RE: What does an engine "need" in it?
I do not use smoke, so I don’t really need it in a loco, but I don’t mind removing it as others love smoke. I do like isolation switches for smoke and motors.
I do not care for fancy electronics, as I will remove it when I install a DCC decoder. As not all will want to install a control system it should have constant headlights, ditch lights… which work on standard DC track power.
I do not see the value of Bachmann Super Socket. Maybe a compromise to the BSS would be to wire everything back to a terminal strip (I believe some manufactures do this in large scale already?).
I do like sprung drivers. The gearing and other mechanics should be well made, save money of electronics and put it into the mechanics of the loco. Ask yourself this, what’s worse, a locomotive which won’t pull a decent length train at the risk of stripping a gear or one that does not have a glowing fire box?
I think I like sound, a prevision for a speaker is a must, but I’ll purchase the speaker and sound unit. I don’t want to manufacture wasting my money on a cheap unit which I will throw away. A sound cam is a must for steamers, as don’t want factory sound, I think the starting of a cam on a driving axle is good enough, maybe just a drum with spots to install magnets??? Or I would mind if they installed the magnets and reed switch, then all I would need to do it wire the contacts of the reed to the sound unit.
I guess in summary, I like things simply, I believe fancy electronics add points of failure to locomotives. Save money on electronics and put it into mechanics. I believe a locomotive which runs and pulls well are much better then one which has all he bells and whistles.
I do not use smoke, so I don’t really need it in a loco, but I don’t mind removing it as others love smoke. I do like isolation switches for smoke and motors.
I do not care for fancy electronics, as I will remove it when I install a DCC decoder. As not all will want to install a control system it should have constant headlights, ditch lights… which work on standard DC track power.
I do not see the value of Bachmann Super Socket. Maybe a compromise to the BSS would be to wire everything back to a terminal strip (I believe some manufactures do this in large scale already?).
I do like sprung drivers. The gearing and other mechanics should be well made, save money of electronics and put it into the mechanics of the loco. Ask yourself this, what’s worse, a locomotive which won’t pull a decent length train at the risk of stripping a gear or one that does not have a glowing fire box?
I think I like sound, a prevision for a speaker is a must, but I’ll purchase the speaker and sound unit. I don’t want to manufacture wasting my money on a cheap unit which I will throw away. A sound cam is a must for steamers, as don’t want factory sound, I think the starting of a cam on a driving axle is good enough, maybe just a drum with spots to install magnets??? Or I would mind if they installed the magnets and reed switch, then all I would need to do it wire the contacts of the reed to the sound unit.
I guess in summary, I like things simply, I believe fancy electronics add points of failure to locomotives. Save money on electronics and put it into mechanics. I believe a locomotive which runs and pulls well are much better then one which has all he bells and whistles.
