Sound for Bachmann 2-8-4

[Wayne32]

Has anyone installed a sound decoder in a Bachmann Standard Line 2-8-4?  It would seem you could just unplug the Bachmann decoder, plug in a QSI or Tsunami (with suitable wiring harness),  install a speaker and be ready to go.  Would the capacitors and RF chokes on the Bachmann board have to be disconnected?  Bachman's instructions claim they are OK with any NMRA compatible decoder.  Are there any other precautions necessary?  Thanks,
Wayne32

[r0bert]

The motor capacitors can interfere with the BEMF on some decoders, removing them will improve motor control, and with the caps gone, the induction coils have no effect, and don't need to be bypasssed.

[uncbob]

I took out the board entirely and wired direct to the harness --Tsunami decoder
You will need to use the light resistors though to keep from burning out the bulbs ( like I did )
And the Bachmann board had the negative positive motor wires mislabeled
Installed a speaker and good to go

[richg]

I took out the board entirely and wired direct to the harness --Tsunami decoder
You will need to use the light resistors though to keep from burning out the bulbs ( like I did )
And the Bachmann board had the negative positive motor wires mislabeled
Installed a speaker and good to go

Us old timers call that, OJT, On the Job Training.
You probably should have asked here first. The Bachmann locos have Gotchas when it comes to DCC.
I see this sometimes in different forums. Your significant other will often comment on not asking for directions.

Rich

[jkanderson]

Just wired in a Digitrax dcc sound decoder (SDH164D) into my Overland Limited 4-8-4; mounted the speaker in the bottom of the tender, and am now living large.  Learned a lot in the process too. Removed the motor capacitors and resistors as well as the LED and little circuit board, I'm only using the decoder wiring, with 12v 60mA bulbs front and rear.  This is my first foray into HO and it's been a blast.