How do you add sound to a GS4 Daylight?

[paftrain]

Hi,
Just returned to England from a great holiday in Florida where I did some model railroad shopping! Bought the latest Bachmann HO GS4 Daylight - now DCC equipped. It runs fine, but I'd like to add sound. Has anyone tried this yet - first question is how do you split the tender body from its chassis? Then, is there a preferred decoder and speaker? Tsunami claim to cover this with their 'heavy steam' decoder, but Bachmann already have a sound equipped 'J' class so does anyone know which is better/cheaper? Any helpful advice on fitting instructions would also be appreciated. By the way, I'm fairly new to DCC so please don't get too technical!
Thanks in advance,
Paul, Chertsey, Surrey, UK

[rikc9]

Hi,
Just returned to England from a great holiday in Florida where I did some model railroad shopping! Bought the latest Bachmann HO GS4 Daylight - now DCC equipped. It runs fine, but I'd like to add sound. Has anyone tried this yet - first question is how do you splitode the tender body from its chassis? Then, is there a preferred decoder and speaker? Tsunami claim to cover this with their 'heavy steam' decoder, but Bachmann already have a sound equipped 'J' class so does anyone know which is better/cheaper? Any helpful advice on fitting instructions would also be appreciated. By the way, I'm fairly new to DCC so please don't get too technical!
Thanks in advance,
Paul, Chertsey, Surrey, UK

Hello Paul

I do not model that steam era but looking at Tony's Trains, Tony's offers the DCC like yours
in a Spectrum4-8-4 J Class N+W, DCC/sound with the LC decoder and Premium decoder which I suspect is a Soundraxx Tsunami. Not sure. No doubt the tender is set for sound with speaker hole.
http://www.tonystrains.com/locomotive/bachmann.htm
http://www.soundtraxx.com/
You can email Tony's and go to the Yahoo Soundtraxx DCC group and ask.
Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/ and search for DCC. You will see some DCC groups, including Soundtraxx. I would suspect that a Tsunami would be a good bet.

Cheers

rick9

[paftrain]

Hi Rick9,
Thanks for your help - it looks like I'm in for a bit of experimentation! Think I'll order a Tsunami and see if I can fit it - there's always a first time for everything. Still not sure how to get the tender apart, though, without breaking something. You're probably right about the tender being set for sound, as its got loads of holes in the base.
Regards,
Paul.

[SteamGene]

Paul,
Assuming that Bachmann has reworked the tenders to be close to Spectrum, there should be one small screw OTHER THAN THE ONES HOLDING THE TRUCKS.  Unscrew it, leave the trucks alone.  Along the rear there should be two small clips.  Lift the front of the tender and move th rear of it forward and up. 
Gene

[paftrain]

Hello Gene,
Thanks for the info. I'll have a go at it as soon as I can retrieve the loco from our club layout! (I haven't got DCC at home, but we have down at our club). I must say it looks good going around the club's large layout with ten matching coaches in tow.
Paul.