could be cut off and larger sand boxes (with proper lids) installed. Or the existing domes could be given the proper lids they don’t have now.
Needs safety valves - mine didn’t come with any!!!
Enlarging on turbogenerator - move bell behind steam dome, mount generator behind stack.
Install an outside throttle link, like the one on the Russian decapod - lever on the side of the steam dome, rod to cab.
Install a decent-size air compressor- the stock model is the smallest ever made. Also needs air cooling coils.
Install drifting valves or lubrication cups on tops of slide valve boxes.
Cut off slide valve chests and install aftermarket outside-admission piston valves, retaining Stephenson valve gear.
Installing a more modern valve gear would involve moving air tanks under the cab, but it could be done. OTOH, the long main rod would call for a long eccentric rod, and probably wouldn’t have been done by a prototype owner. Even without that, any or
I have the PDF from a Yahoo Group about DCC and sound in one of these but cannot post it here. The document belongs to the person who did it. You “might” find it in a Google search. The person used a SoundTraxx 090LC decoder but the SoundTraxx Micro Tsunami would work also. The Micro is a little smaller than the LC.
You will need experience for this install. It is not plug and play. I requires modifying the loco frame.
With the small speaker, you will have to do a lot with the sound CV’s to get decent sound.
Newby here and I need help. I have the Spectrum 0-6-0T DCC ready and have had a “challenge.” In trying to install the decoder, some of the factory installed wires came unsoldered. Bachmann doesn’t have a wiring guide, except to install a decoder, and trying to find images with a clear enough picture to figure out where the factory soldered wires go is not happening. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
When you attack a DCC loco, you just have to know what you are doing. Understanding the DCC wiring format. Some attempt to do this, working at the component level when not totally understanding the basics. The NMRA came up with a standard many years ago.
I would never attempt to change engine or maybe a transmission on a car without understanding the basics. Sure makes sense. Car manufactures will not put that info in a manual.
