Hmmmm. DDA40 now with sound???

[spookshow]

I'm assuming the reason is that most people don't care about such things, buy the models anyway, and are happy with them. Which (of course) causes no end of annoyance to the perfectionists. IE, "it wouldn't require any more effort/expense to just get it right, so why not do that and make me happy too?!?!"

Sorry, I have no answer for that last question. Perfectionists are apparently doomed to their misery 

Cheers,
-Mark

[nkalanaga]

Jason:  Interesting.  Is this the first sound-equipped loco to come with dual sound?  E units should have it, but I've never heard it mentioned.

[peteski]

I'm assuming the reason is that most people don't care about such things, buy the models anyway, and are happy with them. Which (of course) causes no end of annoyance to the perfectionists. IE, "it wouldn't require any more effort/expense to just get it right, so why not do that and make me happy too?!?!"

Sorry, I have no answer for that last question. Perfectionists are apparently doomed to their misery 

Cheers,
-Mark

Mark, my frustraton is with the fact that they the new DDA40 has been designed from scratch, using components which would have allowed for it to be closer to its true dimensions. Yet they chose to invest (waste) all their development money for a model which is still quite incorrect.  I just don't get it.

If I make a model which has some inaccuracies and later on I find components which would allow me to make that same model more accurate, assuming that I decide to remake my model, I will make it as accurate as I can utilizing the new components.   Doesn't that make sense?  Bachmann for some reason didn't quite do that.

[spookshow]

Sorry Pete, I really have no answer for you. Next time you run into a Bachmann rep, I suggest you corral them and find out just why it is that they don't strive for greater accuracy in their models. I'm sure they love that kind of thing 

Cheers,
-Mark

[Catt]

Sorry Pete, I really have no answer for you. Next time you run into a Bachmann rep, I suggest you corral them and find out just why it is that they don't strive for greater accuracy in their models. I'm sure they love that kind of thing 

Mark, the problem with doing that is most Bachmann reps seem to have no clue about any Bachmann product except for the current one they are trying to sell.

[spookshow]

Mark, the problem with doing that is most Bachmann reps seem to have no clue about any Bachmann product except for the current one they are trying to sell.

No doubt. I was just making a joke 

Cheers,
-Mark

[peteski]

  I would never dream of asking a Bachmann sales rep about what was in the Chinese engineer's head when he worked on redesigning this loco.   But I can safely assume that it wasn't prototype accuracy. Yes, I know, it was a joke.

Big problem is that most of the people designing train models don't have a clue about the the prototype they are modeling.  They have no knowledge or experience with real trains and they have never seen the 1:1 scale version of the model they are designing. That results in the models not being accurate.  Some companies hire consultants (like Charlie Vlk), to work with the designers in China and assist them in making the model accurate. But I don't think Bachmann had any assistance on this model. 

Actually, same problem exists for all models designed and manufactured in China.   Trumpeter made several model kits of American cars which are quite inaccurate.  Then there are companies where the design is done in USA and only the manufacturing takes place in China. Those models are usually much more accurate, again,  because the engineers designing the molds are familiar with the 1:1 scale items they are modeling (and often they actually have the 1:1 item at their disposal, to fondle it). 

[Robbman]

Then there are companies where the design is done in USA and only the manufacturing takes place in China. Those models are usually much more accurate, again,  because the engineers designing the molds are familiar with the 1:1 scale items they are modeling (and often they actually have the 1:1 item at their disposal, to fondle it). 

Having fondled many a TopGon... you get dirty after a while. 

[peteski]

Having fondled many a TopGon... you get dirty after a while.

NICE! 

[u18b]

So.  Does anyone have one yet?

one seller shows them "in stock."
another does not have them listed.

And Walthers went from  (Adv Res- In transit)  to ... Unknown.

Did they come in and sell out?

[peteski]

Did they come in and sell out?

At the discounted price they were being sold for I wouldn't be surprised. After all, they had a real Tsunami sound decoder (not a basic Digitrax sound decoder, or some generic low-end Bachmann decoder).

[Nato]

          My Evaluation so far. They look pretty good, though I must agree with Peteski that they do not compare to the look or details of the one brass Centennial locomotive I have that was done by Overland in the mid 1970's. Unfortunately that model had a poor drive train, Overland sent out replacement kits for the drive components which at least made them run. On the Bachmann model the red lettering and striping appears to be a bit dark, one could decal over these, for detail hounds the cab arm rests should be gray, the green nose color looks too dark. performance wise they run nicely on DC and if you find just the right speed range you get the bell ringing. Yes the double engine sound is there.I will know more about DCC after I run mine at a train show next weekend. Functions include different horns, air release sound, bell. The headlights on both ends dim based on direction of travel. The yellow gumball light works when running. My biggest complaint, shallow truck side frame detail combined with the silver paint makes them look very flat, weathering wash to bring out details would help. The speaker in the bottom of the fuel tank is nicely air tight sealed. On a 1-10 scale I would give the model an 8. Nate Goodman (Nato).

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

I ran one today at the club. Its sound is of good quality. I could not hear 2 different engine sounds, but maybe I just couldn't notice it. It sounds like an SD40 so I guess that is right. It ran smooth, I did not have a train to run behind it so I don't know how well it pulls.