FWIW, I sent my On30 back to Bachmann for repair. It came back a week later! Shock! I opened the box and found an 0-4-0 Porter! I don't really like the Porters--poor track contact--so I called Bachmann! The Cust. Serv. man called me back within an hour and informed me that they no longer produce the Gas Mechanicals! Be advised! I thought they were cool, especially with he little mine cars!
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The Cust. Serv. man called me back within an hour and informed me that they no longer produce the Gas Mechanicals!
Wow! That's disappointing news to me! I, too, really like the gas mechanicals, and I guess I'm lucky that I have about a half dozen or so of them. I can't imagine why they would choose to discontinue them since they make a neat alternative to all the narrow gauge steam power.
The Cust. Serv. man called me back within an hour and informed me that they no longer produce the Gas Mechanicals!
Wow! That's disappointing news to me! I, too, really like the gas mechanicals, and I guess I'm lucky that I have about a half dozen or so of them. I can't imagine why they would choose to discontinue them since they make a neat alternative to all the narrow gauge steam power.
Here's a possibility...
A retooled gas mechanical might be in the offing with a metal body and equipped with a DCC sounder, just like the Porters.
Just a thought.
Rusty
I Used the Gas Mechanical to pull a mine back and forth on the electronic track. The Porter they sent me is DCC Sound! I don't run DCC at all and DCC locomotives will not operate on the electronic track! So, it is a double loss for me!!!!
A retooled gas mechanical might be in the offing with a metal body and equipped with a DCC sounder, just like the Porters.
Just a thought.
Rusty
That would be very nice! We'll just have to wait and see.
That would be OK, except I would have to gut it to run on straight DC!
That would be OK, except I would have to gut it to run on straight DC!
Tom,
You may not be in as much trouble as you think. Most modern decoders can sense DC or DCC and act accordingly; that is, they are compatible with both modes of operaton, so you might not have to gut the loco.
Jim
DCC units require more voltage to operate their sound systems , motors, and other appurtenances! All they do on the electronic track is sit and make some noise! Even the BLI locos, which are not actually DCC but have sound will not operate on the electronic track set-ups because they do put out enough voltage!
Trainworld as of today June 8th have the Gas Mechanicals on sale at $49.99ea.according to the email I got today.
Just a heads up.
James
Thank you for that info. However, I need non-DCC unit! I think all of Bachmann's latest locos are DCC. You cannot use a DCC unit on the electronic reversing track because it uses a constant voltage adapter! I will have to keep checking on the Bay until someone sells a used non-DCC unit!
I will have to keep checking on the Bay until someone sells a used non-DCC unit!
I probably have a non-DCC Gas Mechanical that I can sell you--new in box and never run. Actually, I probably have several of the earlier non-DCC units. I figure $50, plus shipping. Send me an e-mail (editor@ogaugerr.com) if you're interested.
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