Question/Advice on Spectrum Heavy Mountain

Hello all, I’m thinking of buying a Spectrum Heavy Mountain (Norfolk & Western). Does anyone know if this was available with DCC and sound factory equipped like the 2-8-0?

If so, anyone know any online dealers who currently have them in stock?

If not, has anyone had to install DCC in one, no sound. I just want to know if you have to wire in any resistors for the head light or the fire box, or does Digitracks or NCE make a decoder that I can just plug in??

What do you think of the engine overall, any running problems (DC or DCC)?

Thanks in advance, Dave Hughes

 

I have the HW, my first Bachmann Spectrum, C & O version with Vandebilt VC-16 tender. I'm not DCC but according to the MR Oct 04, it has a DCC receptacle.

Lubricate this 21oz model before you run it and that's on 22" radius with good top end speed. Due to it's die cast boiler, it should outpull the Light Mountain.

My only problem was the cow catcher was scrapping the top of the rail head and had to be filed down.

Another modeler had an install problem with the Digitrax DH 163 series(erratic running problems)
due to hash filters in the motor leads.
His solution was to remove the filter components altogether.

Check out http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/news_locomotives.htm and click on "revisiting Bachmann Spectrum".

I don't care for the blue LED headlight or the chintz loco copper pickup. For $120.00 it's a good loco and yes, I would buy another.

[ 27. July 2004, 13:33: Message edited by: locomotive2 ]

 

I got one from Trainworld for $109.95, and consider it one of THE best values I ever got. I really like this engine. I run straight DC. It is extremely quiet and smooth throughout the range. Excellent puller. Pretty good detail, and it looks good with an ex- 2-8-4 tender, just like the real ones did. Although the cab, tender, lettering, and sand dome are wrong for a post-war N&W K-1, having started with an undec version I think it now looks pretty good. Pulls eight 85 foot passenger cars without the free-est rolling trucks just fine, uphill and down. I would highly recommend it.

 

I bought the HM about a year and a half ago I think, and installed a Digitrax DH143 along with a Soundtraxx decoder. It's one of my favorite pullers out of a choice of 5 steam and some 50 diseasals. I changed out the blue head light for a GOW lamp. In doing so, I had to drill out the back of the head lamp to fit the GOW into it for better light. There is a place in the top of the boiler weight to tape down the headlight resister.

 

I did check and no one else had an undec one. I admit the pick ups don't look too great, but they work quite well.