Bachmann Spectrum DASH 8-40CW - Tune-Up, Build & Review

Bachmann's earlier Spectrum models may not be the most well regarded by many, but I've found them to be good runners that are easy to maintain and keep going! This video shows how to tune-up and assemble one of the classic HO DASH 8s, which were delivered as partial kits.
Apologies for a few minutes of blurry shots! I didn't realize I'd set the camera's focus in one spot instead of having it on auto like normal.

[@nyglover]

My lord darth thank you. I have been looking for this all day. Now,I,can really clean my dash 8-40.

[@robby062]

If you’re going to store the model in the box after the handrails are installed, the box foam on the ends needs to be cut out further, as the clearance is too tight and the handrails damage easily. You did a nice fair comparison with this and they are still good lower-mid end models.

[@vincenttolve9756]

Excellent, thorough, easy to understand explanation - even for me. I have two 1:32 MTH Dash-8 units and a new Bachmann Dash-9 on pre-order. Thanks for the tutorial.

[@mgr_video_productions]

Awesome video. I have a few of the later Bachmann Spectrum Dash 8s. Love them. Would love to add sound to them one of these days.

[@michaelcudby787]

Thankyou for the video. There are three versions of the Bachman Dash 8s.You have the early & the latest version, I think? The latest version, I think it is your BNSF unit, is completely different than the other versions. It even has the Atlas style of wheel pickups. I can remember a few years ago, theAtlas & the Bachman,(latest version) were priced at nearly the same, along with being DCC ready.They can be picked up on ebay, but if the seller dosnt understand what version he has, then they can be purchased at a GOOD price.I think they came in a much bigger box, as well. Just my 2 cents worth. Thanks Michael NZ

[@ferreomodelismomuriae]

beautiful locomotives.

[@captainbill12]

Love your videos. Just a thought in passing. You take disassemble everything all the time to remove old grease and oil. Maybe investing in an ultrasonic cleaner would be a good investment to assist you in the cleaning process.

[@DarthSantaFe]

Thanks! It would be a nice investment, but I like to keep it down to more basic tools so others watching will be able to follow along and learn how to maintain their trains.

[@MatthewsModelTrains]

I love the Spectrum Locomotives 😊.

[@adamserafini6945]

Thanks. Newer Spectrum are great. Never realized the walkway and battery boxes are metal. The sd45 Spectrum was similar build . Cost of production was too high so they were discontinued. Then they came out with ES44AC and sd70ace same build almost.Don't think we will ever see them built like those ever again but we know they can at least. There are a few others of that 90's era that sported that quality only for a short time.

[@michaeldodd7640]

Good video, there is a Conrail version as well thank you for the video🙂

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

I once had a Bachmann 0-6-0 from around the same time as this locomotive. It ran fine, had good pulling power, but only for the first month. I eventually found out that the problem was in the nylon axles. I basically just used superglue on the inside of the axle, and modeling glue on the outside, and then it was fixed. Sadly, due to its split-chassis design, I couldn’t convert it to dcc without removing some weight. I’ve basically limited it to storage space.

[@garyjust.johnson1436]

Well, i learned something new! Great video!

[@animalyze7120]

I always keep those plastic rails in their packaging and use wire and/or addon aftermarket hand rail kits that are metal. The plastic rails are useless and very ugly but kept sealed up keep the collectible value intact should you ever wish to sell it later on. Plastic breaks to easily and I found long ago just better to keep them in the box rather than futz around with them. Great video and a very nice old Loco.

[@blairmielnik8228]

My first venture into HO was around 1990 with a Bachmann 0-6-0... It disassembled itself on the loop 6- I was 10 - I now know it was due to out of quarter drivers. It literally ripped the axles apart - chewed through the nylon and spit it out. At the end of the day I went back to my dad's Lionel- I have had a skepticism if Bachmann ever since. I returned to HO a year later with Athearn blue box diesels and stayed there until I bought used Rivarossi 2-8-4 4 years later. Beware with Bachmann- even now...

[@DarthSantaFe]

Bachmann steam engines had a lot of problems in the 90’s. They didn’t really have a good one until the Spectrum 2-8-0, which for a long time was one of the most dependable steam models around.

[@Zebrails]

I've got CNW 8508, but it's a Dash 8-40C... uh, peanut butter-like grease in the gears. I've also got the LMX version Dash 8-40B (Atlas) as well as the Demonstrator versions of both the B and C, also Atlas models. But, not had any CW's. John BC, Canada (nee WA, WI, MN) p.s. I've noticed that the middle axles are not electrically connected.

[@DarthSantaFe]

In your case the prototype is an actual 8-40C instead of a DASH 9. :) It is 8-wheel electrical pickup, but that so far hasn't caused any problems. The weight combined with the nickel surface have made these very reliable electrically.

[@LIMPGUITAR]

Great video dude!

[@samfuller6273]

The seams on the nose are prototypical in newer GEs . They have the heavier plate steel anti crash nose. A little more squared off compared to older rounded off corners. I'm not a fan of older GEs, but the newer C45s are the best as a UP Engineer.

[@DarthSantaFe]

I was actually talking about the seams in the handrails, but that’s good to know the body is fairly accurate!

[@samfuller6273]

@Darth Santa Fe well not on that year of CNW it's like a 1994 model. They were more rounded off noses, but the nwer C-45T3 and 4s( AC45CW) It would be acceptable. I was a new Engineer in 2004, and C-45s were just being released. In the 5500 series and around 2018, they got the reinforced plate steel nose and vault door in the front 25-2700 series...the very best GEs ever!

[@samfuller6273]

@@DarthSantaFe the hand rail uprights got thicker in the newer GE versions also.

[@jimflagg4009]

I like the metal railings better because you can fix bending caused by packaging but it is a lot more work to setup metal railing.

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Good Job

[@mattomon1045]

I have 5 of these on the nut side of the frame, I fill the holes with 5 minute epoxy. that holds the nut in place forever.

[@static_tv_og]

Santa Fe All All the Way❤

[@casstelles]

If there was anything that I would do to help improve the old Spectrum models, I would try to paint the grab irons in the proper paint or change them with proper painted ones. IMHO, the blacken grab irons are the most distracting thing about the old Spectrum models. As far as the overall details and drive mechanism, they are a great budget compromise for the price.

[@keatonsparksvideoproductions]

How do I stop my revised bachmann spectrum c40-8w from leaning to the conductors side of the locomotive

[@DarthSantaFe]

Try taking off one of the trucks and gluing some thin shims on each side of the bolster pin. The shims will prevent that truck from being able to rock from side to side, but make sure both trucks can still rock forward and back a little.

[@Christiane069]

How does it works to use superglue, and baking soda? Super glue will not be strong enough? Any other type of glue to do the job?

[@DarthSantaFe]

Baking soda reacts with super glue, making it harden almost instantly. It also works as an extra structural binding agent, like when you mix paper with ice or straw with clay brick, making for an even stronger material.

[@Christiane069]

@@DarthSantaFe Ha! OK. Thank you for the feedback. I will use this "chemical" trick.

[@SylTrunkett]

Would you like to work on one of my engine, I have a flieshmann that could some work

[@DarthSantaFe]

@@SylTrunkett This is the one from earlier that’s in pieces and needs to be put together? I think I can help with that, so if you can send me an e-mail at [e-mail] then we can work something something out.

[@hamiltonsullivan6563]

Hey that's what's up

[@kevinrammelsberg8621]

I’m looking for parts for the dash 8’s since I need the shaft from the motor worm gear to the trucks gears and the handrails/ grab irons. Does anyone know where to get them since Bachman doesn’t have them anymore?

[@DarthSantaFe]

You might be able to replace the old universal with NWSL parts. For the handrails, A Line offers Athearn style steel stanchions which you can use with wire rails, or you might be able to find Smokey Valley brass parts. KV Models might also have something.

[@michaelcudby787]

idYou are dead on the money with the gear ratio:ie 7-1.They are a very simple gear train, but the drawback is the gear ratio. If these had the normal 14-1 ratio, they would run really nicely at slow speed.They brought out the SD 45s just a bit later & had exactly the same design trucks 7-1 gearing. That is WAY too tall.The SD 45s were probably the worst performing loco of all time, at slower speeds.What I have done with my Dash 8 is put a good quality decoder in it to run on DCC, & they run beautifully. One thing I did notice on the SD 45s, was that the worm was sanwiched in too tightly agaist the thrust washers/ housing, which made the drive quite hard to turn, but for a mid 90s era model, they were pretty damn good.(directional lighting,grab irons). I think the nickel silver wheels, are a poor quality, & wear off quite easily, & hard to get replacments. In its day, pretty good model, tho. Thanks for the video. You do know your stuff.Cheers. Michael NZ

[@davidj1187]

Could use 2 pickle slices

[@Christiane069]

Also, this unit does not seams to offer any room for a DCC decoder.

[@DarthSantaFe]

There’s room in the roof area behind the cab for a DCC decoder. Sound is a different story, but DCC is easy enough to install once the trucks and motor are insulated from the frame.

[@notmuch_23]

I bet directional lighting got _embarrassingly_ simple with white LEDs! Instead of the light source and two diodes, the light sources ARE diodes!

[@DarthSantaFe]

That is technically true! The LEDs do need resistors or bridge rectifiers to work with the 12V power though, so the board would likely end up with just as many parts.

[@notmuch_23]

@@DarthSantaFe Would need resistors, which are also very simple, but bridge rectifiers? Isn't the track power DC already?

[@DarthSantaFe]

@@notmuch_23 It’s an interesting trick in DC. If you hook up a bridge rectifier in series with the motor and run the lights off the other two terminals of the rectifier, the first 1.4V will go to the lights and never exceed that. The only downside is the motor will get a maximum 10.6V when turning the controller up to 12V. I’ve used this quite a few times to make DC constant lighting circuits.

[@notmuch_23]

@@DarthSantaFe Huh...

[@Railfan-uf9mw]

Note in real life the CNW NEVER had C40-8Ws just dash 9s and AC4400CWs

[@David-yo5re]

He discussed that a couple of times.

[@shnorth888]

CNW did have c40-8s with the standard cab but none of the widecab versions.