The word you're looking for for 'handrail' is 'grab iron'.. And the boiler front is the 'smoke box door'.. None the less you've done a very good job on the video !!!
Also, I do apologize for the change in music in my intro and outro. One of my vids got copyright claimed and I don't like having others take credit for my work. Also also, the Bachmann K4 actually has a sprung trailing truck, however, the spring is pretty ineffective at pushing the truck down.
That’s probably a good thing, as it means the weight is solely on the drivers. Removing the springs from the MTH loco’s leading & trailing trucks will probably help improve it’s pulling power, as will a bit more weight I. The boiler shell right above the driving wheels.
@@williamsquires3070 that is indeed true although it is pretty negligible, as bli and mths leading/trailing truck springs are all very soft. basically just barely stiff enough to push the trucks down so when you handle the engine (when youre placing it on the track) the trucks arent just wobbling and shaking about. makes placing the engine on the track much easier, and also prevents the trucks from derailing. The springs arent so stiff that its removing weight traction from the drivers. or atleast, not a significant enough difference, atleast imo. Cheers!
Hello, hope your doing well. I watched this video a bit recently and was honestly suprised the bachmann K4 has more pulling power. I’m looking to get a couple of them though I am curious, do they have bearing on the wheels? Just was curious, hope you have a great day God bless
the board in front at the "Post war" version is a Service Platform to make Service on the Generator easier, the Headlight and steam Generator Position were changed due to the fact that the Generator needed more Service than the light does. some say the Service Platform was introduced due the fact that all the men who former worked on the Railway send to war and women had to do theire jobs and they were smaller so they installed it and switched the Light with the Generator.
Hi, yes, it was used to service the generator and headlight on PRR locos. It is a rather stark change in looks, putting the generator and all the additional pipping and such in the front. I must question the validity of the men/women thing, as these modifications were done AFTER wwii, not during...? (1945-1949)
Very interesting comparison of the various manufacturer's production of the PRR K4 model, it is a shame that the MTH model version doesn't have additional weight, especially considering how much $$$ that MTH models cost as compared to Bachmann models.
nah, actually I bought it like that, the original owner painted it with a paint brush, which looks kinda crap. I will be doing a proper paint job for my Bachmann K4s with an airbrush soon! For reference, tender roof should be red, and the cab roof should be a 50 50 mix of red and black. Black paint can be any black, but the red paint is specifically oxide/boxcar red, although tuscan red could be used too.
@@trainman440 Thanks for the hue ratios needed for the cab roof. I am gonna see what I can do once I can get a paint booth setup. To me, it looked like the original owner did an okay job. I thought it was almost factory made!
@@officialpennsyjoe Haha maybe it looked like that in the vid, but in real life, the paint is very noticeably cracked and uneven. Also, it seems like certain areas are glossy whereas other places are matte. My camera does a good job of masking up imperfections haha!
@@trainman440 Indeed your camera does! Hahaha. Well, I think Bachmann is doing another run of those K4's, so I may see what those are like if they are sold at a reasonable price. Besides that, I thi k I am going to get the set of Fleet of Modernism coaches as the cherry on top for my Christmas shopping this Black-Friday. I hope Bachmann also makes a dinning amd sleeper version, so I can add those to my set, but I would not mind for some more road numbered coaches.
@@officialpennsyjoe beware, Bachmanns newer runs are identical to older runs, if not worse, since often they will intentionally remove the separatly applied detail for molded on detail(since they are transistioning models from spectrum to their standard line). Yet they will charge a greater price on the "newer" run. I usually opt for buying used for that very reason.
Hi! Bachmann released multiple versions of the K4. The first was cheap and nasty. Most stopped running after a few weeks. (good looking tan-ish box) The second was nice and proper, came as DCC ready/DCC equipped. (black or red Spectrum boxes) The third has DCC and Tsunami sound, these came in blue spectrum boxes. The sound thats in my K4 was installed by myself, it is TCS WOWsound. I can assist you further if you send me the link of the ebay listing, I wont bid on it, afterall, I already have 4 K4s LOL
@@trainman440 Oh, I already bought it, haha. But, I was just wondering, because the locomotive I got looked like the Post -War version that you have described without the extra detail you added on it. The version I have gotten has no box with it, so it's peformance in the future will probably tell me which one I got. I also, gave the seller some questions about the locomotive's DCC system, so the answer I will get may give me a hint on what I am going to get. If a problem arises, then I will fimd a way to find the proper replacement parts that will give it longevity and reliability. I only have a test strip at the moment, so it is really just something to test things. The only place I will get to stretch out the locomotive's axels is at my local train club once it re-opens. Off topic of the Bachman K4, do you have any experience with BLI QSI locomotives? The ones I am refering are the engines that came out before Paragon 2. I have an M1a, and I am thinking of getting the I1-class from the same line, or if I should steer clear of it. Thank you for the feedback.
@@officialpennsyjoe I appreciate the detailed response! Ah, post war version. That helps. That narrows it down to two runs. 1st run is the cheapo run, it has the silver smokebox and red tender roof. While these might have DCC ready, they have molded on details, possibly a crappy mechanism, and inferior to the the engine described below. 2nd run has a dark graphite smokebox, and looks like mine. Im assuming you got this run if you said your engine looks like this. These have nice wire detailing,can motor, and good overall performance. They made these in DCC ready, DCC equipped, and DCC sound. Whichever on you get, there's no need to worry as you likely got a solid engine. Good luck! As far as BLI goes, paragon (QSI) is fine, as long as you dont mind the (imo) awful sounding QSI decoders. There are very few differences (besides the decoder) between paragon, p2, and p3! I also got a paragon M1b, in which I swapped the decoder out for a TCS WOWsound one. I could go into further detail in the differences between paragon, p2, and p3, as well as PCM(a BLI predecessor, sorta), blueline, and their "powerhouse" line, if you'd like. Just ask in reply!
@@trainman440 You are welcome. Given by the versions you have described above, I will point out that I am getting the black top tender with the very dark graphite smoke box. So, I probably may be getting the Tsunami sound one, which by the way, I have done some research to see on how it sounds, and I found that it sounds fairly great in my view. In that case, I am highly optimistic for when I get to try it out. I see what you are getting at about the QSI sounds. Especially when the steam sounds cut out when it should still be there. However, I am satisfied with my M1a's bell, whistle, and movement chuff sounds. I could not find a video that depicts the BLI I-class locomotive's QSI sounds, so that will be an interesting one to find out once I get that on the test bed. Speaking of BLI, I have heard negative things across youtube about the early Paragon 3 decoders, and I wondered if they ever fixed them since their introduction about 4-5 years ago. As you can see from my profile picture, I have two sets of BLI's RF-16 A/B PRR "Sharknose" sets. (I wanted an A-B-B-A consist.) And I also have a Paragon 3 PRR T-1, and Paragon 3 J1a that was used. I love my engines, but hearing news about those early issues rubs me off to use my locomotives less. So, that is my curious issue on Paragon 3. I have a small Pennsy collection, and I would like to try and get just one of every affordable/reliable DCC and Sound equipped Steam type of the PRR. I really like BLI lately, and I find their older products for a lower price to be a good deal to me. I shy away from Bachmann power for the most part although, I have a L&N FA-2 as my testing/benchmark locomotive. Finally, I am nuts about quality and longevity, because the railroad club is located within a fairgrounds/convention center plaza. What this means is that, during times of the fair which goes on for 2-3 weeks usually, we run locomotives owned by the club on the layout at a scale speed between 50-65 mph for about 12 hours non-stop a day. We swap out power every day to relief stress from being excessive on the locomotive's motor, drive, and decoder. I think it is safe to say that Kato, and Walthers are the "Toyota", and "Honda" of model trains in HO. That high level of reliability and quality, is something I openned int,o and I would like to see that with my locomotive in the years to come, but obviously not in the same ammount of wear like the "fair" operations at my club. That was off topic a bit, but I hope it gives an idea why I want to know which can actually last a very long time. From motors to drive to decoders. Again, thank you for the information and insight. I want to keep a life long firm in the model train hobby, and the info is king!
@@officialpennsyjoe I totally understand your need to have long lasting engines. Let me try to respond in order of your comment! 1. As I noted, the engine you bought has the later version, which came as DCC ready, DCC equipped, and DCC sound variants. That doesnt mean that all of them have sound. I meant that Bachmann sold the dark graphite k4 engine in three separate versions, and unfortunately, unless the seller specifically said that your engine had sound, it likely doesnt. 2. Good thinking, if you'll note my other videos, you can see me doing the same thing! (buying older BLI engines for less) I actually prefer Paragon 2 sound, it has a lot of bass. Paragon 3 sound just doesnt work for me, and neither does QSI paragon sound. I highly recommend getting engines from paragon and paragon 2 versions. Some things to note however. Their very first engine ever made was the NYC J1 hudson. The very first run of those (noted by the unpainted tires on the wheels), had a noisy mechanism. This was later fixed by the second run(still paragon), and the new mechanism was still used in the third run of paragon 2 sound version. If you do want to get a BLI J1, just avoid the unpainted tire hudsons. Here's a post I made about the hudson issue: cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/281000.aspx Also, do be aware that PCM (precision craft models), which later turned into BLI, often had cracked driving gears, and often needed them replaced. Do be aware of that. The only PCM model that BLI continued to make IIRC was the I1sa. If you do get a I1sa, just make sure its paragon, or newer... not PCM. (google PCM i1sa for more details), as BLI changed the matieral they used to make the gears to a much more reliable type. Its not a hard fix(takes only about 5 minutes), but obtaining the new gears is the challenge. I normally dont do repairs for others, but I could repair it for you, but for a fee. Lastly, the paragon 3 issue. Ah, yes. While I dont have much first hand experience in this(I only have 1 paragon 3 engine, the L1s, and its because thats the only engine they didnt produce in Paragon 2), I have read a lot about this online. In short, its a faulty motor, and decoder overload issue. *However, if youve owned the engine for a while now and it has caused no issues yet, then you should be fine. Most customer find out that their P3 engine is faulty the first few times they ran it.* But dont quote me on that. Enjoy!
PS. Though I've liked Bachmann for a long long time and own 4 HO and a few N, this surely proves there is nothing at all wrong with or inferior about BMann for what seems like over 25-30 years now !! They were the worst in the early days, but have grown out of that and have become a leader in all things model trains... I love K4s and am now thinkin' of........................uh,......uhm..... well......
agreed! their products have been of high qualitly lately. Only thing is their prices...some retailers are asking WAY too much for some of bachmann's products imo. Cheers!
Hey, I am back again! I have a few questions about the Proto 1000 FM Erie-builts. Are they reliable? And, do they break easily? I have my eye on a PRR A-B-B set, and I wanted to know if you had experience with them, and if they are worth getting.
I don't have experience with those engines in particular, but the general census on "the streets" are that proto 2000 diesels in general are really good. They do have a split axle gear issues depending on how old the engine is, but those are easily replaced. (EASY FIX) Luckily, Proto 2000 use the same exact gears as Athearn(whether its old blue box, or new RTR). If you have any old Athearn Blue box engines, swap out the axle gears on those wheels with the Proto 2000 gears. I bought some broken Athearn BB engines at train shows for like $5, and I used the gears from that engine to swap. The split gear issue isnt too common, you'll have a small chance they are split, BUT there's a good chance they will break during your ownership, so have some backup gears ready. Note that this split gear issue is literally for any and all proto 2000 engines built by life like, and is well known, and the fix takes like 5 min. Dont be afraid to make the repair yourself.
lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/xhQjU4SP90e_U0WAga-lGDXLCxTQ_iybJ_F2Wsk600SINDrv--IqUUWmJXFkkzx7WrMJPXJGOIc1XBEko6PWWbEON4KHgRzF1Q_6RmE0vqU here's a pic of the gears. In case they are cracked, you can buy them new, but honestly, any old athearn engine gears will do. Athearn used a better plastic material that rarely cracks. If you want FM erie builts, I'd absolutely go for them as I dont think any other manufac makes them as decent as proto.
@@trainman440 I probably will. I like locomotives that are a little obscure like the DL-109, RF-16s, C-Liners, and the PRR T1, and PRR Q2. Although, I would love to see a Q2 with Q1 streamlining.
@@officialpennsyjoe I understand your interest in the oddballs, I like them too, although I personally wouldn't want to purchase them(too much $$$!) Did the Q2 ever have the Q1 streamlining? tbh, Im not a huge fan of the Q1 streamlining. If you're trying collect them all, you gotta also get the S1, and all the various electric boxcabs!
@@trainman440 I try to stay 400$ and below for HO steam. I do not think the Q2 ever had the Q1's streamlining, but I would like the bullet-nose and the aggressive streamlining that the cab had similar to the partial streamlined K4s during the 40s. The tender for the Q1 to me looks great with the dog house, so I would like to see a fantasy Q2 with the streamlined cab, bullet nose, and the streamlined tender with dog house. To have a Q2 under 400$ with DCC and Sound is very wishful thinking enough, let alone a custom one. The power and reliability of the Q2's success with the streamlining of the Q1 is something I would buy if it is affordable. If not, then I will ask the T1-trust if they would like that idea after they are done with the T1, haha. I try to find stuff with DCC & Sound that have a cheap repair, and overall great reliability. PRR rolling stock go-to for me will probably be Bowser, since I saw on Train world.com how much PRR stuff they do, so there is my "dime-a-dozen" stuff for freight. Also, I heard that Bowser makes great stuff. I am a novice in train repair, but I was learning from my local RR club before the corona shutdown. Gotten to fully disassemble a Kato SD-45. Quite satisfying.
Here are the following most common issues with bachmann engines: 1. cracked axles, common. Often seen in cheapo bachmann plus pancake motor engines, and their 0-6-0. avoid. 3. broken engine tender plug wire, rare. Happens if you're careless when pulling plugs. This isn't an issue only with bachmann engines. 4. cracked gear. very rare. Occurs on 2-8-0s, 4-6-2s, 4-6-0s..basically any of their engines...this issue is very rare but can happen to any engine, including bachmann. It is very rare finding a bachmann k4 with a split gear, but im not saying its impossible. Remember that Bachmann made a non spectrum K4 model, that has a common cracked AXLES issue. Avoid that. Get the spectrum model.
I know I'm several months late, but I can confirm that the middle era of Spectrum K4s in the black and red boxes have the cracking axels and also a split chassis mechanism held together with screws. They still run fine and are decent pullers, but wobble on curves at higher speeds. They also have a seam line down the middle of the engine itself, like what was pointed out on the safety valves of the Bachmann K4 in the video. Just be aware in case you haven't purchased one already. 😋
tl;dr: If you're money conscious/best value, and dont need smoke, get Bachmann. If you want the best overall, get BLI. If you have tons of money, and don't like working on your engines at all, get MTH. Note: I dont have a BLI model, but I'd say theirs is the best.
Have you tried DCS? I think that's the reason some are willing to pay more for MTH. Yea, they should have made it DCC friendly. I didn't know it wasn't
Nope, and I wont ever try either. DCS can only be used with MTH models, and no one else You cant even convert your other engines to DCS. They want everything the HO modeler to own, to be MTH and only MTH. The MTH "ecosystem" if you will. In an O scale market, I could understand why...being there's only two major companies, but in HO, the market is far more diverse, and everything should be able to operate with each other(NMRA compliant). MTH HO engines barely fit their compliance. MTH intentionally makes their models not really compatible with DCC, so they make HO modelers buy DCS. They dont understand that the HO market is not nearly as easy to mess with than O scale, and we wont buy DCS. They even tried to sell HO locos that ran at a higher voltage (non NMRA standards) so they couldnt run on DCC at all...but soon realized no one bought their stuff. MTH as a whole has a very questionable business strategy that doesn't work in HO in general. From them suing BLI and stealing some of their models, to their gimmicky overpriced engines, to intentionally making their models incompatible with DCC as much as possible(if you ever buy an engine with proto sound and want to replace it with DCC, its a huge pain. They intentionally reverse the LED, and motor wiring polarity so you would have to completely take apart your engine to do so). That's why I said, MTH is mostly for modelers who have money, like their gimmicks (smoking whistle, etc), are afraid of customizing/opening up their engines(because its a nightmare), and basically buy the engine only to run. You can read a lot more about what strategies MTH has done online, but their DCS system has failed the HO market, and that's the reason no HO modeler has DCS. Here's a forum where a ton of people complain about MTH lol cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/282742.aspx I do apologize for the rant. MTH is a large company that produces good engines, and if you're into their stuff, that's great! No judgement. But I refuse to limit myself to only MTH items, so personally, DCS is not useful to me. Haha, I appreciate the comment though!
@@trainman440 Seriously good for me to hear all this. I'm new to ho and was pretty hesitant to give it a try. It's the only thing available overseas. I have similar feelings towards Atlas. Probably will never ever buy an Atlas anything as long as I live. Their O track was the tipping point when I got into O scale. DCS is what Winindows was to DOS. However, it seems they didn't do a beta test, Atlas or MTH. I truly love what MTH did for O, made the others up their game. I'm still waiting a friend to send me an H10 (MTHo), and a few cars. I was just going to do an Inglenook layout. I'm already tired of the headaches. I managed to pickup three new BLI cars and some Bachmann track here. The plastic clips on the track break and I have had to rework each of the cars. Still the couplers don't work right and one car drags in the A direction only on RH curves. I've smoothed out the insulator around the axle that rubs on the truck. I had nothing but fun playing with a used American Flyer set as a kid. As for "model" trains, I'm still waiting. Thanks for the link, I'll check into it. Seriously though, if I had looked at it before buying, I would have steered completely away from all this.
I still have a 14 year old BLI K4s of their very first run and it still looks, runs and even sounds very well however it hasn't run much maybe 1 or 2 times a year. My well-skilled friend and train Guru who has the layout as well needed to do a repair on the first driving axle 3 years ago and adjusting the spring preventing it to derail in tighter curves. BLI also had the option to put on a rear driving axle with traction tyres if one wished to do so (but not me !). Made of diecast metal loco and tender there is no need for traction tyres and no need to have this K4s replaced ! th-cam.com/video/FW2su5rdHng/w-d-xo.html BLI has improved substantially with their newly tooled and surprisingly well detailed GG1 and P5a ! Does the Bachmann K4s have those awful traction tyres because it is made of plastic ? Bachmann is not too bad for those on a budget but I'd strongly recommend saving up for something from BLI. That is not applicable to Bachmann UK which produces very nice good quality O0 scale models for the UK market (I think it is the best). I have no experience with MTH although I wouldn't mind a Bipolar loco. However I am not into opening engines and so on. Also gimmicks like pantographs going up and down is nice but can only go faulty. BLI is more no-nonsense, there isn't even a pickup from the catenary wire (panto's have to be moved up and down by hand) but very nicely detailed instead !
@@grootsan I agree, the BLI K4 is the best of the three, in both value, build, and running characteristics. Unfortunately I dont own one yet to review or compare. And at this point I already have 4 K4s, so Im not sure if I need another haha
I think the MTH should have come with traction tyres, or at least have the optional drivers included. If the loco has a high quality mechanism, tires will work well, and not slip...and not "waddle", or cause binding. Have you tried the MTH with the tires? Usually, with the sprung drivers, tires are a MUST!
Yea they are a must because without it the loco is far too light and extremely imbalanced (very light in the front because of that huge smoke unit) to even pull 4 properly weighted cars. Fortunately I do believe most MTH locos come with a spare traction tire equipped wheel, but me buying all my mth locos used, dont have the spare wheel included.
Very nice video. However, it's kind too long. I have the MTH one. For the pulling power, usually MTH has the power wheel equipped with rubber band which increase the friction. No problem with pulling MTH's 5 passenger car set. Not sure if yours has that rubber band. Also, for bachmann's pulling power which really depends on model. I have both Bachnann and MTH's sp 4449. Bachmann one really sucks in pulling BLI's daylight cars (all 6) and it only can handle 3. But MTH's with rubber band, all 6 can be pulled fine.
Yes, I admit the video is a bit too long. I just couldnt fit everything I wanted into on video. I will do separate reviews next time for each loco instead of putting it all into one. --------------------------------- Yes, MTH engine does have "traction tires"(the term for what you called rubber bands). Say what you want about traction tires, but that is just a screaming indication of poor design. Traction tires is a lame excuse for producing a lightweight, poorly balanced model. They stall the motor, break after a few months, and is a cheap way to make an engine pull more. --------------------------------- Yes, traction tires improve pulling power, but that is because MTH failed at making a weighty, well balanced model, and they chose the cheap and nasty route of using traction tires to fix their flaw. I will take a properly weighted engine over one with traction tires any day.
You're also comparing a $100 bachmann 4449 to a $500 MTH 4449, yet you expect equal performance out of both. Do you think that's fair? For $500, I would EXPECT it to perform that much better than the Bachmann. Yet the only reason it does so is because it got a pair of $0.50 traction tires.
Watched the whole thing twice, thanks. I do like the pre-war look myself. Been watching 'em disappear from TrainWorld. Can only hope BLI will license PS3 and make a run of all their Pennsies.
dang, that's impressive...tbh I wasent patient enough to watch the entire video over myself...not even once! Me too, I believe BLI makes the best K4...but that's why they are so expensive...and why I dont have one :( I believe BLI made a K4 in PS3. www.broadway-limited.com/paragon3prrk4s.aspx And of course they recently released their streamlined k4, which Im sad to say, I have no plans on getting...
@@trainman440 I have a little more discretionary time than most. Any thoughts on DCC control systems? I may be back to US shortly and developing a shopping list. To be clear, can DCC locos be run by DCS or is it the other way, DCC can run PS3 locos?
@@gonebamboo4116 PS3 locos can be run by DCC systems, but its somewhat limited. You can obviously control all the functions, speed, smoke, etc. But there's some (arguably useless) gimmicks that you cant do on a DCC system. For example, PS3 engines have this thing in DCS where you can speak into the DCS controller and the engine will play the sound out in the engine...I've never seen any one use it, but it seems to get old quick. ------------------- In summary, While you cant access all the features with a DCC system with a PS3 engine, if you purchase a DCS system you cant access ANY of the features of every other non-mth engine. So I'd get a DCC system. -------------------- As far as which DCC system to get, there's really only 3 to choose from. NCE Powercab, MRC Prodigy, and Digitraxx Zephyr. I prefer the NCE powercab as its cheap, easy to use, and is generally preferred by many. Its up to you though, all three pretty much do the same thing, just how you like your controller to look, and feel.
@@gonebamboo4116 There are lots of articles online, and forums where you can learn what you should consider when choosing one, and also what others chose and why. You cant go wrong with either of the three I mentioned. Just avoid any of the other obscure brands (Dynamis,Lenz,EZ command, etc)
@@trainman440 Thanks. That's a good place to start. I just like asking somebody I have confidence in. Much goes on in those chat rooms I just stay away from. My friend finally got my lcoo shipped. So I need to finish the trick and get some power & control.
if i was going too compare this locomotive to a UK counterpart based on the history it would be the Black 5 giving how many were build and how reliable they were p.s glossy coal is typical of bachmann they seen too do it alot
Nice comparison, I fully agree! Yea, Bachmanns is known for their glossy coal, I just point it out and let you decide if the viewer choose which they prefer. Thanks for watching!
@@trainman440 if you want good tips for your channel watch a guy called samstrains he's a youtuber from the uk he does a lot of reviews and repairs on model locomotives
@@danielannett1019 I've been watching him for a while now! His reviews are excellent, and I aspire to have my reviews one day be just as good! But I must admit his repair videos are for certainly for novices. Not to brag but I've done far more advanced repairs than he has ever touched, including regearing, gearbox shimming, quartering, drive train replacements, custom pickups, etc.
yes, MTH engines do come with a separate wheel with traction tires, but long story short, traction tires are worthless. MTH intentionally removed valuable space in the (plastic) boiler that should be for lead weights in lieu for a smoke unit. To supplement that decision, they make it so the engine practically requires the need for traction tires for it to pull any respectable amount of cars. While I agree that smoke units are cool, Id much rather have a good running engine than a smoke unit. An engine's running capabilities is much more important than its gimmicks. Traction tires prevent the wheels from slipping, causing motor stall, causing long term stress damage on the motor. Tires can also wear out, and prevents the wheels from picking up power. I understand if traction tires exist on an engine with either a) not enough physical space in the boiler to fit more weight or b) there are too little powered driving wheels on said engine(such as a 0-4-0). Otherwise, it is a cheap and nasty solution to a poorly designed engine.
@@trainman440 That's a shame... the wheels look so good and the lack of plastic seemed like a good idea... So if you fashioned some lead weight to fit would that solve the problem? cheers
@@jonnybeck6723 I havent done anything yet. Honestly, I might just leave it as is. The beautiful paint scheme represents an earlier K4 (id guess between 1920 and 1930s although I have no sources to back that up). Ill just assume that back then, the PRRs trains would be shorter...say with a 4 car max on my layout. So that works out. On the other hand, I just bought another one but in the post war scheme. Honestly Im not sure what Ill do with that one. Maybe It'll be used for doubleheading duties only...or I might have to get some bullfrog snot. I havent tested the smoke unit yet on this new one, if it doesnt work, I might just remove the smoke unit and cram some lead weights into the boiler.
@@trainman440, that's bunk...I have TWENTY YEAR OLD locomotives with their original tires, and they work fine. I even have a THIRTY YEAR OLD Rivarossi Big Boy with it's original tires. You've been fed some bad information...put the tire-equipped drivers on the MTH (rear drivers) and give it a try. Let us know how "bad" it runs then. Oh, and get back to us in twenty years and let us know if they've worn out! 🤣
@@wobblinwheel Hey Im glad your tires havent deteriorated, but from PERSONAL experience, I've owned tyco (0-4-0) and MTH (USRA 2-8-2) locos where the traction tires have either rotted away, or been stretched to the point where they no longer grip to the wheel. I dont doubt that your traction tires have been maintained well throughout the years, but the simple fact is that just because your tires havent gone bad doesnt mean that ALL tires never go bad, and ultimately tires dont last as long as a solid nickel plated wheel sitting on a heavy die cast body (which will literally last forever). But hey Im glad yours are working out for you!
![เป็นไปได้ไหม - WanMai [Performance Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Eh5hItD4Mr0/mqdefault.jpg)
Very interesting and informative. I've had a Bachmann K4 for over 10 years now, yet while it runs on DCC, it doesn't have a sound decoder in it (yet).
thanks!
The word you're looking for for 'handrail' is 'grab iron'.. And the boiler front is the 'smoke box door'.. None the less you've done a very good job on the video !!!
Indeed, this was a review made before I started scripting my review videos, so the correct word doesnt always come to mind. Thanks for the correction!
The bachmann k4's whistle is my favorite over any other model
I agree, the TCS WOWsound K4 whistle is a high quality recording of the real thing, Im glad they went out of their way to make the whistle sound nice!
Also, I do apologize for the change in music in my intro and outro. One of my vids got copyright claimed and I don't like having others take credit for my work.
Also also, the Bachmann K4 actually has a sprung trailing truck, however, the spring is pretty ineffective at pushing the truck down.
That’s probably a good thing, as it means the weight is solely on the drivers. Removing the springs from the MTH loco’s leading & trailing trucks will probably help improve it’s pulling power, as will a bit more weight I. The boiler shell right above the driving wheels.
@@williamsquires3070 that is indeed true although it is pretty negligible, as bli and mths leading/trailing truck springs are all very soft. basically just barely stiff enough to push the trucks down so when you handle the engine (when youre placing it on the track) the trucks arent just wobbling and shaking about. makes placing the engine on the track much easier, and also prevents the trucks from derailing. The springs arent so stiff that its removing weight traction from the drivers. or atleast, not a significant enough difference, atleast imo. Cheers!
Well done young man.
Hello, hope your doing well. I watched this video a bit recently and was honestly suprised the bachmann K4 has more pulling power. I’m looking to get a couple of them though I am curious, do they have bearing on the wheels?
Just was curious, hope you have a great day God bless
the board in front at the "Post war" version is a Service Platform to make Service on the Generator easier,
the Headlight and steam Generator Position were changed due to the fact that the Generator needed more Service than the light does.
some say the Service Platform was introduced due the fact that all the men who former worked on the Railway send to war and women had to do theire jobs and they were smaller so they installed it and switched the Light with the Generator.
Hi, yes, it was used to service the generator and headlight on PRR locos. It is a rather stark change in looks, putting the generator and all the additional pipping and such in the front. I must question the validity of the men/women thing, as these modifications were done AFTER wwii, not during...? (1945-1949)
Very interesting comparison of the various manufacturer's production of the PRR K4 model, it is a shame that the MTH model version doesn't have additional weight, especially considering how much $$$ that MTH models cost as compared to Bachmann models.
Thanks! Right? The MTH's extreme reliance on traction tires for pulling power kinda kills it for me. Especially for the premium price.
Hey bro just as a heads up newer MTH locomotives do support advanced consisting. Looks like you have an older run. Great review tho!
Thanks! Yea my MTH F7 supports consisting, so I figured this is just an older run. Or maybe it has some different cv. Thanks for watching!
I see you custom painted the roof of the cab and the tender. I will have to see if I can find the right paint too!
nah, actually I bought it like that, the original owner painted it with a paint brush, which looks kinda crap. I will be doing a proper paint job for my Bachmann K4s with an airbrush soon! For reference, tender roof should be red, and the cab roof should be a 50 50 mix of red and black. Black paint can be any black, but the red paint is specifically oxide/boxcar red, although tuscan red could be used too.
@@trainman440 Thanks for the hue ratios needed for the cab roof. I am gonna see what I can do once I can get a paint booth setup. To me, it looked like the original owner did an okay job. I thought it was almost factory made!
@@officialpennsyjoe Haha maybe it looked like that in the vid, but in real life, the paint is very noticeably cracked and uneven. Also, it seems like certain areas are glossy whereas other places are matte. My camera does a good job of masking up imperfections haha!
@@trainman440 Indeed your camera does! Hahaha. Well, I think Bachmann is doing another run of those K4's, so I may see what those are like if they are sold at a reasonable price. Besides that, I thi k I am going to get the set of Fleet of Modernism coaches as the cherry on top for my Christmas shopping this Black-Friday. I hope Bachmann also makes a dinning amd sleeper version, so I can add those to my set, but I would not mind for some more road numbered coaches.
@@officialpennsyjoe beware, Bachmanns newer runs are identical to older runs, if not worse, since often they will intentionally remove the separatly applied detail for molded on detail(since they are transistioning models from spectrum to their standard line). Yet they will charge a greater price on the "newer" run. I usually opt for buying used for that very reason.
I am getting the postwar K4 by Bachman on Ebay. Did the DCC & Sound one that you have come with the locomotive, or was it post-installed?
Hi! Bachmann released multiple versions of the K4.
The first was cheap and nasty. Most stopped running after a few weeks. (good looking tan-ish box)
The second was nice and proper, came as DCC ready/DCC equipped. (black or red Spectrum boxes)
The third has DCC and Tsunami sound, these came in blue spectrum boxes.
The sound thats in my K4 was installed by myself, it is TCS WOWsound.
I can assist you further if you send me the link of the ebay listing, I wont bid on it, afterall, I already have 4 K4s LOL
@@trainman440 Oh, I already bought it, haha. But, I was just wondering, because the locomotive I got looked like the Post
-War version that you have described without the extra detail you added on it. The version I have gotten has no box with it, so it's peformance in the future will probably tell me which one I got. I also, gave the seller some questions about the locomotive's DCC system, so the answer I will get may give me a hint on what I am going to get. If a problem arises, then I will fimd a way to find the proper replacement parts that will give it longevity and reliability.
I only have a test strip at the moment, so it is really just something to test things. The only place I will get to stretch out the locomotive's axels is at my local train club once it re-opens.
Off topic of the Bachman K4, do you have any experience with BLI QSI locomotives? The ones I am refering are the engines that came out before Paragon 2. I have an M1a, and I am thinking of getting the I1-class from the same line, or if I should steer clear of it.
Thank you for the feedback.
@@officialpennsyjoe I appreciate the detailed response!
Ah, post war version. That helps. That narrows it down to two runs.
1st run is the cheapo run, it has the silver smokebox and red tender roof. While these might have DCC ready, they have molded on details, possibly a crappy mechanism, and inferior to the the engine described below.
2nd run has a dark graphite smokebox, and looks like mine. Im assuming you got this run if you said your engine looks like this. These have nice wire detailing,can motor, and good overall performance. They made these in DCC ready, DCC equipped, and DCC sound. Whichever on you get, there's no need to worry as you likely got a solid engine.
Good luck!
As far as BLI goes, paragon (QSI) is fine, as long as you dont mind the (imo) awful sounding QSI decoders. There are very few differences (besides the decoder) between paragon, p2, and p3! I also got a paragon M1b, in which I swapped the decoder out for a TCS WOWsound one.
I could go into further detail in the differences between paragon, p2, and p3, as well as PCM(a BLI predecessor, sorta), blueline, and their "powerhouse" line, if you'd like. Just ask in reply!
@@trainman440 You are welcome. Given by the versions you have described above, I will point out that I am getting the black top tender with the very dark graphite smoke box. So, I probably may be getting the Tsunami sound one, which by the way, I have done some research to see on how it sounds, and I found that it sounds fairly great in my view. In that case, I am highly optimistic for when I get to try it out.
I see what you are getting at about the QSI sounds. Especially when the steam sounds cut out when it should still be there. However, I am satisfied with my M1a's bell, whistle, and movement chuff sounds. I could not find a video that depicts the BLI I-class locomotive's QSI sounds, so that will be an interesting one to find out once I get that on the test bed.
Speaking of BLI, I have heard negative things across youtube about the early Paragon 3 decoders, and I wondered if they ever fixed them since their introduction about 4-5 years ago. As you can see from my profile picture, I have two sets of BLI's RF-16 A/B PRR "Sharknose" sets. (I wanted an A-B-B-A consist.) And I also have a Paragon 3 PRR T-1, and Paragon 3 J1a that was used. I love my engines, but hearing news about those early issues rubs me off to use my locomotives less. So, that is my curious issue on Paragon 3.
I have a small Pennsy collection, and I would like to try and get just one of every affordable/reliable DCC and Sound equipped Steam type of the PRR. I really like BLI lately, and I find their older products for a lower price to be a good deal to me. I shy away from Bachmann power for the most part although, I have a L&N FA-2 as my testing/benchmark locomotive.
Finally, I am nuts about quality and longevity, because the railroad club is located within a fairgrounds/convention center plaza. What this means is that, during times of the fair which goes on for 2-3 weeks usually, we run locomotives owned by the club on the layout at a scale speed between 50-65 mph for about 12 hours non-stop a day. We swap out power every day to relief stress from being excessive on the locomotive's motor, drive, and decoder. I think it is safe to say that Kato, and Walthers are the "Toyota", and "Honda" of model trains in HO. That high level of reliability and quality, is something I openned int,o and I would like to see that with my locomotive in the years to come, but obviously not in the same ammount of wear like the "fair" operations at my club.
That was off topic a bit, but I hope it gives an idea why I want to know which can actually last a very long time. From motors to drive to decoders.
Again, thank you for the information and insight. I want to keep a life long firm in the model train hobby, and the info is king!
@@officialpennsyjoe I totally understand your need to have long lasting engines. Let me try to respond in order of your comment!
1. As I noted, the engine you bought has the later version, which came as DCC ready, DCC equipped, and DCC sound variants. That doesnt mean that all of them have sound. I meant that Bachmann sold the dark graphite k4 engine in three separate versions, and unfortunately, unless the seller specifically said that your engine had sound, it likely doesnt.
2. Good thinking, if you'll note my other videos, you can see me doing the same thing! (buying older BLI engines for less) I actually prefer Paragon 2 sound, it has a lot of bass. Paragon 3 sound just doesnt work for me, and neither does QSI paragon sound. I highly recommend getting engines from paragon and paragon 2 versions.
Some things to note however. Their very first engine ever made was the NYC J1 hudson. The very first run of those (noted by the unpainted tires on the wheels), had a noisy mechanism. This was later fixed by the second run(still paragon), and the new mechanism was still used in the third run of paragon 2 sound version. If you do want to get a BLI J1, just avoid the unpainted tire hudsons.
Here's a post I made about the hudson issue: cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/281000.aspx
Also, do be aware that PCM (precision craft models), which later turned into BLI, often had cracked driving gears, and often needed them replaced. Do be aware of that. The only PCM model that BLI continued to make IIRC was the I1sa. If you do get a I1sa, just make sure its paragon, or newer... not PCM. (google PCM i1sa for more details), as BLI changed the matieral they used to make the gears to a much more reliable type. Its not a hard fix(takes only about 5 minutes), but obtaining the new gears is the challenge. I normally dont do repairs for others, but I could repair it for you, but for a fee.
Lastly, the paragon 3 issue. Ah, yes. While I dont have much first hand experience in this(I only have 1 paragon 3 engine, the L1s, and its because thats the only engine they didnt produce in Paragon 2), I have read a lot about this online. In short, its a faulty motor, and decoder overload issue. *However, if youve owned the engine for a while now and it has caused no issues yet, then you should be fine. Most customer find out that their P3 engine is faulty the first few times they ran it.*
But dont quote me on that.
Enjoy!
PS.
Though I've liked Bachmann for a long long time and own 4 HO and a few N, this surely proves there is nothing at all wrong with or inferior about BMann for what seems like over 25-30 years now !! They were the worst in the early days, but have grown out of that and have become a leader in all things model trains... I love K4s and am now thinkin' of........................uh,......uhm..... well......
agreed! their products have been of high qualitly lately. Only thing is their prices...some retailers are asking WAY too much for some of bachmann's products imo. Cheers!
@39:34. Look inside the cab. There should be a lever to sand the rails.
Haha
haha too bad scaled down sand would be the size of dust.
I wonder if someone ever tried putting a traction tire on a real locomotive before🤔
@@trainman440
Not sure but I'm guessing maintenance costs would be prohibitive. Consider the mileage.
@@gonebamboo4116 fair, but I mean, car tires last a while... lol but yea sand is far more useful haha
Hey, I am back again! I have a few questions about the Proto 1000 FM Erie-builts. Are they reliable? And, do they break easily? I have my eye on a PRR A-B-B set, and I wanted to know if you had experience with them, and if they are worth getting.
I don't have experience with those engines in particular, but the general census on "the streets" are that proto 2000 diesels in general are really good.
They do have a split axle gear issues depending on how old the engine is, but those are easily replaced. (EASY FIX)
Luckily, Proto 2000 use the same exact gears as Athearn(whether its old blue box, or new RTR). If you have any old Athearn Blue box engines, swap out the axle gears on those wheels with the Proto 2000 gears. I bought some broken Athearn BB engines at train shows for like $5, and I used the gears from that engine to swap.
The split gear issue isnt too common, you'll have a small chance they are split, BUT there's a good chance they will break during your ownership, so have some backup gears ready.
Note that this split gear issue is literally for any and all proto 2000 engines built by life like, and is well known, and the fix takes like 5 min. Dont be afraid to make the repair yourself.
lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/xhQjU4SP90e_U0WAga-lGDXLCxTQ_iybJ_F2Wsk600SINDrv--IqUUWmJXFkkzx7WrMJPXJGOIc1XBEko6PWWbEON4KHgRzF1Q_6RmE0vqU
here's a pic of the gears. In case they are cracked, you can buy them new, but honestly, any old athearn engine gears will do. Athearn used a better plastic material that rarely cracks.
If you want FM erie builts, I'd absolutely go for them as I dont think any other manufac makes them as decent as proto.
@@trainman440 I probably will. I like locomotives that are a little obscure like the DL-109, RF-16s, C-Liners, and the PRR T1, and PRR Q2. Although, I would love to see a Q2 with Q1 streamlining.
@@officialpennsyjoe I understand your interest in the oddballs, I like them too, although I personally wouldn't want to purchase them(too much $$$!) Did the Q2 ever have the Q1 streamlining? tbh, Im not a huge fan of the Q1 streamlining. If you're trying collect them all, you gotta also get the S1, and all the various electric boxcabs!
@@trainman440 I try to stay 400$ and below for HO steam. I do not think the Q2 ever had the Q1's streamlining, but I would like the bullet-nose and the aggressive streamlining that the cab had similar to the partial streamlined K4s during the 40s. The tender for the Q1 to me looks great with the dog house, so I would like to see a fantasy Q2 with the streamlined cab, bullet nose, and the streamlined tender with dog house. To have a Q2 under 400$ with DCC and Sound is very wishful thinking enough, let alone a custom one. The power and reliability of the Q2's success with the streamlining of the Q1 is something I would buy if it is affordable. If not, then I will ask the T1-trust if they would like that idea after they are done with the T1, haha.
I try to find stuff with DCC & Sound that have a cheap repair, and overall great reliability. PRR rolling stock go-to for me will probably be Bowser, since I saw on Train world.com how much PRR stuff they do, so there is my "dime-a-dozen" stuff for freight. Also, I heard that Bowser makes great stuff.
I am a novice in train repair, but I was learning from my local RR club before the corona shutdown. Gotten to fully disassemble a Kato SD-45. Quite satisfying.
Does the bachmann k4 have cracking gears or not
Here are the following most common issues with bachmann engines:
1. cracked axles, common. Often seen in cheapo bachmann plus pancake motor engines, and their 0-6-0. avoid.
3. broken engine tender plug wire, rare. Happens if you're careless when pulling plugs. This isn't an issue only with bachmann engines.
4. cracked gear. very rare. Occurs on 2-8-0s, 4-6-2s, 4-6-0s..basically any of their engines...this issue is very rare but can happen to any engine, including bachmann.
It is very rare finding a bachmann k4 with a split gear, but im not saying its impossible. Remember that Bachmann made a non spectrum K4 model, that has a common cracked AXLES issue. Avoid that. Get the spectrum model.
I know I'm several months late, but I can confirm that the middle era of Spectrum K4s in the black and red boxes have the cracking axels and also a split chassis mechanism held together with screws. They still run fine and are decent pullers, but wobble on curves at higher speeds. They also have a seam line down the middle of the engine itself, like what was pointed out on the safety valves of the Bachmann K4 in the video. Just be aware in case you haven't purchased one already. 😋
tl;dr: If you're money conscious/best value, and dont need smoke, get Bachmann. If you want the best overall, get BLI. If you have tons of money, and don't like working on your engines at all, get MTH.
Note: I dont have a BLI model, but I'd say theirs is the best.
Have you tried DCS? I think that's the reason some are willing to pay more for MTH. Yea, they should have made it DCC friendly. I didn't know it wasn't
Nope, and I wont ever try either. DCS can only be used with MTH models, and no one else You cant even convert your other engines to DCS. They want everything the HO modeler to own, to be MTH and only MTH. The MTH "ecosystem" if you will. In an O scale market, I could understand why...being there's only two major companies, but in HO, the market is far more diverse, and everything should be able to operate with each other(NMRA compliant). MTH HO engines barely fit their compliance.
MTH intentionally makes their models not really compatible with DCC, so they make HO modelers buy DCS. They dont understand that the HO market is not nearly as easy to mess with than O scale, and we wont buy DCS. They even tried to sell HO locos that ran at a higher voltage (non NMRA standards) so they couldnt run on DCC at all...but soon realized no one bought their stuff.
MTH as a whole has a very questionable business strategy that doesn't work in HO in general. From them suing BLI and stealing some of their models, to their gimmicky overpriced engines, to intentionally making their models incompatible with DCC as much as possible(if you ever buy an engine with proto sound and want to replace it with DCC, its a huge pain. They intentionally reverse the LED, and motor wiring polarity so you would have to completely take apart your engine to do so).
That's why I said, MTH is mostly for modelers who have money, like their gimmicks (smoking whistle, etc), are afraid of customizing/opening up their engines(because its a nightmare), and basically buy the engine only to run.
You can read a lot more about what strategies MTH has done online, but their DCS system has failed the HO market, and that's the reason no HO modeler has DCS.
Here's a forum where a ton of people complain about MTH lol cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/282742.aspx
I do apologize for the rant. MTH is a large company that produces good engines, and if you're into their stuff, that's great! No judgement. But I refuse to limit myself to only MTH items, so personally, DCS is not useful to me.
Haha, I appreciate the comment though!
@@trainman440
Seriously good for me to hear all this. I'm new to ho and was pretty hesitant to give it a try. It's the only thing available overseas. I have similar feelings towards Atlas. Probably will never ever buy an Atlas anything as long as I live. Their O track was the tipping point when I got into O scale. DCS is what Winindows was to DOS. However, it seems they didn't do a beta test, Atlas or MTH. I truly love what MTH did for O, made the others up their game. I'm still waiting a friend to send me an H10 (MTHo), and a few cars. I was just going to do an Inglenook layout. I'm already tired of the headaches. I managed to pickup three new BLI cars and some Bachmann track here. The plastic clips on the track break and I have had to rework each of the cars. Still the couplers don't work right and one car drags in the A direction only on RH curves. I've smoothed out the insulator around the axle that rubs on the truck. I had nothing but fun playing with a used American Flyer set as a kid. As for "model" trains, I'm still waiting. Thanks for the link, I'll check into it. Seriously though, if I had looked at it before buying, I would have steered completely away from all this.
I still have a 14 year old BLI K4s of their very first run and it still looks, runs and even sounds very well however it hasn't run much maybe 1 or 2 times a year. My well-skilled friend and train Guru who has the layout as well needed to do a repair on the first driving axle 3 years ago and adjusting the spring preventing it to derail in tighter curves. BLI also had the option to put on a rear driving axle with traction tyres if one wished to do so (but not me !). Made of diecast metal loco and tender there is no need for traction tyres and no need to have this K4s replaced ! th-cam.com/video/FW2su5rdHng/w-d-xo.html
BLI has improved substantially with their newly tooled and surprisingly well detailed GG1 and P5a ! Does the Bachmann K4s have those awful traction tyres because it is made of plastic ? Bachmann is not too bad for those on a budget but I'd strongly recommend saving up for something from BLI. That is not applicable to Bachmann UK which produces very nice good quality O0 scale models for the UK market (I think it is the best).
I have no experience with MTH although I wouldn't mind a Bipolar loco. However I am not into opening engines and so on. Also gimmicks like pantographs going up and down is nice but can only go faulty. BLI is more no-nonsense, there isn't even a pickup from the catenary wire (panto's have to be moved up and down by hand) but very nicely detailed instead !
@@grootsan I agree, the BLI K4 is the best of the three, in both value, build, and running characteristics. Unfortunately I dont own one yet to review or compare. And at this point I already have 4 K4s, so Im not sure if I need another haha
16:23 that’s the steam dome
ah yea u right, the terminology just slipped out of my mind while recording that haha
I think the MTH should have come with traction tyres, or at least have the optional drivers included. If the loco has a high quality mechanism, tires will work well, and not slip...and not "waddle", or cause binding. Have you tried the MTH with the tires? Usually, with the sprung drivers, tires are a MUST!
Yea they are a must because without it the loco is far too light and extremely imbalanced (very light in the front because of that huge smoke unit) to even pull 4 properly weighted cars.
Fortunately I do believe most MTH locos come with a spare traction tire equipped wheel, but me buying all my mth locos used, dont have the spare wheel included.
Very nice video. However, it's kind too long. I have the MTH one. For the pulling power, usually MTH has the power wheel equipped with rubber band which increase the friction. No problem with pulling MTH's 5 passenger car set. Not sure if yours has that rubber band. Also, for bachmann's pulling power which really depends on model. I have both Bachnann and MTH's sp 4449. Bachmann one really sucks in pulling BLI's daylight cars (all 6) and it only can handle 3. But MTH's with rubber band, all 6 can be pulled fine.
Yes, I admit the video is a bit too long. I just couldnt fit everything I wanted into on video. I will do separate reviews next time for each loco instead of putting it all into one.
---------------------------------
Yes, MTH engine does have "traction tires"(the term for what you called rubber bands). Say what you want about traction tires, but that is just a screaming indication of poor design. Traction tires is a lame excuse for producing a lightweight, poorly balanced model. They stall the motor, break after a few months, and is a cheap way to make an engine pull more.
---------------------------------
Yes, traction tires improve pulling power, but that is because MTH failed at making a weighty, well balanced model, and they chose the cheap and nasty route of using traction tires to fix their flaw. I will take a properly weighted engine over one with traction tires any day.
You're also comparing a $100 bachmann 4449 to a $500 MTH 4449, yet you expect equal performance out of both. Do you think that's fair?
For $500, I would EXPECT it to perform that much better than the Bachmann. Yet the only reason it does so is because it got a pair of $0.50 traction tires.
He explains why traction tires are rubbish: th-cam.com/video/aD4OIa5GAbQ/w-d-xo.html
Watched the whole thing twice, thanks. I do like the pre-war look myself. Been watching 'em disappear from TrainWorld. Can only hope BLI will license PS3 and make a run of all their Pennsies.
dang, that's impressive...tbh I wasent patient enough to watch the entire video over myself...not even once! Me too, I believe BLI makes the best K4...but that's why they are so expensive...and why I dont have one :(
I believe BLI made a K4 in PS3. www.broadway-limited.com/paragon3prrk4s.aspx
And of course they recently released their streamlined k4, which Im sad to say, I have no plans on getting...
@@trainman440
I have a little more discretionary time than most. Any thoughts on DCC control systems? I may be back to US shortly and developing a shopping list. To be clear, can DCC locos be run by DCS or is it the other way, DCC can run PS3 locos?
@@gonebamboo4116 PS3 locos can be run by DCC systems, but its somewhat limited. You can obviously control all the functions, speed, smoke, etc. But there's some (arguably useless) gimmicks that you cant do on a DCC system. For example, PS3 engines have this thing in DCS where you can speak into the DCS controller and the engine will play the sound out in the engine...I've never seen any one use it, but it seems to get old quick.
-------------------
In summary, While you cant access all the features with a DCC system with a PS3 engine, if you purchase a DCS system you cant access ANY of the features of every other non-mth engine. So I'd get a DCC system.
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As far as which DCC system to get, there's really only 3 to choose from. NCE Powercab, MRC Prodigy, and Digitraxx Zephyr. I prefer the NCE powercab as its cheap, easy to use, and is generally preferred by many. Its up to you though, all three pretty much do the same thing, just how you like your controller to look, and feel.
@@gonebamboo4116 There are lots of articles online, and forums where you can learn what you should consider when choosing one, and also what others chose and why.
You cant go wrong with either of the three I mentioned. Just avoid any of the other obscure brands (Dynamis,Lenz,EZ command, etc)
@@trainman440
Thanks. That's a good place to start. I just like asking somebody I have confidence in. Much goes on in those chat rooms I just stay away from. My friend finally got my lcoo shipped. So I need to finish the trick and get some power & control.
if i was going too compare this locomotive to a UK counterpart based on the history it would be the Black 5 giving how many were build and how reliable they were
p.s glossy coal is typical of bachmann they seen too do it alot
Nice comparison, I fully agree!
Yea, Bachmanns is known for their glossy coal, I just point it out and let you decide if the viewer choose which they prefer.
Thanks for watching!
@@trainman440 if you want good tips for your channel watch a guy called samstrains he's a youtuber from the uk he does a lot of reviews and repairs on model locomotives
@@danielannett1019 I've been watching him for a while now! His reviews are excellent, and I aspire to have my reviews one day be just as good!
But I must admit his repair videos are for certainly for novices. Not to brag but I've done far more advanced repairs than he has ever touched, including regearing, gearbox shimming, quartering, drive train replacements, custom pickups, etc.
Maybe the MTH needs tires?
yes, MTH engines do come with a separate wheel with traction tires, but long story short, traction tires are worthless.
MTH intentionally removed valuable space in the (plastic) boiler that should be for lead weights in lieu for a smoke unit. To supplement that decision, they make it so the engine practically requires the need for traction tires for it to pull any respectable amount of cars. While I agree that smoke units are cool, Id much rather have a good running engine than a smoke unit. An engine's running capabilities is much more important than its gimmicks.
Traction tires prevent the wheels from slipping, causing motor stall, causing long term stress damage on the motor. Tires can also wear out, and prevents the wheels from picking up power. I understand if traction tires exist on an engine with either a) not enough physical space in the boiler to fit more weight or b) there are too little powered driving wheels on said engine(such as a 0-4-0). Otherwise, it is a cheap and nasty solution to a poorly designed engine.
@@trainman440 That's a shame... the wheels look so good and the lack of plastic seemed like a good idea...
So if you fashioned some lead weight to fit would that solve the problem?
cheers
@@jonnybeck6723 I havent done anything yet. Honestly, I might just leave it as is. The beautiful paint scheme represents an earlier K4 (id guess between 1920 and 1930s although I have no sources to back that up). Ill just assume that back then, the PRRs trains would be shorter...say with a 4 car max on my layout. So that works out. On the other hand, I just bought another one but in the post war scheme. Honestly Im not sure what Ill do with that one. Maybe It'll be used for doubleheading duties only...or I might have to get some bullfrog snot. I havent tested the smoke unit yet on this new one, if it doesnt work, I might just remove the smoke unit and cram some lead weights into the boiler.
@@trainman440, that's bunk...I have TWENTY YEAR OLD locomotives with their original tires, and they work fine. I even have a THIRTY YEAR OLD Rivarossi Big Boy with it's original tires. You've been fed some bad information...put the tire-equipped drivers on the MTH (rear drivers) and give it a try. Let us know how "bad" it runs then. Oh, and get back to us in twenty years and let us know if they've worn out! 🤣
@@wobblinwheel Hey Im glad your tires havent deteriorated, but from PERSONAL experience, I've owned tyco (0-4-0) and MTH (USRA 2-8-2) locos where the traction tires have either rotted away, or been stretched to the point where they no longer grip to the wheel. I dont doubt that your traction tires have been maintained well throughout the years, but the simple fact is that just because your tires havent gone bad doesnt mean that ALL tires never go bad, and ultimately tires dont last as long as a solid nickel plated wheel sitting on a heavy die cast body (which will literally last forever). But hey Im glad yours are working out for you!