sound chassis for decapod tender?

[florynow]

My friend ordered a couple of these for some DC 2-10-0's he has, to get them into DCC/sound

http://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66_68_158&products_id=942

This picture certainly looks like it has a speaker and sound decoder.  However, the locomotive would not respond when on the DCC track to address 3.  He called Bachmann and was told he still "needs a decoder" and that "Soundtraxx" has them.

Questions:

1.  What is the actual function of this product if not for coversion to DCC and sound?
2.  What is the unused plug in the picture for?  I thought it was for the tender back up light, but ..... is it to plug a sound/dcc decoder in?
3.  Would soundtrraxx sell to an individual the basic Tsunami 3-whistle sound decoder, or does he have to buy the full-blown 8-whistle Tsunami decoder?
4.  If needed, would these decoders plug into the plug?  If that is what it is really for.  Or do we have to solder 8 or 10 loose wires to something?  (Something we do not want to do.)

[richg]

That is not a sound chassis. That is a tender chassis for DCC. The ad does not say sound. That is the DCC ready with a six pin adapter to run the loco on a DC controlled layout.
Remove the six pin adapter and plug in a 8 pin connector that is connected to the decoder. The socket in the tender is an NMRA 8 pin socket.
Some companies sell the sound decoder. Varies from about $50.00 to about $150.00 depending on manufacturer. Some come with a speaker. Some you buy the speaker separately. Some you have to solder a 8 pin connector to the decoder wires. One decoder, you can use a 9 pin JST to 8 pin adapter.
More expensive, more features.

You cannot buy the decoder that comes with Bachmann on board sound.

Rich

[richg]

To continue. Plug in the sound decoder and with a fine tip soldering iron, solder the two speaker wires to the speaker terminals.
FYI. Some sound decoders use 32 ohm speakers or 100 ohm speakers. Most use 8 ohm speakers.
Then you have a complete sound equipped tender.
A BIG Assumption, maybe Bachmann will make the on board type sound decoder available in the future. That is a WAG.
You can remove the speaker and install the one that comes with the sound decoder. Some come with a 28mm round speaker  which is normal for many. not all, HO locos.
Below is what HO and ON30 sound locos pretty much look like inside the tender for PC and decoder boards. I suspect to keep cost down, Bachmann tries to use the same size decoder. Speaker size and location might vary.
To the right, you can see where the sound decoder plugs into the 8 pin connector on the Bachmann PC board which contains, diodes, resistors, capacitors and inductors.
This is my Spectrum 4-6-0 with on board Tsunami and the speaker is under both PC boards.



Below is a usefull link about DCC and sound. Pay attention to the Curriculum link.

http://www.mrdccu.com/

What is still disappointing about Bachmann is their continual poor documentation on many of their products.

Good luck.

Rich

[richg]

The below link should be how this tender is used for the 2-10-0. Some Spectrum DCC ready tenders came with the speaker opening. My older Spectrum 4-4-0 did but not all come ready for a speaker.
Some tenders where for LED's and some only for light bulbs. I have both.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/H843X-IS001.PDF

Rich

[richg]

Man.  This is WAY TOO MUCH work.  And WAY TOO MUCH money.  For the price of the chassis, speaker and decoder, could almost buy two sound equipped decapods.

Little late now but that is what can happen when buying a product you know nothing about and making assumptions.
He might be able to find some older Sountraxx LC steam decoders. that will work into the 8 ohm speaker that is on the tender. They most probably can be had for under $50.00. They do not work with DC power packs though. They are NOT dual mode.
I would join the Yahoo SoundTraxx Group and ask there. Many there have been using the Low Cost decoders until the Tsunami came out. I see every so often that some want to get rid of them.
I believe I sold all of miy LC decoders when I started buying the Tsunami.
Some of the cheaper sound only decoders on the market right now work into a 32 ohm speaker they come with. You still need a decoder for the motor.

Rich