October 11, 2005

Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 Re-released with Decoder Installed

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"The most successful HO steam locomotive ever made in terms of popularity, performance & detail has a new lease on life, this time with a factory-installed DCC decoder. The locomotive itself has not been changed. However opening the tender reveals a different, smaller circuit board from its antecedent with an NMRA socket. Absent is any diode/capacitor configuration that has confounded DCC users on various Bachmann Spectrum locos in the past. A Bachmann decoder is plugged into the NMRA Socket.

We guess the best that could be said for the decoder is that it is a decoder. Out of the box, it runs on Address 3. It does accept 4-digit addresses and operates on DC. However, using a Lenz Set 100, about 40% power was required to get the loco to move at any speed. Factory setting for CV2 (start voltage)is a value of 10 (this information was obtained by reading the CV, not by any information supplied with the loco). The value was adjusted from 0 to 100 with no apparent change in performance. In all fairness, we are dealing with a brand new, not yet broken-in steamer. However, substituting a TCS decoder and setting CV2 to a value of 30 produced satisfactory movement on speed step 1 in the 28-step mode.

We're sure comparable results could be obtained substituting any NCE, Lenz, Digitrax, ESU or Soundtraxx Decoder. Lenz, Digitrax and ESU offer several choices with Load Compensation. As far as the decoder configuration, vertical clearance makes the use of any integrated-plug designs possible but dicey if any heat develops. An HO-sized decoder with an NMRA plug on a medium harness would be a better choice.

As is common with model railroad companies dipping their big toe into the waters of DCC information about the decoder supplied with the engine is conspicuous by its absence. No chart of available CVs, default values, re-mapping or resetting is provided. We are only told that the headlight is on F10, when in fact it is on F0, and that F1 provides a dimming function.

As far as installing sound is concerned, the ESU Lok-Sound (82455) would be an excellent fit. It has load compensation and comes with an NMRA plug and speaker. Also the MRC Steam Brilliance (0001630) would work.

The Soundtraxx LC280 (820010) is unsuitable for this tender configuration. Production of this unit is on hiatus and will probably be discontinued. You can use the generic steam decoder (820001) with a Digitrax DHWHP harness and 1" TDS speaker.

All in all, this is a great model to have back on our shelves for the many steam fans out there."