# Some Mods for my Bachmann GP38-2



## Bman (Aug 24, 2010)

Hello everyone, new to the forum.

I have read all sorts of opinions about the Bachmann locos on this forum and I thought I would post what I did with mine.

When I brought it home a last week I ran it and thought it wasn't too bad of a loco. 

The problems occurred when I tried to speed match it to the other locos. Is there any info on these decoders out there. I haven't looked in this forum yet but I don't need to now. You see I got upset when I tried to change the start up voltage CV2 and the loco stopped working, then i reset it the only way I know how, CV8 to 8 and things just didn't work out I can't remember exactly all what happened. So I did something rash and yanked out the board, and wired in a digitrax decoder DH123. Presto, it now works great, even runs a little better IMHO.

Next when I was running it in a consist I didn't like the way it kept uncoupling with the loco in front and the car behind so I modified the openings for the couplers and installed Kadee couplers in place of the original ones. I really don't think the couplers were all that bad it was just the way they were mounted to the body. The couplers seemed to flex up and down a lot and now with the Kadee's they don't. Sorry but I don't know what # coupler they were. I can post a pick if anyone would like.

Now the loco runs good and pulls good. Looking forward to some successful consists.

Just my long winded two cents.
B


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## mr_x_ite_ment (Jun 22, 2009)

Hey B...I have that same loco, and I thought it ran pretty well out of the box too. I haven't put it in a consist yet. That was a good idea to try a different decoder in there. If my decoder fails, I might also try the DH123, especially since you are pretty happy with it! Thanks for the info!

Chad


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## Komodo (Jun 28, 2010)

thats a nice locomotive, for me bachmann is fine. ( i know people are going to be like wtf are you talking about, well i will explain) I'm only on a 4x7 layout with no dcc and my b23-7 conrail engine ( made by bachmann) is only going to pull around 7 to 9 cars max.


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## dozer (Jan 2, 2010)

Komodo said:


> thats a nice locomotive, for me bachmann is fine. ( i know people are going to be like wtf are you talking about, well i will explain) I'm only on a 4x7 layout with no dcc and my b23-7 conrail engine ( made by bachmann) is only going to pull around 7 to 9 cars max.


 I actually bought two bachmann dcc diesels recently and am quite surprised how well they really do run. On both of them I had to let them run at near full speed for about 20 minutes before they started quieting down and smoothing out. I disassembled the trucks and regreased them. Now they're quiet, and they really do pull good. I did the mod to the factory decoder before even running them and so maybe that's why they work out so good.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

bachmans are good, quiet runners. heck, even non spectrum model i used to have, ran very well (later AWD one.), the detail is just a ted behind but worth the money.
what they don't do well is decoders (I forgot who they subcontracted that). i seen 2 so far, both would randomly forget settings and addresses. as soon as i plugged DH123 all was good. IMHO one will need to factor in cost of replacement decoder.


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## Komodo (Jun 28, 2010)

tankist said:


> bachmans are good, quiet runners. heck, even non spectrum model i used to have, ran very well (later AWD one.), the detail is just a ted behind but worth the money.
> _*what they don't do well is decoders*_ (I forgot who they subcontracted that). i seen 2 so far, both would randomly forget settings and addresses. as soon as i plugged DH123 all was good. IMHO one will need to factor in cost of replacement decoder.


and turnouts, i bought a turnout at a hobby store that was broken right out of the box!


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## Bman (Aug 24, 2010)

I agree 100% with the decoders in Bachmann DCC locos being sub par. As for the locos themselves, I have a 4% incline and I think it slows down on the incline a little more than the other engines I have...but it was also much less expensive. I will have to try a nice long run in period with mine, not that is runs horrible but it might help it out.


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