Bachmann's Geep

[faraway]

....B'mann's REAL market is in the near-toy sector, so analog offerings are their bread & butter...

Gus, that was also my understanding of Bachmann's business model and it is also the reason why I was so surprised to get some Bachmann engines with decoders only. The new S4 is also not available in a plain DC version. I think the 45tons switcher had the decoder integrated in the PCB. May be it happened by chance but I think Bachmann tries to push entry level DCC down close to the toys market. However, you are right the far majority of Bachmann models are offered in plain DC version.

[Schraddel]

O.k. take a look here:

DC version, DCC ready:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=3853">http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/ ... uctId=3853</a><!-- m -->
DCC sound version:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=3859">http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/ ... uctId=3859</a><!-- m -->
Also the ALCO FA-1 / FB-1 are now offered either as DC versions which are DCC ready or DCC sound versions.
There is defintely a change in their offering politics.

And their 45-ton has an intergrated decoder on the main PCB. But this is also a decoder of the "generation digital stone age".
But as a luck they made provisions to install a better decoder. On the mainboard there ist a row of small drillings (aka Sollbruchstelle) were you can cut the part of the PCB, which contains the decoder, off. Also there are small soldering pads on the remaining main PCB. For this you can easy refit an new decoder by hard wiring. There is enough space for an N-Gauge decoder to fit.

My 2 cent

Lutz

[Brakie]

....B'mann's REAL market is in the near-toy sector, so analog offerings are their bread & butter...

Gus, that was also my understanding of Bachmann's business model and it is also the reason why I was so surprised to get some Bachmann engines with decoders only. The new S4 is also not available in a plain DC version. I think the 45tons switcher had the decoder integrated in the PCB. May be it happened by chance but I think Bachmann tries to push entry level DCC down close to the toys market. However, you are right the far majority of Bachmann models are offered in plain DC version.

As I mention a lot of their older locomotives(see my reply to Gus) are now in the "DCC On Board" line.

I agree Bachmann is pushing entry level engines with DCC and now sound with the S4.

I wouldn't be surprise if they sound equip their GP7 and RS3 seeing how popular the S4 is.

This must be worrisome to Atlas and Athearn with their high dollar DCC/Sound locomotives after all if one does some old fashion modeling and add grabs and mu hoses to that GP7 and RS3 they will have a nice looking engine for 1/3 the street price of the higher dollar locomotives with DCC/Sound..

[sailormatlac]

This must be worrisome to Atlas and Athearn with their high dollar DCC/Sound locomotives after all if one does some old fashion modeling and add grabs and mu hoses to that GP7 and RS3 they will have a nice looking engine for 1/3 the street price of the higher dollar locomotives with DCC/Sound..

Yep, this is why I think there's still future to old time modelling... it's all about getting an enough decent price for crafty folks to bite. They did it with their steam engines years ago and now are doing the same with diesels.

Matt

[faraway]

The Details West HS-103 SP light set arrived. I decided not to rework the internals of the Bachmann GP to illuminate the lower two lights but drilled holes into the two oscillating headlights. Their position matches the Bachmann light fibers in the hood. The ugly white stuff is Kristal Klear to imitate lenses. It will be opaque tomorrow.
Both engines are daily in use and I still like them a lot.

[faraway]

Kurt posted a photo of his beautiful Corman GP9 in O scale some weeks ago. I wanted to do that with a spare Bachmann Geep. The Corman decals arrived yesterday and work started and went well until this morning when the shell got the thin dull coat layer....
I got the red paint can in another shop and from another brand than all my other paint yesterday. The old dull coat did dissolve the red paint and it is the most dull possible and the surface is full of tiny cracks
There are so many prototype engines with dull paint and looking run down but this Corman series has been freshly repainted and should really shine in the sun :x
I gave it a try and added a layer of gloss coat. The engine became more glossy but all the tiny cracks became very much visible too.

I am done for today...

photo taken before the gloss layer has been applied.


glossy cracked roof.....

[ChuckC]

Good old fashion "Orange Peel" Reminds me of Lacquer over Enamel.

[Russ Bellinis]

I think it is some sort of chemical reaction of the dull coat on the original red paint. Obviously there is a compatibility issue. I think you will need to strip the paint and start over. The flaws are in the base coat and since the gloss coat and dull coat are clears, they won't hide the cracking.

[faraway]

I think it is some sort of chemical reaction of the dull coat on the original red paint. Obviously there is a compatibility issue. I think you will need to strip the paint and start over. The flaws are in the base coat and since the gloss coat and dull coat are clears, they won't hide the cracking.

Russ, yes the dull coat did heavy react with the red paint. Chuck is right with "of Lacquer over Enamel". I operated the engine all day and have some good news: The engine is fine with my eyesight as long as I keep a distance of at least 1'. That is no problem for me during normal operation
I have another spare Bachmann GP9 that will become a Corman too. But I can not remove the handrails on that one. They are glued in place like hell. I am concerned how to paint the gray walkways.

ps. That is it what I see switching with the faulty Geep. It is not a problem to use the engine on the layout as long as I do not have a closer look at it.

[faraway]

Primer and red paint went well. I am glad hand painting of the gray walkways went well too although the handrails could not been removed. The engine and I will rest until tomorrow morning.

[faraway]

And here sister with a healthy young skin.

[Brakie]

Reinhard,She's beautiful.

Some fun facts.

The 9007 worked Corman's Western Ohio lines back in the mid 90s..At that time she was painted in the "Red/Silver/Black scheme.She is Ex-B&O 6533.

[faraway]

Reinhard,She's beautiful.

Some fun facts.

The 9007 worked Corman's Western Ohio lines back in the mid 90s..At that time she was painted in the "Red/Silver/Black scheme.She is Ex-B&O 6533.

That old lady is still active http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPic...id=2590893 and got a new red dress too.
While not really correct for that particular engine do I look at Corman's operation south of Memphis, TN of the TN Terminal line serving a nice industry area made of shoe boxes close to a small airport. Two old Geep can be found via Google waiting for work.

I think the Corman GP9 without a chopped nose and the new simplified paint scheme are a great gift to us model railroaders with small layout and preference of modern times but still loving old geeps. It is hard to find other old geeps that can be modified so easy to fit a modern layout. The scattered short lines operated by Corman make it also easy to find a not prototypical but acceptable reason to have them on my layout.
The Bachmann geeps are a welcome base for that modification. Although the handrails could not be removed on my GP9s as it was easy possible on the GP7 (used for my SP models) is it possible to paint the walkway by hand with a brush. The new all red paint scheme without the wide silver band behind the handrails is welcome too! The smooth run with a quality DCC decoder is a real gem in that price category.
I am thinking about doing the 9002 and 9010 too. The 9010 runs long nose ahead, at least has the long nose the "F" on all photos I could find. The 9002 has two silver equipment boxes at the front handrail for radio control. That looks interesting too.

I love shortlines!

[Brakie]

Reinhard,I think Lucius Beebe had it right when he said "A short line is such a down home thing".I couldn't agree more.


While living in Kenton,Oh in '96 I visited R.J.Corman's Western Ohio lines once a week and was impress with the operation and at that time 9010 (Ex B&O 6523) was working as the plant switcher(Corman offers plant switching services) at BP oil refinery in Lima.

If you haven't guess by now I'm a big fan of R.J.Corman.

[faraway]

Reinhard,I think Lucius Beebe had it right when he said "A short line is such a down home thing".I couldn't agree more.


While living in Kenton,Oh in '96 I visited R.J.Corman's Western Ohio lines once a week and was impress with the operation and at that time 9010 (Ex B&O 6523) was working as the plant switcher(Corman offers plant switching services) at BP oil refinery in Lima.

If you haven't guess by now I'm a big fan of R.J.Corman.

Looks like the 9010 has been retired. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPic...x?id=65923

This photo http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/picture...R1-15b.jpg shows the front of the 9002 with the two remote control boxes. I am under the impression they are not permanent mounted but "hang" only at the front hand rails. There is also only one more photo of the 9002 with the boxes. Other photos of the 9002 in the new plain red scheme show the engine without the boxes.
I know UP used older gray GE engine bodies for remote control purposes in the LA area (I guess they have their roots at SP). The two boxes used by Corman look much smarter to me. The boxes have their own independent yellow light and a horn. Are there other examples of mobile devices attached to engines for remote control?