Bachmann's Geep

[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..