I got one of Bachmann's new DCC equipped Geeps as a base for possible kit bashing. The price is therefor key.

The engine is quite nice done. Painting, handrails etc. are well done. No grab irons etc. You may do it your self. Kadee whisker couplers fit without any problems. The lamps are LED with a very soft light orange tone. But not the ugly yellow or cold blue.
The Bachmann DCC decoder is great controlling the lamps but has no clue how to handle a motor I replaced it (8-pin socket) with my preferred Zimo MX630 decoder. That is a good match. The engine runs fine after 15 minutes break in in each direction . Somewhat better than older Athearn RTR but can't fight Atlas etc.

To remove the shell you need to a) remove the screw and tank from the bottom b) remove two screws under the tank (they do not hold the motor) c) the couplers as usual. No problem.

In my opinion the engine is worth the price.

Thanks, it's good to see a clear, close-up photo. On other forums, they don't even seem to be happy with the new Athearns, whether they've fixed the vents or not, and Bachmann -- fugeddaboutit! Great to see a more informed opinion.

Is there a spot in the fuel tank for a speaker???

kamerad47 Wrote:Is there a spot in the fuel tank for a speaker???

Yes, the speaker will go into the bottom.


A detail of the roof. The blowers are quite simple. The dyn. break is clever implemented. It is a simple clip on part but looks fine when put in place.

I think I am going to buy one of these! (Well, maybe two....).

Chuck

Faraway, I second your review. Once your get rid of that weird decoder, you get yourself a dantastic loco for detailling project. I recently purchased a Canadian National one. Though the colors are a litle bit of, it's still a good buy (anyway, I'll have to extensively redetail it).

The fact grabirons aren't include is very nice to model different prototype without having to scrap existing details.

@Chuck, it's worth the price.New Bachmann offerings are getting better and better these days. My most recent Bachmann were a pair of Chinese 2-10-2 QJ from the 2010 release (last summer total impulse buy). I didn't have time to install decoder until yesterday... Wow! Probably among the best steamers I ever bought (thought they don't pull as much as one could expect), details is great, nice control and first of all, excellent breakdown: tender pop out as easily as opening a pills bottle. I wish my U-2-g was as easy to handle.

Matt

Those are my two Bachmann Rio Grande in the shop (I ordered a second one after the first one run so well). I could not find any SP Geeps with bloody nose. Looks like only very old Athearn blue box have been made. That was the trigger to give the Bachmann Geeps a try.

Bachmann was thrifty with glue. Everything could be disassembled without doing serious damage. The handrails at the steps need to pushed from the back. They break if you pull them out of the hole. How do I know.....

The long weight under the PCB is also the upper support for the trucks. It is quite different from P2K, Atlas, Athearn etc. It can not be removed / cut off easy to do a chopped nose version. That would need some more investigation.

For what it's worth, the chop nose on SP were Phase III, with 48 inch fans and late battery box covers, so you'd have to do more work on the Bachmann shell anyhow. I'm pretty sure P2K did these, though you'd have to upgrade the drive if you went that route.

jwb Wrote:For what it's worth, the chop nose on SP were Phase III, with 48 inch fans and late battery box covers, so you'd have to do more work on the Bachmann shell anyhow. I'm pretty sure P2K did these, though you'd have to upgrade the drive if you went that route.

I am thinking about the FCEN 60. The 48" fans are on order for that engine. The so very typical lights for the SP Geep are on order too. However, I did use a GP7 for SP GP9 rebuild. All the details are wrong...
Funny thing is I did watch US, UK and German ebay for several month. Only one very old blue box bloody nose popped up on UK ebay. I did also expect to find a P2K Geep with bloody nose very soon.

That Southern GP7 and RS3 is very tempting-very,very,very tempting.

Thanks for the photos-they spoke a thousand words.



As a PS..Does those geeps have a 8 pin socket?

Reinhard,Apologies(see my comment)

Anybody ,is the RS3 the same?

If you all decide on buying B'mann locos...Get the DCC Ready version...NOT the DCC Onboard. This will save you the cost of a decoder you will be throwing away, and replacing with a real one....

Larry, the decoder has to be put in the 8-pin connector. You can see it on my last photo

Gus, that is very true but Bachmann changed it policy and some engines (e.g. the Geep) are only with DCC or with sound available. No pure DC version is offered. I do use old Bachmann decoders in dummys to switch the lights and in locomotives that have a strong warning to be sure to isolate both sides of the motor from the chassis as a test vehicle.

ps. My comment about possible low nose kit bashing with the Bachmann Geep was a generic comment for someone who intents to do try it with any railroad version. You should know that some more than shell rework will be required. I did not think about my SP version in that context.

Reinhard,Thanks! I have a plug and play DCC/Sound decoder in mind that will work with my Tech 6.

faraway Wrote:Larry, the decoder has to be put in the 8-pin connector. You can see it on my last photo

Gus, that is very true but Bachmann changed it policy and some engines (e.g. the Geep) are only with DCC or with sound available. No pure DC version is offered. I do use old Bachmann decoders in dummys to switch the lights and in locomotives that have a strong warning to be sure to isolate both sides of the motor from the chassis as a test vehicle.

ps. My comment about possible low nose kit bashing with the Bachmann Geep was a generic comment for someone who intents to do try it with any railroad version. You should know that some more than shell rework will be required. I did not think about my SP version in that context.

That may be true with that particular GP version, but there are a LOT of GP's available for analog operation. Check this out...
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s8.cgi?cat_s=UBC&mfg_s=bac&p=3">http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s8.cgi ... _s=bac&p=3</a><!-- m -->

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

Steamtrains Wrote:

faraway Wrote:Larry, the decoder has to be put in the 8-pin connector. You can see it on my last photo

Gus, that is very true but Bachmann changed it policy and some engines (e.g. the Geep) are only with DCC or with sound available. No pure DC version is offered. I do use old Bachmann decoders in dummys to switch the lights and in locomotives that have a strong warning to be sure to isolate both sides of the motor from the chassis as a test vehicle.

ps. My comment about possible low nose kit bashing with the Bachmann Geep was a generic comment for someone who intents to do try it with any railroad version. You should know that some more than shell rework will be required. I did not think about my SP version in that context.

That may be true with that particular GP version, but there are a LOT of GP's available for analog operation. Check this out...
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s8.cgi?cat_s=UBC&mfg_s=bac&p=3">http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s8.cgi ... _s=bac&p=3</a><!-- m -->

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

Perhaps at one time now even the older GP30,GP35,GP38-2,GP40,SD40-2,Dash 8 40CW and SD45 has been upgraded to DCC on board.