Bachmann Alco S-4 and 2-6-0

[Kiasutha]

I'd rather have a S2 anyways S4's are modern diesels to me 

Good one!
You ever go over & ride the "Oil Creek and Titusville"?
They have two S-2's there now...

[up1950s]

2" to 4" would not bother me. But as an example, I can easily see that Kato EMD hoods are too wide (SD40/45, SD40-2).

But I agree that folks should not be splitting hairs over as yet unseen models.

Here's a pic of the Bmann S courtesy model160: http://www.model160.com/n-scale-news-blog/nmra-2012-show-report/attachment/nmra2012-bachmann-alco-s4/

Mark

[Chris333]

Good one!
You ever go over & ride the "Oil Creek and Titusville"?
They have two S-2's there now...

I haven't been there. Even closer to me also with 2 Alcos (one is ex Erie) is the Astabula Carson & Jefferson RR:
http://www.acjrscenic.net/engines.htm

[Brakie]

Looks like my HO Atlas S4 don't ya think?




And according to the diesel gurus it has mistakes..

[up1950s]

Look at the different size brake cylinders , wonder if a piece is missing , or there was a clearance issue ?

[central.vermont]

Look at the different size brake cylinders , wonder if a piece is missing , or there was a clearance issue ?

Richie,
I think it's all there just might be a shadow I believe.

Jon

[rogergperkins]

I am disappointed that the discussion of the 2-6-0 that I started separately was merged with the discussion of both engines which is most about the S-4. It is very difficult to follow the issues I asked about the 2-6-0 and the replies. 

It is my understanding that installing a decoder in the Bachmann steam engines that do not come from the factory with a decoder does require some soldering.  All of the Bachmann steam engines I currently own that came with dual mode, have several wires running from the tender to the locomotive.  I believe this is because the decoder is in the tender.

[wazzou]

Just worse.   

Looks like my HO Atlas S4 don't ya think?

[Brakie]

Just worse.   

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder..

There are those that doesn't like the Atlas/Rocco S4 because the P2K Alco switchers are superior in detail.

When the Atlas S2 shows up I have no illusions of it looking any better or worst then  Bachman's S4 under normal layout viewing..

[Ian MacMillan]

I am disappointed that the discussion of the 2-6-0 that I started separately was merged with the discussion of both engines which is most about the S-4. It is very difficult to follow the issues I asked about the 2-6-0 and the replies. 

[Mod hat]Because it does not make sense to have two on going topics about the same topic...and your question is not specific to the 2-6-0 anyway.
Since you are so disappointed, and post such every time your posts are moved (which is 90% of them), and dont shoot the mod team a PM contrary to requests to do so, I'll post my reply here in the open...please feel free to shoot us a PM instead of posting every time about how disappointed you are. [/Mod hat]

Now, about your DCC question on B'mann steam that does not have a dual mode decoder:

There is a pad on the circuit board in the B'mann steam tenders that has 7 pads on where you solder the wires from the decoder. The instruction manual will state as such:

PCB Number:          1     |     2   |    4    |   5    |    6    |    7  |   8
DCC Color Wire: Orange | Yellow | Black | Grey | White | Blue | Red


I believe that the "DCC Ready" tenders have been that way since about 2008 (?)

[sizemore]

Now, about your DCC question on B'mann steam that does not have a dual mode decoder:

There is a pad on the circuit board in the B'mann steam tenders that has 7 pads on where you solder the wires from the decoder. The instruction manual will state as such:

PCB Number:          1     |     2   |    4    |   5    |    6    |    7  |   8
DCC Color Wire: Orange | Yellow | Black | Grey | White | Blue | Red


I believe that the "DCC Ready" tenders have been that way since about 2008 (?)

Additionally some boards have RF Filter/sheild which looks like resistor wrapped in copper core wire (reminds you of a coils) or heat shrink tubing. Often these need to be bypassed with a bus wire, to ensure all DCC signals reach the decoder.

The S.

[SkipGear]

It's not that simple. There really hasn't been any steam from Bachmann except the 4-8-4 J class that used that arrangement. The 2-8-0, Lt. 4-8-2, and 2-6-6-2 (H5) were all before the DCC ready tenders and were intended to have decoders installed in the boiler, not in the tender. The DCC ready tenders came out at the same time that Bachmann decided all new steam would have DCC installed. The 2-6-6-2 (H4), Hvy. 4-8-2, 4-6-0, DCC 2-8-0, and 2-10-2 have all come with decoders in them already. Some, not all had the DCC ready tenders with Bachmanns basic decoder soldered to the pads, some have come with unique decoder lightboards without a seprate decoder (new 2-8-0 and 4-6-0).

All DCC loco's that Bachmann has produced, HO and N, are dual mode. In fact all DCC deocoders if they are produced to NMRA spec are dual mode unless programmed to not run on analog.

I'm pretty sure that the 2-6-0 will come with an all in one decoder/light board becuase Bachmann up to this point has not made anything small enough to fit in the tender shown, which is an all new tender.

PS - the steam really deserves it's own thread. I could care less about the S-4 as it is too new for my steam era layout. These are two completely different topics intertwined into one thread.

[rogergperkins]

Tony,
Thank you for your clarification of the DCC aspects of the other Bachmann n-scale steam locomotives.

Thank you for also recognizing, as I do, that there are n-scale modellers whose primary interest is in steam locomotives.  In my case at age 72, I remember steam and got back into model railroad and elected to focus in n-scale.  That was about 35 years ago when not much was available in steam in n-scale.

I regret that Mr. MacMillan did not read my initial separate post about the 2-6-0; it was not focused on the dual mode aspect.  That line came later in the discussion.  
Respecfully,
Roger G. Perkins

[Ian MacMillan]

It's not that simple...

The pads or rf removal?  I posted the pad numbers/colors from the manual on the DCC ready lt mtn (unlettered) and 2-8-0(B&M) that I purchased about 2 weeks ago from MBK. I did not want a Bmann factory DCC decoder as I wanted TCS.

Interesting to see how they have changed.

[SkipGear]

Ian,
 I had forgoten about the revised Lt. Mountain. Yes, that has the DCC ready tender with the solder pads. The 2-8-0 with a DCC ready tender is a new one on me. I hadn't seen one of those yet but I hope it is a trend from them. I like harness setup for ease of swaping tenders and adding decoders to DC loco's.