Class J 4-8-4

[zilerog]

i have a Class J 4-8-4 Bachmann Plus loco and i would like to upgrade it to a dcc with sound. Any suggestions as to the best way to do this and what dcc/sound decoder i should be using.

[Pacific Northern]

I would recommend that you buy a new Spectrum with sound and dcc. The cost of installing a good sound decoder in the plus unit I think is a waste of money. Check the web for new J's with sound.


http://cgi.ebay.ca/SPECTRUM-HO-4-8-4-DCC-TSUNAMI-SOUND-TRAIN-NORFLK-83902-/200591908036?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2eb4359cc4

http://cgi.ebay.ca/SPECTRUM-HO-4-8-4-DCC-TSUNAMI-SOUND-TRAIN-NORFLK-83903-/180639607263?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2a0ef5a9df

[Doneldon]

zilerog-

I have to agree with PacNo. A Spectrum loco would be a much better runner than a B+ model and you'll only have to spend a little more than what you'd pay for a quality DCC motion and sound controller. And you'll recover some of that if you sell your old loco on ebay or at a train show. Don't buy at the first place you find the Spectrum J, however. Between Inet retailers and ebay there's a wide range of prices.
                                                                                                                        -- D

[rustycoupler]

If you buy the newer loco you just have to match the colored wires to the board and put the speaker in the prefab hole in the tender and program and you are done.