Rumors of Bachmann N Scale K4

[eric220]

I sure hope so.  The Soundtraxx Sound Value decoder in their HO K4s has 3 choices, the Banshee, a Reading 6-chime and a Baldwin B4g (whatever that means).  From what I've found in research, the Banshee would not be correct for PRR passenger locomotives however.   Testing the sounds make me think that the Baldwin might be a close approximation of the PRR 3-chime passenger whistle.[/url]"

The Baldwin (http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/tsunami/playsound.php?s=sw1 ) sounds like it might be a 3-chime. I couldn't find any information on it either, but it's certainly a heck of a lot closer to a PRR 3-chime than the banshee. The Reading 6-chime isn't even close.

Edit: found it. The Baldwin B-4G is the class of narrow gauge consolidation that included Georgetown Loop #40 and #44. My guess is one of them provided the recording.  Compare to:

Versus PRR 3-chime:

[Dave V]

Alright, I've had some time to cool down...

So, a little perspective...  The locomotive we've been begging for for untold years is finally coming with sound already installed, and we're upset about the whistle and the chuff.  Got it.

That said, it is a little irksome that Bachmann got halfway between third and home by providing a real Pennsy whistle option...just the wrong one.  Good to know their decoder has a Banshee for future reference.  OTOH, the Baldwin whistle is a bit too high-pitched for a K4 and is evocative of a much smaller engine.

So, serious question...  There are proper Pennsy 3-chime sound bytes out there (Loksound for the BLI stuff).  Is it at all possible to add a proper 3-chime to this decoder?

Obviously the other option for those seriously perturbed by this is to replace the decoder altogether.

I just wonder if, on that glorious day upon which I am running my K4 and M1 simultaneously, the differences in whistle pitches will bother me.

But seriously, this is such a minor concern.  We have a K4 coming and I won't have to try to hardwire a decoder in it.  That alone is gold.

As for the domes...  Yeah, a bit out of proportion, but it won't kill me.  Someone mentioned Bachmann designing N scale engines from the HO ones rather than prototype plans...I could see that happening and the dome thing being a result.  But compared to my ham-fisted homemade PRR steam, this is still way closer to prototype.

Now I'm going to lecture you as a moderator (and as a professor).  This thread contains a lot of what I consider the worst of our community (along with some of the best).  Knowledge is good...judgement is not so good.  Many of our members have complained or have threatened to leave because of the incessant negativity of a few.  If you find yourself salivating at the chance to point out every flaw and to piss all over the enthusiasm of others, I'm looking at you.  They're just model trains, for crap's sake.  You don't earn cool points by being able to point out that something's 3 scale inches too high.  Delivery is key.  And if minor flaws will spin you up rather than inspire you to improve upon them, then ask yourself if a "forum for modelers" is the right place for you.  This isn't a "forum for bitching about trains."

[strummer]

+1....

Mark in Oregon

[eric220]

After doing a little exploring, TCS WowSound has both a "PRR 3-chime" and a "PRR K4". Not sure if their decoder will fit at .66" wide and 1.35" long. They do not have a banshee, so it doesn't seem that there's a single sound decoder supplier out there for us.

The Baldwin whistle is definitely not a PRR 3-chime, but like I said, it's the closest of the three options. I'm going to try it and see if it's acceptable, especially once the M1 shows up, as Dave V pointed out. In the end, I only find the whistle thing mildly annoying, and almost funny. We can always swap decoders or go silent. Even going silent, this model is light-years ahead of the Minitrix model it replaces. My question is how many to buy, not whether to buy one.

[Dave V]

The more I think about this, since Soundtraxx doesn't have a PRR 3-chime in their catalog already, I don't see this as a foul.  Bachmann wanted an inexpensive off-the-shelf sound option for this and since they've been going with Soundtraxx, they got what they got.

That they do have a PRR whistle of any kind was probably good enough for their price point, rather than going with a different decoder or recording and digitizing new sounds (which, although might not have been much more expensive, would likely have delayed the product).

You know what?  I'm as SPF as anyone and I love the sound of a proper Pennsy 3-chime, but I'm giving the B-mann a pass on this.  Not because I'm a slobbering Bachmann fanboy (although doubtless some of you have concluded that) but because when you step back and look at it as the business call it was, it makes sense.  At least to me.

Frankly, on my little racetrack of a layout, I can only do sound for so long.

[nickelplate759]

Well, the only problem I see is that it is on Ernie Poole's layout and not mine.

Ok; Bachmann bashers.... please list in order of importance what was wrong with that K4 we just saw in the video...? Other than the fact that Bachmann makes it and it's oh so trendy to bash Bachmann.....

If you're going to bash that RTR locomotive I saw in the video then I don't know how to make you happy; seriously; after seeing that and with not one piece of hard evidence to say the model will be anything but successful, how can you critique the model? ...... Until people have one, and based on what we see on that video I think people better stow the Bachmann bashing.....

[jdcolombo]

For those of you interested in whistles, I just posted a new thread with a video in which I cycled through all 15 of the steam whistles in an ESU LokSound Select Micro, sound file #73817.

If you get tired of the Banshee, maybe one of these would float your boat.  Since all the wiring will be easily accessible in the tender, swapping decoders shouldn't be a big deal (and my experience with the Bachmann Berk is that the ESU will give you better overall performance and more consistent chuff matching).  YMMV.

John C.

[Dave V]

I love a Pennsy 3-chime, but I still think the most melodic whistle in American steam is the Reading 6.  Strasburg #90 has been singing with her RDG 6-chime for as long as I was old enough to say "choo-choo."

The Reading 6-chime evokes memories of my long-passed grandparents, summers in Lancaster County, long johns and sticky buns from Achenbach's Amish Bakery, sweet baloney on potato bread, the clip clop of an Amish buggy....sigh.

[OldEastRR]

All I can say about this big Bachmann K4 brouhaha is ,,,
THANKS, OBAMA!

[eric220]

The more I think about this, since Soundtraxx doesn't have a PRR 3-chime in their catalog already, I don't see this as a foul.  Bachmann wanted an inexpensive off-the-shelf sound option for this and since they've been going with Soundtraxx, they got what they got.

That they do have a PRR whistle of any kind was probably good enough for their price point, rather than going with a different decoder or recording and digitizing new sounds (which, although might not have been much more expensive, would likely have delayed the product).

You know what?  I'm as SPF as anyone and I love the sound of a proper Pennsy 3-chime, but I'm giving the B-mann a pass on this.  Not because I'm a slobbering Bachmann fanboy (although doubtless some of you have concluded that) but because when you step back and look at it as the business call it was, it makes sense.  At least to me.

Frankly, on my little racetrack of a layout, I can only do sound for so long.

As much as I hesitate to disagree, I think I've already crossed that bridge.  To me, the whistle is the signature sound of a sound decoder, especially for a road-specific model.  Based on what I've seen over at the Bachmann forum, this was a decision made by someone that was too lazy to do the research, and nothing more.  I can't give them a pass for that.

Still, as I've said, this is a minor, correctable issue.  I don't think it should stop anyone from enjoying this model that we've all been clamoring for for a long time.  I will enjoy mine regardless!

[Dave V]

I've not looked over at the Bachmann forum.  However, it's almost a given that they wouldn't change from their HO configuration which clearly also doesn't have a PRR 3-chime.

EDIT:  OK, I read their response.  Their guy "knows quite a bit about Eastern roads so it I'm sure it is a close as possible."  Sigh.   

Again, looks like the Baldwin whistle for me.

[peteski]

EDIT:  OK, I read their response.  Their guy "knows quite a bit about Eastern roads so it I'm sure it is a close as possible."  Sigh.   

I'm not bashing Bachmann - just stating something obvious: What you see there is Bachmann as usual. Nothing has changed - same attitude as they always had.  That attitude also affects the design, quality, and fidelity of their models.  Not just K4 specifically - all of their N scale products.  They are ok, but not great.

[Chris333]

Oh I got an email back about those 2-6-0 wheels I needed to make my loco work. "We have no parts for that model, you must send it in along with the receipt."
 

[reinhardtjh]

Oh I got an email back about those 2-6-0 wheels I needed to make my loco work. "We have no parts for that model, you must send it in along with the receipt."
 

If you look at the parts page, they don't even have it listed.  IIRC, Bachmann fills it's parts bin from returned locomotives so perhaps they haven't gotten any back to scavenge yet.  I bet if you send it back, they send you a whole new loco from stock.

[Blackout]

Im not bitching, but do the drivers seem undersized by a lot? Rust pained or plainface. It has the look more of an average pacific. Am I seeing this right?