Bachmann Announcements DCC/Sound J611 and more . . .

[MK]

What a very nice gesture Ian!!!!!!! 

To think that you were the one that set this kid to a hobby for life.  He must have been grinning ear to ear.  I mentor 17 year olds at the local high school's robotics club and at that age and the money they make, that is if they are working at all with all the after school activities, I don't know how any of them can afford the new stuff that is coming out.

Bravo sir!   

[learmoia]

Well.. in all fairness, the SD9 was in a flood or some form of moisture.. the entire mechanism was all gunked up and seased.. (I pulled it all apart and cleaned it up, and it now runs like new.. the motor still worked but I may have replaced it.. I cant remember.. I rebuilt it several months ago).. I retested it before I shipped it.

The NW I had in the repaint box to become NYC, but he mentioned NW as one of his favorite roads anad I had 6 other locos in that box to paint..

I figured they would mean more to him than they would to me..

The guy lives in Illinois so maybe he'll run into the LHS at a show.. (I included a card for the shop..)

~Ian..

[Nato]

                   :|Whoo Whoo! Bachmann has finally decided to add DCC and yes even Sound to the N&W J. I guess I will have to get one, also probably another EM1 with sound. Nate Goodman (Nato). 

[peteski]

                   :|Whoo Whoo! Bachmann has finally decided to add DCC and yes even Sound to the N&W J. I guess I will have to get one, also probably another EM1 with sound. Nate Goodman (Nato). 

Well, I just looked at my "J"  and aux. tender combo set I bought 9 years ago (at closeout price of $109 from BLW), and its tender already had a round speaker grille molded in the floor. So even back then they contemplated DCC sound.

One thing that bothers me on the current "J" when compared to the original plastic-shell one is the nose cone profile.  There is something odd about it. The original plastic shell nose cone looked better to me (but I'm not expert on that loco).

[Mark5]

One thing that bothers me on the current "J" when compared to the original plastic-shell one is the nose cone profile.  There is something odd about it. The original plastic shell nose cone looked better to me (but I'm not expert on that loco).

Personally, I'd say the 21st century version of the shell (including the nose) is much better than the previous incarnation (I've owned the 1980s Bmann, Sunset brass, all of which I ditched for the 21st century Bmann version).

Mark

[peteski]

Personally, I'd say the 21st century version of the shell (including the nose) is much better than the previous incarnation (I've owned the 1980s Bmann, Sunset brass, all of which I ditched for the 21st century Bmann version).

Mark

Yeah, I most likely just got used to the look of the older (inaccurate?) plastic shell nose, so the new one just looks off to me.

[basementcalling]

I'd argue Bachmann may actually drive people out of the market. Poor quality leads to frustration with the hobby, and while some people undoubtedly tinker and fix issues and stay involved and eventually upgrade, I wonder how many starter sets or cheap engines get put back in a box and slid under a bed, or simply tossed in the trash after a few years collecting dust?

Someone posted earlier about test running any unit they buy from Bachmann, and I agree wholeheartedly. 

And their warrantee policy of replacing your unit you send in with any other available engine as making good is like taking your pet to the vet only to be given a totally different animal when you come to pick up your cat or dog.